Budget talks start Monday
The Finance Ministry begins discussing the draft budget proposal for next year on Monday. The proposal will be published on Wednesday and debated by the coalition government later this month.
Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen and Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Henna Virkkunen will head the talks on Monday and Tuesday.
No major surprises are likely when the Finance Ministry’s draft blueprint is to be published on Wednesday. The government will discuss the budget on August 29-30 before presenting it to Parliament in mid-September.
The framework of the government’s budget plans was announced in the spring, and included 1.5 billion euros in tax hikes and 1.2 billion euros in spending cuts.
According to Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen, the recession in Europe has also thrown a shadow over preparations of the Finnish state budget, but no dramatic changes are in store.
"Where or not Finland sinks into recession depends very much on what happens in the international economy, but we now are forecasting growth to remain between zero and one percent," Urpilainen told the media on Monday.
The Finance Minister added that adhering to planed spending cuts and tax hikes is the best way to reinforce confidence in Finland.
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