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Finns Party vice-chair: Government overspent on outsized Covid support for municipalities

Riikka Purra accused the government of needless spending on support for municipalities. 

Perussuomalaisten varapuheenjohtaja Riikka Purra vieraili Ylen Ykkösaamussa 8. toukokuuta.
Finns Party vice-chair Riikka Purra has criticised the government's package of support for municipalities. Image: Silja Viitala / Yle
  • Yle News

The vice-chair of the Finns Party Riikka Purra has accused the government of spending too much money on support for municipalities during the Covid pandemic.

The government had granted some three billion euros in support for municipalities in 2020, in an effort to shore up their finances as economic activity tailed off.

Purra told Yle's morning talk show on Saturday that the payments were more than some municipalities needed.

Finnish municipalities are expected to have a budget surplus from 2020, when a collective deficit had been forecast by the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities.

She said she believed the money would help the government parties in upcoming local elections, as they would not be forced to cut services as much.

Despite her misgivings, Purra admits that some municipalities really needed the funding.

"Otherwise all municipalities would not have managed even their basic tasks," said Purra. "Unfortunately it went too far."