PM Orpo: Garden Helsinki Funding Conditional on Project Launch

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has clarified that the government's 35 million euro commitment to the Garden Helsinki project is strictly conditional, with no funds to be released until the project is demonstrably underway. Orpo stated that the decision for this state support, amounting to 10 percent of the project's cost, was made during the government's mid-term review last year.

"Not a single euro will be paid before the project truly begins," Orpo communicated, emphasizing that the process mirrors the support granted to the Tampere Arena. He highlighted the project's significant employment potential, estimating 7,000–8,000 jobs during construction and around 1,700 permanent positions.

The funding has drawn public attention following recent reporting by Vantaan Sanomat and Helsingin Uutiset, which questioned the transparency of the decision-making process. Neither the responsible minister at the time, Sandra Bergqvist, nor the then Minister of Economic Affairs, Wille Rydman, could fully explain how the decision was made. The Prime Minister's office directed inquiries to the Ministry of Education and Culture, where the decision also reportedly did not originate.

Further scrutiny arises as other major projects in the Helsinki metropolitan area, such as Vantaa's Arena 3.3, have not received similar state support. Garden Helsinki's arena company is chaired by Jan Vapaavuori, a former mayor of Helsinki and a member of Orpo's National Coalition Party. In response to the concerns, opposition members of parliament have submitted a written question to the government.

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Not a single euro will be paid before the project truly begins.