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60-490: Alko Inc is the national alcoholic beverage retailing monopoly in Finland . It is the only store in the country which retails beer over 8% ABV , wine (except in vineyards) and spirits . Alcoholic beverages are also sold in licensed restaurants and bars but only for consumption on the premises. Alko is required by law to sell drinks with lower alcohol content than 8% and non-alcoholic alternatives, but in practice carries

120-518: A referendum , they created a company called Oy Alkoholiliike Ab which was fully owned by the government. The first stores were opened on 5 April 1932. During the 1939–40 Winter War the company mass-produced molotov cocktails for the Finnish military , production totalling 450,000 units. Between 1944 and 1970, Alko used the Bratt System from Sweden to control alcohol consumption, using

180-542: A Finland bid for membership. On 11 May 2022, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö signed a new mutual defence agreement "to reinforce their security and fortify northern Europe's defences, in the face of renewed threats." This has helped to address concerns within Finland that the delay between application and acceptance to NATO, during which time Finland would not yet be able to invoke NATO Article 5 and may present an opportunity for

240-503: A Russian invasion. On 12 May 2022, President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin issued a joint statement supporting Finland's application for membership of NATO, saying "As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defence alliance. Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay." On 17 May 2022, the Parliament of Finland voted overwhelmingly to apply for membership of NATO, with 188 votes in favour of

300-546: A booklet called viinakortti whereby all alcohol sales were recorded and stamped into said booklet. Once a certain amount of alcohol was purchased, the owner of said booklet had to wait until next month to buy more. In 1969 the company's name was changed to Oy Alko Ab . This company not only distributed, but also imported and manufactured alcohol. Between 1962 and 1998, Alko stores gradually switched from desk service (where customers asked shop attendants to retrieve products for them) to self-service. In 1995, when Finland joined

360-563: A crisis. The military training of the reservists is primarily the duty of the Defence Forces, but it is assisted by the National Defence Training Association of Finland ( Finnish : Maanpuolustuskoulutusyhdistys ). This association provides reservists with personal, squad, platoon and company level military training. Most of the 2,000 instructors of the association are volunteers certified by

420-404: A driver's licence, ID card or passport is accepted). Alcohol will not be sold to visibly intoxicated customers or when there is a reason to suspect misuse or illegal supply to a person who would not be authorized to buy. From 1919 to 1932, the distribution and consumption of alcoholic beverages was forbidden in Finland. When the prohibition was lifted by the Finnish government in 1932 following

480-399: A government drive to change Finnish drinking habits to a more "European" style, which means a move from hard liquor to wine and beer. While wine consumption has increased, this has not replaced consumption of other alcoholic beverages, negating the "Europeanisation" argument. Nowadays wines occupy most of the shelf space in an Alko shop. Its beer selection is concentrated on stronger versions of

540-605: A government monopoly on the sale of strong alcohol. This drink -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Finnish military The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) ( Finnish : Puolustusvoimat , Swedish : Försvarsmakten ) are the military of Finland . The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the Finnish Army , the Finnish Navy , and the Finnish Air Force . In wartime,

600-458: A large conscript-based reserve army. As a Swedish report stated: "The reason why the FDF chose to maintain this model while its Nordic neighbors jumped on the expeditionary bandwagon is not hard to see. Sharing a 1340km border with Russia, the need for large ground forces is self-explanatory. Furthermore, memories of World War II – in which over 2 percent of the population perished in two brutal wars with

660-580: A part of the 800 million euro savings the Finnish Defence Forces had to carry out. Their duties are now carried out by regional offices ( Finnish : aluetoimisto ). The Navy consists of headquarters and four brigade-level units: Coastal Fleet ( Finnish : Rannikkolaivasto ), Coastal Brigade ( Finnish : Rannikkoprikaati ), Nyland Brigade ( Finnish : Uudenmaan Prikaati , Swedish : Nylands Brigad ), and Naval Academy ( Finnish : Merisotakoulu ). The Coastal Fleet includes all

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720-566: A reflexive policy regarding the goods exported from Norway, and Vinmonopolet was established in 1922, as a response to a deal with France, which allowed Norwegians to buy as much table wine of any kind as they wanted. When prohibition was lifted on fortified wine in 1923 and spirits in 1926, Vinmonopolet assumed sales of these goods as well. Unlike most of its Nordic neighbours, Denmark proper never had any period of alcohol prohibition or any state-owned alcohol monopoly, giving rise to its relatively liberal alcohol laws and drinking culture, however,

780-437: A sufficient deterrent. The army consists of a highly mobile field army backed up by local defence units. The army defends the national territory and its military strategy employs the use of the heavily forested terrain and numerous lakes to wear down an aggressor, instead of attempting to hold the attacking army on the frontier. Finland's defence budget for 2022 equals approximately € 5.8 billion. The voluntary overseas service

840-468: A very limited stock of low alcohol beer, cider and non-alcoholic drinks and others as supermarkets are allowed to sell those at a substantially lower price. By law, alcoholic drinks may only be sold to those aged 18 or above. As the only retailer of strong alcoholic beverages in Finland, Alko has an extensive range of products ranging from rare wines to bulk vodka. Its wine selection has grown in recent decades as there has been an increase in consumption and

900-576: Is a company owned by the Government of Tamil Nadu, which has a monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu . It controls the Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) trade in the state. A similar function is also performed by Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BEVCO) within the Indian state of Kerala . All Nordic countries except Denmark have

960-548: Is highly popular and troops serve around the world in UN , NATO , and EU missions. With an arsenal of 700 howitzers, 700 heavy mortars and 100 multiple rocket launchers, Finland has the largest artillery capability in western Europe. Homeland defence willingness against a superior enemy is at 83%, one of the highest rates in Europe. The air force has 62 F/A-18 combat aircraft from 1995, to be replaced with 64 F-35 aircraft in 2026 by

1020-591: Is the major customer of Altia's products. The history of Alko is presented at the Hotel and Restaurant Museum in Helsinki. From 10 June 2024, the maximum alcohol level which retailers could freely sell alcoholic beverages changed from 5.5% to 8% ABV. Alcohol monopoly An alcohol monopoly also existed in Taiwan between 1947 and 2002, which uniquely, did not actually serve as a form of reducing alcohol use, as

1080-567: Is the modern-day descendant of a government agency originally established during Japanese rule in 1901 which was responsible for all liquor and tobacco products in Taiwan as well as opium, salt, and camphor. In 1922, the agency began selling Takasago Beer through the Takasago Malted Beer Company , which was subsequently renamed as Taiwan Beer in 1946. After the end of World War II in 1945, the incoming Kuomintang preserved

1140-660: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , Finnish government officials began voicing increasingly strong support for joining NATO, buttressed by polls showing a rapid increase in Finnish citizens' willingness to join NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg voiced his support in April 2022 for the inclusion of Finland into the Euro-Atlantic defence alliance and stated that NATO member countries would likely enthusiastically support

1200-518: The Finnish Border Guard becomes part of the Finnish Defence Forces. Universal male conscription is in place, under which all mentally and physically capable men serve for 165, 255, or 347 days, from the year they turn 18 until the year they turn 29. Alternative non-military service for men and voluntary service for women is available. Finland's official policy states that a wartime military strength of 280,000 personnel constitutes

1260-572: The Finnish Navy ( Finnish : Merivoimat , Swedish : Marinen ) and the Finnish Air Force ( Finnish : Ilmavoimat , Swedish : Flygvapnet ). The Border Guard ( Finnish : Rajavartiolaitos , Swedish : Gränsbevakningsväsendet ) (including the coast guard ) is under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior , but can be incorporated fully or in part into the defence forces when required by defence readiness. All logistical duties of

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1320-732: The HX Fighter Program . The Finnish Defence Forces cooperate closely with the Finnish Border Guard. The Finnish Border Guard has its own yearly and long-term investment budget. After Finland's declaration of independence on 6 December 1917, the Civic Guards were proclaimed the troops of the government on 25 January 1918 and then Lieutenant General of the Russian Imperial Army Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

1380-766: The President of the Republic in matters related to the military command. Decisions concerning military orders are made by the President of the Republic in consultation with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence . Apart from the Defence Command ( Finnish : Pääesikunta , Swedish : Huvudstaben ), the military branches are the Finnish Army ( Finnish : Maavoimat , Swedish : Armén ),

1440-604: The Volunteer Campaigns that came to an end in 1920 with the signing of the Treaty of Tartu , which ended the state of war between Finland and Soviet Russia and defined the internationally recognized borders of Finland. After winning the Civil War, the Finnish peacetime army was organized as three divisions and a brigade by professional German officers. It became the basic structure for the next 20 years. The coast

1500-640: The profit motive for sales of alcohol. It later went all over the country in 1905 when the Swedish parliament ordered all sales of vodka to be done via local alcohol monopolies. In 1894, the Russian Empire established a state monopoly on vodka, which became a major source of revenue for the Russian government. Following the prohibition of alcohol in Norway in 1919, the wine-producing nations demanded

1560-520: The 1990s a growing number of Alkos have appeared in malls and supermarkets, some even in gas stations. Under the Alcohol Act, Alkos cannot have a window display , so stores often have a display of wine glasses and catalogues. Alko can advertise beverages that contain up to 22% alcohol. In practice, manufacturers or distributors, not Alko, advertise their products. There is a total ban on advertising beverages stronger than 22%. On February 3, 2005,

1620-583: The Army is planning to complement the modernized Patria Pasi armoured vehicles with the Finnish Patria 6×6 . The standard issue assault rifle RK 62 is also being upgraded to a new variant. A new high altitude air defence missile system was selected in April 2023, Rafael's David's Sling system. The Finnish Defence Forces are under the command of the Chief of Defence , who is directly subordinate to

1680-434: The Civil War and also introduced a mobilization system and compulsory refresher courses for reservists. An academy providing basic officer training ( Kadettikoulu ) was established in 1919, the founding of a General Staff College ( Sotakorkeakoulu ) followed in 1924, and in 1927 a tactical training school ( Taistelukoulu ) for company-grade and junior officers and NCOs was set up. The requirement of one year of compulsory service

1740-616: The Defence Forces are carried out by the Defence Forces Logistics Command ( Finnish : Puolustusvoimien logistiikkalaitos ), which includes three logistics regiments. The Army is divided into eight brigade-level units ( Finnish : joukko-osasto ). Under the brigades, there were 12 military districts, which were responsible for carrying out the draft, training and crisis-time activation of reservists and for planning and executing territorial defence of their areas. The military districts were disbanded in 2014, as

1800-460: The Defence Forces, but when Defence Forces materiel is used, the training always takes place under the supervision of career military personnel. Annually, the Defence Forces requests the Association to run specialized exercises for some 8,500 personnel placed in reserve units, and an additional 16,500 reservists participate in military courses where the participants are not directly selected by

1860-1267: The Defence Forces. The legislation concerning the association will require that the chairman and the majority of the members of its board are chosen by the Finnish Government . The other board members are chosen by NGOs active in the national defence. Chief of Defence General Janne Jaakkola Chief of Defence Command Finland Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics and Armaments Lieutenant General Mikko Heiskanen Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy Major General Sami Nurmi Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations Major General Kari Nisula Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel Major General Rami Saari Chief of Planning Brigadier General Tero Ylitalo Assistant Chief of Staff Operations Commodore Janne Huusko Defence Command Chief of C5 Brigadier General Jarmo Vähätiitto Chief of Personnel (J1) Commodore Tuomas Tiilikainen Chief of Logistics Brigadier General Timo Saarinen Assistant Chief of Staff, Training (J7) Brigadier General Manu Tuominen Defence Command Chief of Intelligence Brigadier General Pekka Turunen Chief Surgeon Commodore Medical Juha-Petri Ruohola Field Bishop Jukka Pekka Asikainen Commander of

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1920-598: The EU, the monopolies in production and import had to be lifted. Thus, the corporation was separated into Alko (distribution), Primalco (production of alcohol) and Havistra (bulk sales), which together formed the Altia Group ; only Alko retained a monopoly. In 1998, Alko was spun off entirely from the Altia Group, which was reorganized later to form Altia Oyj . While Altia Oyj and Alko remain legally separate, Alko

1980-556: The Faroe Islands, a constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark, enacted alcohol prohibition in 1908 following a referendum held the previous year . Faroese people were however allowed to import very limited quantities of alcohol from Denmark proper for personal consumption after 1928, and after a referendum to lift prohibition in the Faroe Islands failed in 1973 , the Faroe Islands finally lifted alcohol prohibition in 1992 with

2040-589: The Finnish Food Marketing Association (a pressure group of the country's supermarkets like K-Kauppa and S-Group ) asked the European Union to challenge the legality of Alko's monopoly, which it disputes. Products under 22% ABV can be purchased by individuals at least 18 years of age. The minimum age for products containing over 22% ABV is 20. When asked at checkout a customer must prove their age with an official ID (only

2100-537: The Finnish army and forcing Finland's unconditional surrender, forced Finland out of the war . The Finns were able to preserve their independence with key defensive victories over the Red Army, the Battle of Tali-Ihantala being very significant. These conflicts involving Finland had a significant impact on the modern Finnish defense force. While other European militaries have reduced their forces, Finland has maintained

2160-796: The Soviet Union – are very much alive in Finland". This same aspect has been highlighted even more strongly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Finland's decision to join NATO. With quotes like; "After World War II, having thwarted the advance of the mighty Red Army in the Winter War of 1939-40 and then seeking to recapture the territory the Soviets eventually claimed, Finland had to settle for neutrality imposed by Moscow. But to almost everyone's surprise, it succeeded in this degrading task, too, building up armed forces that were highly capable and were energetically supported by civil society—while at

2220-690: The annual NATO summit in Madrid as guest nations. Finland became a full NATO member on 4 April 2023. The Defence Forces are currently undergoing key procurement programmes for all the three branches. The Navy is scheduled to get its largest vessels since the WW2-era Väinämöinen class with the new Pohjanmaa class . The Air Force has made the decision to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-35A to replace all McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets for €10 billion. Meanwhile,

2280-644: The application of motti tactics . Finland successfully defended its independence but ceded 9% of its territory per the Moscow Peace Treaty . During the war, the Finns lost 25,904 men, while the Soviet losses were 167,976 dead. Finland fought in the Continuation War alongside Germany from 1941 to 1944. Thanks to Nazi-German aid, the army was much better equipped, and the period of conscription

2340-498: The capital city of Tallinn additionally also allowed 25 fine dining restaurants to sell alcohol. Estonia abolished the tšekisüsteem on 31 December 1925 and retail sales of all alcoholic beverages began the following day. In Latvia , similarly to Estonia, a government monopoly on the production of vodka ( Latvian : valsts degvīna monopols ) existed from 3 April 1920 until the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 . From 1922 to 1930,

2400-536: The conditions of the peace treaty did not include prohibitions on reserves or mobilization made it possible to contemplate an adequate defense establishment within the prescribed limits. The reorganization resulted in the adoption of the brigade -in place of the division- as the standard formation. For the first two decades after the Second World War, the Finnish Defence Forces relied largely on obsolete wartime material. Defence spending remained minimal until

2460-485: The country. Alko shop locations have to be approved by National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Finnish abbreviation Valvira ). Only once has an application for a new Alko shop been denied: in 2003, an application for a location in Koivukylä , Vantaa , was rebuffed because there was a kindergarten next to the planned location. Earlier shops were located separately from other retail outlets, but beginning in

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2520-399: The domestic bulk lagers and some high-quality strong beers from major beer-producing countries as well as traditional Sahti at some locations. Hard spirits include several Finnish brands of vodka and all major types of hard liquor. Alko also sells brands of drinks produced by the Finnish state-owned company Altia , which are traditional products and not sold abroad. Many of these date back to

2580-462: The early 1960s. During the peak of the Cold War , the Finnish government made a conscious effort to increase defence capability. This resulted in the commissioning of several new weapons systems and the strengthening of the defence of Finnish Lapland by the establishment of new garrisons in the area. From 1968 onwards, the Finnish government adopted the doctrine of territorial defence, which requires

2640-537: The establishment of the Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins alcohol monopoly that same year. In Estonia , when the country was part of the Russian Empire, the abovementioned Russian Empire vodka monopoly was in place until 4 September 1914, when alcohol prohibition was enacted due to World War I . This prohibition lasted de facto until approximately 1917 and de jure until the end of World War I

2700-624: The events of 2022 all this has received attention internationally as well. The demobilization and regrouping of the Finnish Defence Forces were carried out in late 1944 under the supervision of the Soviet-dominated Allied Control Commission . Following the Treaty of Paris in 1947, which imposed restrictions on the size and equipment of the armed forces and required disbandment of the Civic Guard, Finland reorganized its defense forces. The fact that

2760-501: The first products launched after the end of prohibition in Finland . These are usually for mixing drinks. In 2024, Alko's strongest selling liquor is a tar liquor called 762 Tumma, which, as the name suggests, has an alcohol content of 76.2%. Alko is a government-owned enterprise reporting to the Finnish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. As of December 2017, it has 368 stores and 143 order pick-up points throughout

2820-481: The following year. Alcohol prohibition was again enacted from 30 December 1918 until the spring of 1919 during Estonian War of Independence . As a result of social upheavals during said periods, the Estonian government , as an alternative to total prohibition, decided to institute the tšekisüsteem on 1 July 1920, which allowed individual municipalities to control the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages, while

2880-434: The government of Czechoslovakia in 1968. In an all-out confrontation between the two major blocs, Finnish objective would have been to prevent any military incursions to Finnish territory and thereby keep Finland outside the war. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 did not eliminate the military threat perceived by the government, but the nature of the threat had changed. While the concept of total, territorial defence

2940-697: The monopoly system for alcohol and tobacco, and assigned the production of beer to the Taiwan Provincial Monopoly Bureau, which was renamed as Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau the following year. The Bureau exercised a monopoly on all alcohol and tobacco products sold in Taiwan until liberalisation of the Taiwanese alcohol market between 1987 and 2002, after which it was succeeded by the state-owned Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation which competes with many overseas brands today. The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC)

3000-420: The motion and 8 against. The following morning, the Finnish ambassador to NATO, Klaus Korhonen, formally submitted Finland's application to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg . Sweden also submitted its application at the same time. On 29 June 2022, 30 NATO countries extended a formal invitation for Finland along with Sweden to join NATO. Both nations received the status of aspiring members while attending

3060-502: The same time managing to maintain dialogue with Moscow.", "Finland still has compulsory military service. Finland would be in a position to mobilize an army of 280,000 soldiers. That's quite a big army in modern Europe,", with similar views being expressed elsewhere as well, often referring to the fact that Finland has kept its conscript-based armed force or other readiness-related units, contrasting with other European countries that now have to re-arm, such as Germany as an example. During

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3120-743: The spirits monopoly ensured from 12.7% to 18.4% of state revenue. In the United Kingdom , the sale and distribution of alcohol in Carlisle , Gretna , Cromarty Firth and Enfield were nationalised as part of the State Management Scheme in order to reduce drunkenness for workers at the nearby armament factories during the World War I . The Enfield scheme ended in 1921 and the remaining schemes ended in 1973 when they were privatised. The Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation

3180-491: The surface combatants of the Navy, while Coastal Brigade and Nyland Brigade train coastal troops. The Air Force consists of headquarters and four brigade-level units: Satakunta , Lapland and Karelian Air Wings ( Finnish : lennosto ) and Air Force Academy ( Finnish : Ilmasotakoulu ). They are responsible for securing the integrity of the Finnish airspace during peace and for conducting aerial warfare independently during

3240-413: The use of large land areas to delay and wear out a potential aggressor. The doctrine was complemented by the concept of total defence which calls for the use of all resources of society for national defence in case of a crisis. From the mid-1960s onwards the Finnish Defence Forces also began to specifically prepare to defeat a strategic strike, the kind which the Soviet Union employed successfully to topple

3300-872: Was appointed as Commander-in-Chief of these forces the next day. Fighting between the White Guards (as the Civic Guards were commonly known) and the Red Guards had already broken out about a week before around Viipuri , in what became known as the Finnish Civil War . In the war, the Whites were victorious in large part thanks to the leadership of General Mannerheim and the lead by example offensive mindedness of 1,800 German-trained Finnish Jägers , who brought with them German tactical doctrine and military culture. The post-war years were characterized by

3360-535: Was greater than that imposed by any other Scandinavian country in the 1920s and the 1930s, but political opposition to defense spending left the military badly equipped to resist an attack by the Soviet Union, the only security threat in Finnish eyes. When the Soviets invaded in November 1939 , the Finns, led by Marshal Mannerheim , defeated the Red Army on numerous occasions, including at the crucial Battle of Suomussalmi . These successes were in large part thanks to

3420-564: Was guarded by former czarist coastal fortifications and ships taken as prizes of war. The Air Force had already been formed in March 1918, but remained a part of the Army and did not become a fully independent fighting force until 1928. The White Guard ( Suojeluskunta ) played a key role in interwar Finnish defence policy, as they essentially served as local/territorial militia forces, and some had higher readiness and training for quick mobilization. The new government instituted conscription after

3480-599: Was increased to two years, making possible the formation of sixteen infantry divisions. Having initially deployed on the defensive, the Finns took advantage of the weakened Soviet positions as a consequence of Operation Barbarossa , swiftly recovering their lost territories and invading Soviet territory in Karelia, after settling into defensive positions in December 1941. The Soviet offensive of June 1944 undid these Finnish gains and, while failing in its objective of destroying

3540-671: Was not dropped, military planning has moved towards the capability to prevent and frustrate a strategic attack toward the vital regions of the country. The end of the Cold War also allowed new opportunities which would have previously been seen as breaking Finland's stance of neutrality, such as participation in the War in Afghanistan and the Nordic Battlegroup . With the change in the European security environment brought by

3600-425: Was the case in the Nordic countries, Canada and the U.S., but was simply a continuation of the system established during Japanese rule of Taiwan . The Taiwanese market was gradually opened to overseas brands starting from 1987, with full liberalisation in 2002, the year when Taiwan was admitted to the WTO . The alcohol monopoly was created in the Swedish town of Falun in 1850, to prevent overconsumption and reduce

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