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Home NATIONALOpposition’s proposal will increase debt: PM
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Thu, 15 May, 2014 01:28:11 AM
Govt’s failure to overcome unemployment blamed
FTimes-STT Report, May 15
 
Prime Minister, Jyrki Katainen spoke on unemployment issue in the parliament on Wednesday. Photo Lehtikuva.
The parliament on Wednesday held discussions on an interpellation tabled by the opposition to address the deteriorating unemployment situation with the treasury bench rejecting the opposition’s plan saying it would increase the debt amidst the ongoing economic crisis.
 
Kimmo Tiilikainen, the chair of the opposition Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party) parliamentary group accused the government of having nothing new to offer to tackle the unemployment problem.
 
The Keskusta leader specifically held the Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party), the biggest component of the five-party alliance government led by Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen responsible for the current unemployment woes.
 
The Centre Party and the Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) also presented a long list of proposals to the government which could be implemented to reduce unemployment.
 
File picture of employment office. Photo Lehtikuva.
Responding to the allegations of the opposition leaders, the prime minister said he does not think that the barking from the opposition will correct the issue.
 
Katainen estimated that the Centre Party offered 1.5 to 2 billion euros in tax cuts, scrapping off cuts or additional expenditure.
 
According to the premier, the state will be in more debt if such measures are implemented, since the Centre Party is against tax increase and cuts.
 
“If the Centre Party and Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) proposals are implemented, Finland will be in a considerably more debt next year,” said Katainen.
 
Paavo Arhinmäki, the chair of the Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) which recently resigned from the government and now sits on the opposition bench criticised the decision taken by the government during the spending limit talks. 
 
 
The prime minister, however, did not respond to the former cabinet minister.
 
Earlier, on April 30, the opposition Souomen Keskusta, Vasemmistoliito and Perussuomalaiset tabled the interpellation to address the deteriorating unemployment situation in the country.
 
Tens of millions of euros reserved for employment remain unused every year, complained opposition leaders at a press conference after submitting the interpellation. They demanded more active government efforts to tackle the situation.
 
They said 95 million euros remained unutilised in 2012.
 
But, Tuija Oivo, Director-General at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy that time denied that unemployment resources remained unused.
 
According to her, the forecasted usage of the funds does not always match the calendar year and that is why the use of the money gets the wrong impression.
 
According to recent data of the labour authorities, nearly 130,000 people used the services as of end of March and the figure is 22,000 higher than the previous year. 
 
A Statistics Finland report released recently shows that the unemployment rate in March stood at 9.5 per cent with the number of unemployed standing at 252,000 or 16,000 more than that in March 2013.
 
 
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