Public finance | Orpo comments on the government’s austerity measures: “I hope they are enough”

At the Olympics Visiting Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (kok) told a media conference in Paris on Saturday evening that he hopes that the government’s austerity measures so far are sufficient.

STT asked Orpo about how the situation of low-income people is taken into account when making the next savings. The joint effect of the government’s previous austerity decisions has been great, especially on low incomes.

The government is planning, for example, a law change that would reduce the housing benefits of more than 200,000 pensioners. Support would cease completely for approximately 7,600 recipients. STT news about it on Saturday.

“First of all, I hope we don’t have to make new savings. We are now waiting for the Ministry of Finance’s forecasts and assessment. They will determine whether we will have to make further adjustments,” Orpo answered.

Adjustment measures were agreed at 6 billion euros in the government negotiations and 3 billion euros in the spring framework crisis.

“I hope that they are sufficient, but in any case it is clear that in any case we will not have to be in the same category again if further adaptation is needed,” he said.

Orpo added that the government is doing everything it can to ensure that Finland’s economy grows and more jobs are created. Thus, according to him, the government works for the benefit of those in a weaker position and the unemployed. Economic growth would bring more tax revenue to the state.

“In this way, we would get out of this endless cycle of saving and adapting to actually balance the public finances and give people jobs,” Orpo stated.