Finland PM in troubled waters over € 300 monthly breakfast expenses; cops order probe

Finland police on May 29 announced that they were investigating into Prime Minister Sanna Marin's alleged expenditure on meals after a tabloid reported her family's breakfast was being unlawfully subsidised using the country's taxpayer's money. Adding insult to injury, the police department announced a pre-trial investigation into a possible public offence upon receiving a request to probe the allegations.

Reports in tabloid Iltalehti criminating Sanna Marin of claiming about € 300 every month for breakfast at her official residence in Helsinki, Kesaranta has landed the Finland PM on the line. She took to Twitter to inform that she has asked all related procurement be suspended until the matter is clarified. 

According to local media reports, insisting she has not been breaking any rules, PM Marin stated the same liberty/perk was privileged by her predecessors too.

In her statement on social media, Sanna Marin said, "As Prime Minister, I have not asked for this benefit nor been involved in deciding on it. When I took up my post, I have been told that this includes living and staying at Kesaranta and that this has also been the case for previous Prime Ministers."

"Will stop claiming the benefit": Finland PM

Sanna Marin's breakfast bill caused quite a commotion in the country followed by a request to Finland police to probe allegations. While an inquiry into the alleged possible public offence was announced, the police official had affirmed that the controversial Sanna Marin's breakfast bill contradicts their law of land.

The notion that extravagance is granted at the cost of someone else would possibly never be upheld under any statute.  

"The Prime Minister has been reimbursed for some meals, even though the wording of the law on ministerial remuneration does not appear to permit this," cops told the local media.

Responding to the news of the investigation, Sanna Marin said she would stop claiming the benefit while the allegations are being looked into. She stated that all official expenses were made by the Prime Minister's Office and its employees, and obviously not by her personally. 

The tweet can be roughly translated to:

“It is good that the procedure is being clarified. I have relied on the information and guidance I have received from the officials. I have not made the purchases myself, but all the purchases have been made by the office and employees of the Prime Minister's Office,” she said, adding, “I asked yesterday that all related procurement be suspended until the matter is clarified.”

Finland PM Sanna Marin had come to power with the support of a centre-left coalition in December 2019. If reports are believed, the Sanna Marin's breakfast bill controversy is likely to heat up ahead of local elections on June 13. The right-wing populist Finns Party is predicted to triumph against the ruling coalition.    

Reports say that Opposition Parties in Finland have alleged misuse of taxpayer's money for subsidising Finland PM's expenses.