Transport Minister Merja Kyllönen this week leveled criticism at the Justice Ministry, claiming that it was protecting drunken drivers by not wanting to lower legal limits.
On Friday, Justice Minister Henriksson refuted the accusation and said that mutual recriminations will in no way lead to progress in the issue.
"The greatest problem is that we have people who drive intoxicated with alcohol blood levels of one part per thousand and more. That can't be affected by lowering the legal limit from 0.5 parts per thousand to 0.2 parts per thousand," Henriksson stated.
According to the Justice Minister a discussion is needed on lowering limits that takes the facts and experiences elsewhere into consideration. For example, lower blood alcohol limits in Sweden and Norway have not eased the problem of drunken driving, Henriksson pointed out.