Professor Heikki Hiilamo and the Institute for Economic Research accuse each other of bias.
Helsinki professor of social policy at the university Heikki Hiilamo accused Ylen in his column on Tuesday, the Institute for Economic Research Etla about “preference for income elites” and defending it with “selective research references”.
Etla recommended in January in his statement the government, among other things, to relax the taxation of companies and those who earn the most earnings in order to increase economic growth. According to Etla, “Diligence is punished in Finland compared to other countries”.
At the same time, Etla recommends, for example, a tightening of consumption, nuisance and real estate taxation. One of the department's wishes is a “change in the focus of taxation”.
Prime minister Petteri Orpo (kok) told for himself on Tuesday, that the government plans to raise some taxes so that Finland avoids falling into the EU's deficit procedure. However, there is no intention to increase the total tax rate.
Hiilamo writes that, for example, the Tax Research Center of Excellence of the Academy of Finland and HS in December interviewed according to nine economists, taxation should be tightened rather.
In his column, Hiilamo claims that Etla is an interest organization rather than an independent research institute, even though the institute claims to be one on its website.
“I think Etla's tax recommendations are a light year away from independent research: it's lobbying for the interests of the elite, which is cloaked in the guise of research expertise,” Hiilamo writes.
Etlan by Hiilamo's claims about its operation are “false” and the recommendations of the statement are based on research.
“It is especially derogatory that Hiilamo makes baseless claims from within the scientific community, for obvious political reasons. The Greens' parliamentary election candidate and party member is a social policy researcher, but he cloaks himself in a professor's robe and claims that our economic recommendations are incorrect without justification”, CEO of Etla Aki Kangasharju announced on Tuesday.
Hiilamo was the Greens' parliamentary election candidate in the Uusimaa electoral district in 2011. He received 1,596 votes in the elections and was not elected. After this, he has not been a candidate in the elections.
Kangasharju, who signed Etla's response, is not committed to party politics. Last year published The Book of Economic Revelation – in his book, he strongly criticized left-wing economic policy, among other things Sanna Marini (sd) government borrowing.
Etla in his article, he also criticized Yle, which, according to him, as a publisher spreads “a message disparaging the work of the research institute through its columnist”.
“Our researchers and the entire staff of the department are not only insulted by the claims made by Hiilamo Yella, but also scandalous. It is clear that we strongly reject the claims and hope for a more stable consideration in the future”, writes Kangasharju.
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