HELSINKI: Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin is pledging to pay back thousands of euros in meal expenses in a bid to contain the fallout from revelations about her family’s taxpayer-subsidised breakfasts. The 35-year-old leader made clear on Tuesday she would no longer claim such expenses after pledging over the weekend to pay back over 14,000 euros ($17,000) she has received in reimbursements for breakfast and cold meals at her residence since taking office a year and a half ago.
“Because there are open questions regarding the meal allowance, I will pay the related costs myself,” she said on Twitter on Saturday, adding that she will make sure the issue is looked into and guidance updated if necessary.
On Tuesday she added that “I don’t intend to use the meal allowance in future, even if it is ruled to be in line with the regulations,” in an interview with broadcaster MTV3. She called for officials to swiftly determine whether the allowance is legal and whether the repayments should be taxed, and said: “I have other work duties to get on with than spending days on end looking into things like my family’s food.”
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