Chairman of the Finnish opposition Riikka Purra has called on the parliament to reconvene so that the ministers can explain the risks related to Uniper to Finnish taxpayers. The German energy giant, which is in financial difficulties, is a subsidiary of Fortum, which is majority owned by the Finnish state.
"Parliament must be convened quickly. Ministers must give MPs a report on the matter and an estimate of the maximum losses related to the Uniper project." Purra said in a press release on Monday and added that the authorities must clarify the scope of Finnish taxpayers’ responsibility.
Minister of European Affairs and Ownership Management Titti Tuppurainen the Prime Minister’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) recently visited Germany to discuss Uniper’s situation, but according to Purra, this is not enough.
Uniper is in serious trouble due to the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent energy crisis.
In 2019, Fortum bought the majority of Uniper, which has extensive coal and fossil gas production.
Negotiations with the German authorities are ongoing
The problems related to Uniper have forced the parliament’s trade committee to continue working during the parliament’s summer break.
Tuppurainen will discuss the Uniper situation with committee members on Tuesday. He has represented the Finnish state in negotiations with the German authorities regarding the fate of the company. An agreement has not yet been reached.
According to the chairman of the Board of Trade Sanni Grahn-Laasonen The announcement by the opposition party (NCP) Tuppurainen is decisive, because the issue concerns billions of euros.
"It is essential to hear what the state has done and how ownership control works in such an important matter for Finns. Finnish taxpayers should not have to pay for Germany’s gas crisis and energy policy mistakes," Grahn-Laasonen told Yle on Sunday.
Fortum seeks to break up Uniper
The fact that the prime minister Sanna Marin has been in contact with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholzsocial democratic colleague, Uniper’s situation is a sign of its seriousness.
Several options have been presented to solve the company’s crisis. Fortum has supported a model in which business operations critical to the security of German energy supply would be transferred to the German state.
Fortum’s proposal to break up Uniper has received support from some members of the trade committee.
"It must be assumed that the dissolution of Uniper would be the solution, i.e. unprofitable business, such as gas and coal power, would be transferred to the German state, and other parts of Uniper, such as hydropower and nuclear power, would remain with Fortum. I see no reason to compromise here," claimed the former science minister Hanna Kosonen Center, one of the most important governing parties.
The entire parliament is scheduled to return to work at the beginning of September.
Source: The Nordic Page
