Finland to Probe Foreign Minister Over Syria Repatriations Legality
February 19, 2020, 1:47 pm

Finland to Probe Foreign Minister Over Syria Repatriations Legality

Finland's constitutional committee said on Wednesday it has asked the Prosecutor General to investigate the legality of Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto's push to repatriate Finnish children from a camp in Syria and his handling of one director at his ministry.

The center-left government said in December it would seek to repatriate the children of Finnish mothers who traveled to Syria to join ISIS and who are now being held at the al-Hol displacement camp controlled by Kurds in northeastern Syria.

But prior to that, Haavisto of the Green Party had sought to repatriate more than 30 such children but faced criticism from the opposition as well as from the Centre Party, an ally in the five-party ruling coalition.

As conditions at the camp deteriorated in December, media reported that Haavisto grew impatient with one ministry director who opposed his plan for speedy repatriations without an official government decision on the matter.

Parliament's constitutional committee on Wednesday asked the Prosecutor General to investigate whether or not Haavisto had exceeded his powers in trying to reassign the director to other work.

"When the minister had already taken the tasks related to al-Hol away from the director, why was it necessary to continue preparing his reallocation to other duties?" the chairwoman of the constitutional committee, Johanna Ojala-Niemela, told reporters.

If the Prosecutor General decides Haavisto overstepped his powers, the minister may have to resign, potentially destabilizing the five-party coalition.

The coalition has had a rocky first year in office with its first leader, Prime Minister Antti Rinne of the Social Democrats, forced to resign in December after six months in office due to widespread strikes and internal divisions within the government.

The coalition limped on after Rinne was quickly replaced by Sanna Marin - the world's youngest prime minister.

Marin quickly forged a compromise in which the government decided that each repatriation from al-Hol should be judged on its own merits, leaving the door open for some mothers to be repatriated with their children if necessary - a key dispute within the coalition.

The coalition remains fragile, however, mainly due to the nationalist Finns Party riding high in the polls since soon after last April's parliamentary election in which it came second by a tight margin to the Social Democrats, who took 17.7% of the vote.

So far the government has confirmed the repatriation of two children from al-Hol.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.