PM Embroiled in Controversy over Agricultural Subsidies

Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen has had to explain to leaders of his Centre Party why he did not try to link Finland's acceptance of the European Union reform package with Finland's right to pay national subsidides to farmers in the south of Finland.

Centre Party Secretary Jarmo Korhonen and the Parliamentary Agriculture Committee's chair Jari Leppä have been calling for at least a delay in the ratification of the agreement until Finland is assured that it will be allowed to keep the so-called 141 support.

Vanhanen says that he followed the line taken by Parliament's EU committee - the Grand committee. Vanhanen reportedly said that the committee decided last Wednesday that unrelated issues should not be linked.