Finland maintains strict line on Greek request

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said on Sunday that the Greek proposal for a new loan program is "not sufficient" as basis for further negotiations.

Sipila made the remarks when talking to media after a meeting of the Finnish parliamentary Grand Committee and before departing for eurozone leaders' meeting in Brussels.

Finnish Finance Minister Alexander Stubb said in Brussels that attempts were under way to find a solution in a constructive spirit. "But the proposals from the Greeks have not been sufficient. We need clear commitments and proof of the fact that the conditions will be fulfilled," he said.

Finland's national broadcaster Yle's senior political analyst Riikka Uosukainen said Finland is one of the tough line countries that include Germany, Holland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Estonia. She said the ministers apparently try to form a more demanding package for Greece.

Stubb refused to speculate on whether a decision in Brussels could be based on a majority in this situation. An 85-percent backing would be sufficient in "an emergency situation," but Finnish media said there is no certainty in Brussels whether the situation would qualify as an emergency.

Yle quoted researcher Timo Miettinen as reporting that the current Finnish government's program noted that Finland must not take any new responsibilities in helping Greece. "But now that the stipulation is apparently being interpreted very strictly so even the Finnish funds already in the European Stability Mechanism must not be used for further loans to Greece", he said.

Teija Tiilikainen, director of the Finnish Institute for International Affairs, reminded that Finland had been strict even earlier. Finland was the only country that insisted on getting collaterals to cover earlier loan to Greece.

Finnish opposition parties have complained they were confronted with the new line at the Grand Committee on Saturday without necessary preparation. Leader of the Green Party Ville Niinisto said "an eviction of Greece from the euro zone" would have wide repercussions outside the economy as well. He referred to the possibility of Greece getting closer to Russia. Endit