Finland Times

 

SDP parliamentary group Chair Antti Lindtman and SDP Chief Antti Rinne at a press briefing on Monday. Photo – Lehtikuva.

The main opposition Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP) will submit an interpellation in parliament on Tuesday on the government’s incorporation plans, the abolishment of teacher training in Savonlinna, and its handling of the unemployment situation, among other issues.

 

The government will have 15 days to respond to the questions in front of parliament.

 

“We no longer recognise this Keskusta (Centre Party), who makes decisions, and who lets the market take precedence over human and regional policy,” SDP parliamentary group chairman Antti Lindtman said in a briefing.

 

According to Lindtman, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä should understand that he is not a CEO to renovate employees and facilities.

 

“The market has rolled over regional policy. One example of this is the fact that the government is standing by as Savonlinna is going to abolish the Department of Teacher Education. The savings are calculated to be in the hundreds of thousands, but the cost to the society will be in the hundreds of millions,” Lindtman said.

 

According to SDP chairman Antti Rinne, the plans to incorporate transport infrastructure as well as the social and health services also indicate the government’s intentions to incorporate professional training as well. However, this cannot be certain.

 

Chairman of the Keskusta parliamentary group Matti Vanhanen on Monday reacted to the coming interpellation on his Facebook page. “SDP has made an interpellation. I don’t think I’ve seen something like this before. They list all their prejudices and threats,” he wrote in the post.