Finland Times

 

The chair of the main opposition party Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP) Antti Rinne and the leaders of opposition Vihreä liitto (Green League), Ville Niinistö. File Photo Lehtikuva.

Leaders of the opposition parties criticised the government during the May Day celebrations.

 

The chair of the main opposition party Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP), Antti Rinne spoke at the May Day event in Kotka, where he pointed out that the government is running down the welfare state leading to a situation whereby the human dignity is measured by the level of income.

 

The SDP leader also strongly criticised the government policy on the reform of social welfare and health care. Rinne said changes enables tax haven companies to skim funds needed by citizens at the cost of services which are funded by all and are intended for everyone.

 

In a joint statement, opposition leaders Ville Niinistö from Vihreä liitto (Green League) and Carl Haglund from the Suomen ruotsalainen kansanpuolue (Swedish People’s Party of Finland) slammed the government’s asylum policy.

 

According to the opposition leaders, the equal distribution of asylum seekers among EU countries under large and permanent quotas is the only viable solution to replace the current Dublin system.    

 

In his May Day speech in Lahti, Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) chair Paavo Arhinmäki said the government views the country as a joint-stock company in which everything is for sale.

 

“The Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) watches silently with hands on their mouth when the centrist duo Prime Minister Sipilä and Transport Minister Anne Berner engage in Thatcherism policies as Kokoomus (National Coalition Party) has dared at least to dream,” Arhinmäki said.

 

According to Arhinmäki, ordinary people had already been fed up with the Sipilä administration after a year.

 

“The government may do irrevocable destruction to the Finnish society in four years. Thus a wide united front against the government policies is needed,” Arhinmäki stated.