Disagreement has emerged within the government on suggestions that the state could reduce its ownership in the airline Finnair to below 50 per cent.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja (SDP) said on Sunday that he is against the proposal, which was put forward by Minister of International Development Heidi Hautala (Green).
Hautala, who is also the minister responsible for state corporate ownership, said on Thursday in an interview with the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) that the state can relinquish its position as majority holder.
On the same day Finnair announced that it would start discussions on forming a joint venture with one of its partners.
Writing on his Facebook page, Tuomioja sayd that he does not feel that the “careless disposal of our national wealth and short-sighted privatisation should not be continued”. He added that likewise, decision-making power over Finnair should not be given up.
