In the previous two years, the corona pandemic has messed up Linna’s celebrations.
On this year’s Independence Day, the Linna will celebrate again.
In the previous two years, however, the corona pandemic has messed up the plans.
Last year, small-scale parties were tried to be organized. We even had time to send the invitations to 200 guests, which is significantly less than usual.
In 2020, the presidential couple will host Linna’s party without invited guests. Henri Kärkkäinen
Controversy about the corona passport
There were times when, for example, you had to show a corona pass to enter the movies or even some cafes. An inquiry began about whether Linnaa’s corona passport is needed.
The President of the Republic, Sauli Niinistö, said at a press conference in November that the corona passport will not be asked.
Since then, he opened up about the decision even more on Facebook:
– Official events of the public sector, such as the Independence Day reception, are not public events according to the Assembly Act, so the restrictions do not apply to them, the president of the republic wrote.
With this, he was referring to the recent decision of the Regional Administrative Agency of Southern Finland to limit public events in Uusimaa.
– When the restrictions do not apply to this official occasion of the public sector, the corona passport exempting from the restrictions cannot be requested and checked under the Infectious Diseases Act.
– Despite this legislative gap, we strictly follow the decision of the regional administrative agency as well as other health safety measures, Niinistö continued.
The President’s Office specified at the press conference that invited guests are expected to come to Linna’s party fully vaccinated or with a negative corona test result received within 48 hours.
Cancellation
On November 25th, it was announced that the Linna party has been cancelled. The reason was found to be the worsening disease situation and the corona passport regulation.
“Unfortunately, the law leaves a loophole that prevents the corona passport from being demanded and checked at official events of the public sector, such as the Independence Day reception,” the release said.
The separate guest event for veterans and lotteries was also canceled due to health and safety reasons.
Those already invited were promised that they will receive an invitation to the next party reception.
Exception day
Of course, independence was celebrated last year as well, but with special arrangements.
In addition to the castle celebrations, the national military parade was also cancelled. However, many traditions were kept.
President Niinistö laid a wreath on the hero’s cross at the Hietaniemi cemetery. Mrs. Jenni Haukio was there. The presidential couple also lit the candles in Helsinki Cathedral.
Hurst’s Independence Day celebration was celebrated at the Helsinki Railway Square. There was fish soup.
From 15:00 to 20:00 there were four different demonstrations in the center of Helsinki. The biggest attention was attracted by the Helsinki without Nazis demonstration, which stopped for an hour.
Niinistö greeted the procession of graduates from the Linna’s balcony alone. Mrs. Haukio’s absence was surprising. The reason was said to be a precaution related to the flu.
However, the presidential couple gave a special interview together for Yle’s live television broadcast of Independence Day from Linna.
The broadcast also heard the thoughts of veterans and veterans, as well as people who earned merit during the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, the program included live music.
Although Independence Day was exceptional, President Niinistö recalled in an interview with Iltalehti:
– The festive atmosphere is not limited to the Castle’s celebrations. Independence Day is Independence Day, you always feel and recognize it. It’s a sublime feeling.
Mrs. Haukio, on the other hand, praised the citizens’ actions in the midst of the corona crisis:
– The feeling of bearing joint responsibility, that we are all together in this same situation and everyone bears some responsibility.
The first corona year
In 2020, with the corona pandemic raging, the traditional Linna celebrations were not even attempted to be organized. Instead, viewers got to see Yle’s Castle Celebrations 2020 broadcast.
The President of the Republic and his spouse also hosted those parties, but without invited guests.
They performed in the castle by Marzi Nyman accompanied by the band singer Diandra, an opera singer Aarne Pelkonenkantele artist Ida Elinasingers from the Student Union, Ballet dancers from the National Opera and Actors Seela Sella and Esko Salminen. The last-mentioned dialogue performance was directed by the director of the National Theatre Mika Myllyaho, and it was based on the texts collected by Jenni Haukio. Sella and Salminen’s performance charmed the audience.
Seela Sella and Esko Salminen’s performance was memorable from Independence Day 2020. Defense forces / Antti Nikkanen
Diandra also performed at Linna on Independence Day 2020. Jarno Kovamäki
The program also included cultural performances and inserts from different parts of Finland.
On Independence Day, an average of 1.61 million Finns watched Ylen Linna’s celebrations 2020 broadcast. Compared to previous years, the drop in viewership was quite significant.
The people of Finland love to watch traditional Linna celebrations with handshake lines on TV. An average of 2.28 million people watched the 2019 Castle festivities, 2.44 million in 2018, and even more the previous year: 2.6 million.