The Nordic Wonderland of Saunas, Lakes and Cell Phones

On a Wednesday last year, the Italian ambassador dropped by the Finnish Foreign Ministry in Helsinki. Ugo Gabriele de Mohr had to apologize for then Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi's statement that Finnish food was abominable.

One year later, during a coffee break at the Nordic embassies in Berlin. Spider-leg candies, monster cookies and blood juice are also on offer. The Finnish rock band Lordi had just won the Eurovision Song Contest.

"We sent the monsters and Europe voted for them," said Cita Högnabba, press and culture officer for the Finnish government. Högnabba was about to give a presentation about her homeland in the embassy. She didn't want to do be a propagandist. But she really didn't have to.

A+ for Finnish schools

Since a study conducted by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) recognized Finland as having the world's best schools, Germans have been more interested in learning about the country of saunas and lakes. Högnabba shows politicians and journalists around the schools.

"It's crucial that everyone gets a good basic education," said the 49-year-old. "We did away with the dead-end schools 40 years ago."

Students in Finland stay in one class until the ninth grade and receive a warm lunch every day. Children with language difficulties are given special attention. Integration problems aren't as common in Finland as in Germany, but foreigners make up only 2 percent of the population, while in Germany the proportion is four times greater.

Parallel paths to success

Economically speaking, Finland stands for Nokia -- or maybe it's the other way around. The rise of the world's largest cell phone company was nearly simultaneous with Finland's ascent from post-Iron Curtain nadirs. With Jorma Ollila as CEO and an emphasis on mobile phones, Nokia landed on the path to success in 1992. The value of the company's stock has grown by more than 400 percent since then.

The national success story began with EU accession in 1995. According to Transparency International, there is practically zero corruption in Finland today. Productivity, economic growth and price stability are above average compared with the 15 older European Union member states. The public sector enjoys a surplus. And the World Economic Forum has listed Finland as the most competitive country in the world.

"All that is the result of extensive reforms during the 1990s," Högnabba said.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Finland lost its most important trading partner and fell into a deep recession. Unemployment rose from 3.5 percent to 18 percent and the gross domestic product sank by 27 percent.

"Finland didn't have time to lose," Högnabba said. "The difficult situation forced the society to make difficult decisions."

Social spending was cut severely. The crisis passed. And Finland became a role model country.

Green energy and relations with Russia

The inquiries will start piling up in Högnabba's mailbox on July 1. That's when Finland will begin chairing the Council of Europe for six months. Energy policy is one of the top priorities.

After the catastrophe in Chernobyl, the energy company TVO built the first European nuclear power plant in western Finland. "Olkiluoto 3" is supposed to be the most secure atomic reactor ever made, but the risk remains.

"Our experience with atomic energy has been positive," said Paavo Lipponen, a former premier and the current president of Finland's parliament. Energy is produced in massive quantities, but none of it is greenhouse gas. And as far as "green power" is concerned, need will exceed supply in the future, Lipponen said.

Importantly, nuclear energy is not dependent on petroleum or natural gas from Russia. The relationship between the EU and Russia will be another major issue during the Finnish presidency. Finns are still skeptical of their big neighbor to the east. Surveys have revealed that the five million Nordic residents are also among the biggest skeptics of the European Union, where Finns tend to feel underrepresented. However, distrust of Russia runs even deeper: Finland was a Russian province until 1917.

Functional and elegant

And today?

"There's no such thing as wonderland," Högnabba said. "But Finland has properly dealt with issues at many levels."

Like many industrial nations, it faces the problem of an aging society. There are already labor shortages in some sectors. And, despite cuts in the past few years, taxes are still among the highest in the world.

"But we also get something for it," Högnabba said.

Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen on Wednesday presented his plans for the European Council presidency in Parliament in Helsinki. One important point appeared early on the official Web site of the future European Council president.

"Finnish cuisine will play a key role in the catering," it read. "Center pieces on the tables will be simple, but functional and elegant."

"Italian cuisine is certainly better known," Högnabba said. "But we see that as a challenge."

A challenge similar to this year's Eurovision Song Contest and, in the future, to soccer: After all, Finland has yet to qualify for a final round of the World Cup.