Prime Minister responds to criticism of Finnish EU policy by Sauli Niinistö

Vanhanen rejects idea of a common front of small member states

Matti Vanhanen

Sauli Niinistö

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Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen has struck back at National Coalition Party Presidential hopeful Sauli Niinistö for his recent criticism of the government’s policy towards the European Union.
      Vanhanen rejected Niinistö’s idea that Finland should have formed a united front of small EU member states in the early part of this decade. Speaking in Helsinki on Monday, Vanhanen noted that Niinistö was in the government at that time, and asked why he did not promote the idea then.
      Although Vanhanen has not officially said if he will run for President in next year’s elections, his comments could be seen as an opening salvo in the battle. He is expected to make his intentions known within a few weeks.
     
The Prime Minister’s comments were linked with a dispute that has been going on for the past two years on Finnish EU policy.
      The National Coalition Party, as well as the Social Democratic Party Chairman, Parliamentary Speaker Paavo Lipponen, have criticised Vanhanen’s government, saying that it has pushed Finland onto the sidelines in the EU. The most frequently mentioned example of this was the government’s request for a mention in the draft EU constitution in the autumn of 2003 that non-allied countries should have a special position.
      In his speech on Tuesday, Vanhanen repeated his view that the EU is not the same organisation as it was in 1995 when Finland became a member.
      "In less than two years my government has been getting much advice on how to act in the Union. A common feature has been that those who give such advice do not seem to have noticed any of the changes in the EU. This ignoring of the facts weakens the usefulness of the advice", Vanhanen said.
     
Vanhanen dismissed the idea that Finland should be in the core of the EU as a "doctrine of years past", because the old core of the founding members of the EU "no longer works", now that national selfishness has surged in the EU.
      According to the Prime Minister, there is a cold snap underway in the internal development of the EU.
      "As a small member state, Finland cannot change the overall course of the EU; we must adapt to the changing conditions."
      He also dismissed Niinistö’s suggestion of a front of small member states in the EU as "dead at birth".
      "I do not feel that it is sensible from the point of view of promoting Finnish interests to seek to become solidly allied with a demographic minority, because decisions are made by majorities."
     
After his speech Vanhanen was asked how the Centre Party and National Coalition Party can think of cooperation in the second round of the Presidential elections, if the candidates’ views of EU policy clash.
      Vanhanen pointed out that the President does not determine EU policy.
      "I believe that Niinistö himself expected that when he criticised the government, there would be a response", he added.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Former Minister of Finance Niinistö enters race for Finnish Presidency (1.4.2005)

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