In Finland, parliament has been convened to debate public funding for a controversial sports complex

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo asked MPs on Thursday, July 16, to interrupt their holidays in order to hold a debate on the controversial state funding of a construction project.

This announcement comes after several weeks of controversy surrounding the financing of "Garden Helsinki", a project for a 19.000-seat complex intended to host sporting and cultural events in the Finnish capital.

This real estate project is led by former Economy Minister Jan Vapaavuori, a member of the National Coalition Party (NCP), a right-wing party to which Mr. Orpo belongs.

Demanding explanations, members of the Finnish opposition had already called for Parliament to be convened on this issue.

"The government will submit to Parliament a statement regarding the decision taken during the mid-term budget negotiations on conditional support for the Garden Helsinki project," Mr. Orpo wrote on X.

Following discussions with Mr. Orpo and requests from the opposition, the Speaker of Parliament, Jussi Halla-aho, of the Finns Party (far right), summoned him to debate this statement next Tuesday.

Such debates in Parliament are usually followed by a vote of confidence in the government.

The latter had granted, under certain conditions, 35 million euros to this project in the spring of 2025.

Media investigations have highlighted the fact that Garden Helsinki received support while another project in the city of Vantaa, just north of the capital, was rejected, sparking controversy.

Mr. Vapaavuori had been in contact with the Ministry of Finance and Orpo's office on several occasions before the government's decision.

The Finnish Court of Auditors announced on Wednesday that it would investigate whether the company behind the project should have disclosed its lobbying activities, in accordance with transparency rules.

Before Mr. Orpo's announcement, the Speaker of Parliament had stated that this case could meet the criteria justifying his summons.

"These are allegations of corruption, questionable use of taxpayers' money and whether the Prime Minister told the truth during discussions related to this matter," he told the public broadcaster Yle.