EU Covid Package Faces Rocky Road Through Finland's Parliament

Helsinki, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Apr, 2021 ) :The EU's coronavirus rescue package faces a tight vote in Finland's parliament after lawmakers ruled on Tuesday that two-thirds of MPs must vote in favour for it to be ratified.

Finland's constitutional affairs committee sent jitters through Brussels when it concluded that the Nordic country's contribution to the 750-billion-euro ($905-billion) recovery fund cannot just be approved by a simple majority.

That decision leaves the centre-left governing coalition relying on the support of opposition parties -- which have heavily criticised the package -- to pass the deal which must be ratified in each of the 27 member states.

But the opposition National Coalition Party said on Tuesday it will abstain, meaning its parliamentary seats do not count towards a majority and leaving a chance the plan can be accepted.

"The government has driven Finland into a situation with only bad alternatives," NCP parliamentary group head Kai Mykkanen told a press conference, but added that the party "does not want to lead the EU into chaos".

The date for Finland's parliamentary vote on the package has not yet been set.

So far, two-thirds of the EU's 27 member states have given their approval to contributing funds to the Brussels package, which will be paid out to member states as a combination of grants and loans.