Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) said in her New Year message that Europe's economic recovery after the pandemic was of critical importance to Finland.
"Finland’s success alone will not be enough to get us through the pandemic – we all need to succeed together," said Marin in a statement published on the website of the Office of the Prime Minister.
"Similarly, we need to work together to restore the European economy in addition to taking measures at the national level. We need to look beyond ourselves. The recovery of Europe is in our interest."
The European Union has agreed a 750-billion-euro stimulus plan to speed recovery from the coronavirus-instigated recession, known as the Recovery and Resilience Facility. In Finland the package has been harshly criticised by the opposition Finns Party.
The EU Commission is to borrow money and distribute it onwards to member states as grants and loans. According to Marin, Finland is currently preparing its own stimulus plan as part of the EU's support package.
"Our plan, the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland, will focus on achieving a fast-track recovery while also advancing the structural reform of the economy and the public services reform that will be necessary in the long term," said Marin.
The package emphasises education, research and innovation, the green transition and ensuring Finland's competitiveness internationally.
Finland shows its strengths
Marin thanked Finns for their hard work over the last year, saying 2020 had demonstrated that they had 'guts, perseverance and tenacity', or 'sisu' in the Finnish version of her message
"We have a well-functioning healthcare system, trustworthy authorities and a stable democracy, skilled and competent teachers, advanced digital capabilities, the ability to adapt quickly to unexpected situations and mutual trust in society, all of which has helped us to cope amidst the crisis," said Marin.
The premier signed off by noting that the start of the year would see continued measures to reform Finland to make it more sustainable socially, economically and environmentally.
"This decade may have begun in a way that we could not have anticipated last year, but we can still turn it into a decade of solutions," said Marin.
"This will take courage and the ability to work together and withstand uncertainty. The same things that this year has required from all of us."
