The fate of the EU stimulus package is not only a concern among Finnish political parties.
National Coalition Party chair Petteri Orpo told Yle he has been in contact with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, European People’s Party (EPP) president Donald Tusk and group leader Manfred Weber. The Coalition Party is a member of the EPP.
"They have raised concerns," said Orpo.
"It's perhaps indicative that no other country in Europe is having a similar debate. Elsewhere in Europe, they are emphasising the importance of this package for the unity of the Union," Orpo continued.
Orpo admits that the situation is a complicated one for the Coalition Party. He reiterates his claim that the Coalition Party is Finland's "most pro-European" party and appreciates the stability that the EU provides for its member states.
However, the party does not want to lend its support to the EU recovery package because it considers it a step towards joint debt to fund poorer countries' outgoings.
The Coalition’s position on the package became a point of interest on Tuesday, when the Constitutional Committee demanded a two-thirds majority vote among MPs for the measure to pass.
The majority of the committee felt that the package would transfer significant decision-making powers away from Finland.
The Recovery and Resilience facility will provide some 672.5 billion euros in loans and grants to help member states recover from the pandemic-induced recession. Combined with other aspects of the package, the total funds disbursed by the EU will be 750 billion euros.
Under the package Finland would receive some 2.9 billion euros in the near future and pay back around 6.6 billion euros by 2058. The package needs to be approved by all EU member states before it can take effect.
This week's APN podcast looks at the NCP's dilemma. You can listen to the full podcast using the embedded player here or via Yle Areena, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your usual podcast player using the RSS feed.
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A blank vote sends a message
The Coalition Party announced that it will abstain from the vote when the stimulus package comes before Parliament.
If the other parties in Parliament, bar the NCP and opposition parties, show a united front, the measure should pass.
However, three NCP MPs have already announced that they will vote against the package.
Hannu Hoskonen (Cen) has also announced that he will vote against the package.
Orpo will not discuss possible sanctions against those who vote against the group's official position. The final decision on the matter will be made by the parliamentary group and its leadership.
"This is a very difficult thing for the Coalition Party internally. However, this is the position agreed upon by the majority of the parliamentary group," he said.
The Coalition Party has been criticised for neither supporting nor opposing the package, instead evading responsibility.
Orpo says that abstaining from the vote is meant to send a message.
"This is not a non-position. It says that the government can and must push this package through with its own votes."
According to Orpo, the Coalition Party will continue to discuss the matter within its parliamentary group. This may have an impact on their final voting decision.
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The Finance Committee should outline a return to norms
The EU stimulus package will now go to the Finance Committee, who will draw up a final report that will be put to the vote in Parliament.
Orpo's position is that the stimulus package is on shaky legal ground, and may break the rules laid down in the EU's founding treaties. He says he would like the Committee to rule that the European Union must adhere to its own rules, and that measures such as the stimulus package must not become the norm.
"The Finance Committee must send a clear message outlining the position of Finnish European policy and economic policy in Europe in the future. We do not want measures like this to become a permanent solution."
Orpo says that the collapse of the stimulus package would have catastrophic effects on Finland.
"One bad measure, however big, cannot undermine Finland's membership in the European Union and the Union's decision-making capacity."
Orpo points out that the EU's financial framework is linked to the stimulus package. He considers its passage important for Finnish agriculture, among other things.