Parliamentary Grand Committee to review EU Summit outcomes
Finland’s opposition parties say that Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen may have exceeded his authority at the European Council summit in Brussels last week. Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen says there is no need for Parliament to convene to review decisions taken at the summit.
Finland’s Parliamentary Grand Committee will gather Monday to review the outcomes of last week’s EU summit, which agreed to extend bailout loans directly to Spanish banks, rather than to the government.
The opposition Centre Party charged that Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen may have exceeded his authority to negotiate on behalf of Finland in Brussels.
The opposition has also called for Parliament to convene to debate the decisions taken at the EU caucuses.
Parliamentary Speaker Eero Heinäluoma said a decision on whether or not to call MPs out from their vacations will be taken after the Grand Committee meets.
Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen said however, that there is no need for legislators to gather to discuss the outcomes of the summit. She said that MPs should only meet when Parliament debates the bailout package for Spanish banks.
