No big deal for Finns as defense chief takes paternity leave

By JARI TANNER
Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — Amid the biggest regional security crisis in decades, as Finland waits to join NATO, the country’s defense minister has chosen to claim nearly two months of parental leave from his job. And Finns aren’t batting an eyelid. Ditto their Nordic neighbors, who are used to family-oriented social policies and work-life balance. Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen, a 48-year-old father of two, has a strong argument. “Children remain small only for a moment, and I want to remember it in ways other than just photos,” he tweeted, assuring that “the security of the fatherland will be in good hands” during his absence.