The SDP will stage an interpellation in Parliament next week over the government's spending cuts. The opposition leader, SDP chair Antti Lindtman, on Friday accused the administration of concealing plans to cut spending on health and social services as well as education.
Lindtman called on all of the opposition parties to demand that the government of PM Petteri Orpo (NCP) provide details of its planned social and health care budget cuts of over 100 million euros before the regional and municipal elections in April. Advance voting begins less than two weeks from now, on 2 April.
"We will hopefully gather the entire opposition in a joint interpellation. We intend to use the power of the interpellation to demand that these savings hidden by the government be brought to light, because Finns have the right to know about the country's direction before voting begins," Lindtman said.
Purra: "Completely absurd"
On Friday, Finance Minister Riikka Purra (Finns) told Yle that austerity negotiations are in their final stages and could be wrapped up by the beginning of next week.
In a radio interview, Purra dismissed the opposition's claims about concealing savings as "completely absurd".
Greens leader Sofia Virta announced earlier in the day that she hoped the entire opposition would join a challenge over the social and health care issue. The opposition Centre Party – which has often charted a separate path from other opposition blocs – has also threatened the government with an interpellation on the issue.
"Finns have the right to know before the elections where, when and how much the government is cutting social services. The demand for transparency in the government's operations is so important that I think the entire opposition should join forces," Virta said in a press release.
The four government coalition parties have 109 MPs in the 200-seat legislature. The SDP is the largest opposition group, with 43 seats, followed by the Centre with 22.
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