Finland Times

 

Heads of the political parties participated in a discussion organised by MTV and Federation of Finnish Financial Services on Tuesday in Helsinki where they focused different major issues. Photo – Lehtikuva.

The heads of Finnish political parties on Tuesday expressed support for continuing the non-alliance stance in the country’s foreign security and defence policy and said the Ukraine crisis has not changed the position on need for NATO membership.

 

Although the outgoing Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen, who is looking for a post in the European Commission, supports that Finland should join NATO, not a single party chairperson raised a hand when asked about the issue during a discussion with MTV and the Federation of Finnish Financial Services.

 

The newly-elected chairman of Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party), Antti Rinne was the first to support continuation of the current security policy.

 

Katainen, also the chief of the Kansallinen Kokoomus (Natioanal Coalition Party), the biggest component of the five-party alliance government, however, pointed out that his party has already been a proponent for NATO membership for 10 years.

 

The party chiefs discussed the dependence of Finland on Russian energy, among other pertinent issues.

 

They said it does not seem that Fennovoima nuclear power plant will be granted licence, if a Russian company becomes a majority shareholder.

 

On the issue of energy, Katainen said it should not be an issue if the municipalities and companies think they do not need electricity or to buy it at a price on a given market.

 

The new SDP chairman, Rinne said he will not push for an increase in corporate tax.

 

This comes after the government decided to lower the taxes this year.

 

“Businesses need predictability and stability. Thus, even though I have been criticised, we will go ahead by that decision,” said Rinne.

 

Earlier, on April 12, in an interview with Yle, Prime Minister Katainen said he believed that Finland should seek NATO membership.

 

In a sharp reaction to Katainen’s remark, Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said the country did not need NATO membership.

 

Tuomioja said Ukraine crisis has not changed the position of Finland’s security policy. Joining NATO would only bring more problems.

 

The finance minister, also a leader of the ruling ally Suomen, reckoned that Katainen could express himself more freely as a Kokoomus member because his tenure was coming to an end.

 

Katainen announced on April 5 his decision to end his 10-year leadership of the Kansallinen Kokoomus in June.