BERLIN (MNI) – German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle believes
that Finland will contribute to the future European Stabilisation
Mechanism (ESM), despite the recent rise of the euro-skeptic True Finns,
German daily Bild reported Tuesday.
“I assume that the commitments will be met,” the paper quoted
Westerwelle as saying. “The other Euro states rely on this.”
Last week, the German government already said it believed that
European agreements on the reform of the EU Stability and Growth Pact
and the creation of the ESM won’t be threatened by the Finnish
election outcome.
The nationalist True Finns registered large gains in Finland’s
general elections earlier this month and could become a key party in the
formation of a new coalition government.
True Finns have expressed strong opposition to Finland’s
participation in funding for the European Financial Stability Facility
(EFSF) and its planned successor, the ESM, as well as for a Portugal
bailout package.
Unlike other Eurozone countries, Finland’s parliament has the right
to vote on EU requests to bail out other member states. If the True
Finns became part of the new government, it might try to delay or stop
the rescue plan for Portugal.
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet, in an
interview with two Finnish newspapers published Tuesday, said European
unity is “more important than ever” but would not comment on the
ballot-box ascendancy of anti-euro sentiment.
–Berlin bureau: +49-30-22 62 05 80; email: twidder@marketnews.com
[TOPICS: MT$$$$,M$$CR$,MGX$$$,M$X$$$,M$G$$$,MFX$$$]
