Finland: Prime Minister accused of having used …

“We have a lot of work to do to regain confidence,” he said. Sanna Marin, in 2019 when he took over as Prime Minister of Finland replacing Antti Rinne, who had resigned amid the scandal of a major labor dispute. However, less than two years later, the official appears to have forgotten her promise: a local media outlet revealed that she and her family spend around 850 euros per month from public funds on breakfasts.

The news sparked scandal and outrage in Finnish societyat. It all started when the local newspaper Evening newspaper published an investigation in which it revealed, in principle, that Sanna Marin and her family were using 300 euros of public funds for breakfasts and “cold meals”. Although the amount was not correct, the funny thing is that, in theory, it is permissible to use state money for expenses in the official residence of Kesäranta. However, the use of this “benefit” is not common among Finnish authorities. FurthermoreAccording to the aforementioned media outlet, Marin’s family used the service more than any previous resident in Kesäranta.

After the scandal was discovered, the newspaper published an article last Sunday with new information indicating that the expense was actually € 850 per month ($ 1,040), almost triple what she had originally calculated.

This was confirmed in a statement from the Finnish government on Monday evening, which reported that Between January 2020 and May 2021, the Prime Minister spent 14,363.20 euros on food at his official residence, or about 845 euros per month.

“This amount includes both breakfast items and other cold meals,” the brief added.

Following the allegations against him, Marin said he believed he was following the rules explained to him when he took office in 2019. “I had no idea that there was a lack of clarity regarding the breakfast allowance,” he told the national broadcaster. YLE.

At the same time, he noted that many previous prime ministers had also used this benefit, but assured that the rules would be reviewed and, if necessary, updated.

The news shook public opinion and many citizens voiced their complaints on social media and even demanded Marin’s resignation. because the incident eroded “social trust”. Meanwhile, heHelsinki police have announced that they have decided to examine the case to see if an offense has been committed.