According to Koskelo, the government has not drawn up a credible strategy for eliminating the problems.
Between 1999 and 2008, the European Court of Justice rendered 70 decisions against Finland, most of which had to do with excessively lengthy legal processes.
Sharing Koskelo’s view is Eero Takkunen, Chief Judge at Helsinki District Court.
“The matter has not been taken seriously in Finland. The thinking has been that justice is worth waiting for.”
Koskelo and Takkunen were among ten respondents to an e-mail inquiry by Savon Sanomat and three other provincial newspapers. The inquiry was sent to 15 Finnish legal and human rights experts.
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax insists that the matter is being taken seriously.
Brax notes that much has been done during the present Parliamentary term to rectify the problem.
