Finland withdraws provisional funding support for contested Helsinki venue

Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Monday that the government had withdrawn its provisional 35-million-euro support for Garden Helsinki, a planned 19,000-seat sports and culture venue in the Finnish capital.

Orpo spoke after meeting parties in the governing coalition. He said the project no longer had political support. He also said the government would begin a review to define a clearer and more consistent procedure and criteria for state support for similar projects. He did not rule out future state financing for Garden Helsinki.

The dispute has prompted Finland's parliament to convene on Tuesday for a rare sitting during its summer recess. Lawmakers are expected to discuss the government's statement and then hold a confidence vote.

Opposition parties have criticised what they describe as excessive secrecy over internal party connections linked to the financing decision. Garden Helsinki is led by Jan Vapaavuori, a former economic affairs minister from Orpo's right-wing National Coalition Party.

The issue gained prominence after media investigations focused on how Garden Helsinki had received support while another project in Vantaa, north of Helsinki, was passed over. Vapaavuori had contacted the finance ministry and Orpo's cabinet several times before the government's decision.