In the German magazine Der Spiegel, Monti indirectly criticised Finland, saying the country did not adhere to decisions made at EU summits but rather changed its mind a few days after the gatherings.
Monti hinted that the Finnish legislature had too much influence on the government’s EU decisions.
In response, the Finnish premier said such statements by Monti give rise to unnecessary arguments within the EU at a time when members should be seeking viable solutions.
Other Finnish politicians have also expressed their dismay at Monti’s comments.
Monti meanwhile said his comments had been misunderstood. He said he took the view that parliamentary supervision of government should be tightened rather than loosened.