Häkämies warns of possible closure of large military garrison

Without additional funding, one garrison could close in 2012

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Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies (Nat. Coalition Party) says that the increases in military spending called for in the government’s report on defence and security policy are the only way to maintain conscription in Finland into 2015.
     Speaking during Parliamentary debate over the government report, Häkämies specified for the first time the “organisational changes” that he saw as possible alternatives to the spending hikes.
     He said that one option would be the closure of a large garrison in 2012.
     
Supporting Häkämies was Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre), who said that it would be better to increase funding than to shut down garrisons.
     Vanhanen’s comments were greeted with fairly vocal protests from the opposition benches. Vanhanen calculated that the two per cent increase would amount to about EUR 400 million in a four-year Parliamentary term.
     
The sharpest disagreements were over defence spending, conscription, and NATO policy.
      The Green League had been involved in the drafting of the report along with the other government parties. However, the party's MPs distanced themselves from calls for more spending on the military.
     “In a situation in which the country is in a deep slump, a commitment to the permanent increase in defence spending is unsustainable”, said MP Johanna Sumuvuori (Green).
     The Social Democrats and the Left Alliance had previously criticised parts of the report, which state that defence spending should be increased annually to keep up with inflation, and that from 2011, there should be an additional increase of two per cent increase each year.
     SDP chairwoman Jutta Urpilainen emphasised that in the Parliamentary follow-up group, in which opposition parties are also represented, no automatic spending hikes were accepted.
     
“We consider this a completely unsustainable choice of values”, Urpilainen said, lashing out at the measure, which was approved by the government and President Tarja Halonen.
     Urpilainen’s statement could be followed by interesting committee work.
      Liisa Jaakonsaari (SDP) asked Häkämies to bring the structural reforms directly before Parliament.
     
Prime Minister Vanhanen said at the beginning of the debate that the government report on security and defence policy may be the last of its kind.
     He also said that there is nothing new on the horizon about NATO.
     Not all Members of Parliament agreed.
      Annika Lapintie (Left Alliance) denounced the report as “NATO-grovelling” that goes against the will of the majority of the people.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Defence Minister: Nordic cooperation might save defence costs (11.2.2009)
  Defence policy report: Finland “strongly” considering NATO (26.1.2009)

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