Halonen criticises government cuts to organisation grants

Former President Tarja Halonen has issued unusual criticism of the government’s cuts to STEA grants for social and health organisations, Yle reported.

Halonen said on social media that the cuts would weaken Finland’s NGO sector dramatically. She cited the Kehitysvammaliitto and Selkokeskus organisations as examples, saying their activities are at risk of almost completely ending as a result.

Halonen’s criticism is unusual because former presidents in Finland rarely comment on domestic political issues.

She also served as Finland’s Minister of Social Affairs and Health in the 1980s.