Expects the Finnish economy to grow faster than forecasted

Mika Lintilä, Finland’s newly appointed Minister of Finance, is confident that the national economy will grow in the next two years at a rate exceeding the latest growth forecast of the Ministry of Finance.

This is reported by the Helsinki Times.

About a week ago the Finnish Ministry of Finance announced that it expects the gross domestic product to increase by 0,9 percent in 2017, and by 1,0 percent in 2018 – after growing by 1,6 percent during 2016.

- I don't want to believe in the Ministry of Finance's growth forecast for next year and 2018. I'm personally confident that economic growth will be stronger and that's the goal we'll work towards, Lintilä stated in a press conference after being officially appointed as the successor of Olli Rehn as the Minister of Economic Affairs last Thursday.

The Ministry of Finance estimated that economic growth will slow down next year partly as a result of a projected decline in domestic demand. The outlook for exports is nevertheless brighter than it has been for a number of years, according to the ministry.

At the press conference Lintilä drew attention to the importance of export-oriented industries for the national economy. He also identified efforts to spur job creation and investments as means to encourage economic growth in Finland.