The former Prime Minister and current head of the Finnish Family Firms Association took a stand on the government’s savings programme, planned as part of austerity measures aimed at balancing the Finnish economy.
Speaking on a Yle TV 1 morning talk show, Vanhanen said that all possible measures to improve the economic situation should be carried out during this government term. Vanhanen’s comments come after State Secretary Martti Hetemäki and his working group estimated that the cuts could be spaced out over several years.
“We need to make savings here and now, meaning a greater part of the planned [savings of] three billion already during this term. I don’t believe that everything will be done. The next parliament will be left with a balancing need of 7 to 8 billion unless we can generate growth,” the ex-PM noted.