I suggest Mr. Rasmussen to get to know the Finnish political and economic reality before making these accusations.

It is true, that most of the European countries and the US are searching for a new way economy, because both socialism and pure capitalism have shown their weaknesses in an unprecedented way during past months. In my thinking the state plays a stronger role but the principles of the market economy are respected. A collective responsibility is coupled with market economy.

I - personally and as a liberal politician - have always been in favour of having the best of both worlds and that is also the policy I have led as a prime minister.

Firstly, fiscal policy is in Finland one of the most expansionary in the OECD area. Discretionary stimulus measures amount to over 3 per cent of GDP in 2009 and 2010. For example, infrastructure investments are higher than ever. My government is committed to increasing resources for labour market policies as needed. Most recently, this week, 61 million € were added to labour market activities. Similarly, we have taken several measures to help municipalities in their financing difficulties.

The former governments led by Mr. Rasmussens's socialist colleague Paavo Lipponen cut taxes more than my two governments have done. The fiscal policies of the two centre-led governments have been socially more conscious than former SDP-led governments. In order to avoid those mistakes and to ensure future growth we have combined social and fiscal policies. This government has successfully improved social benefits and services and done moderate tax-cuts to keep up consumption.

Relying on our own experience of a deep financial crisis in 1990's, I have also been very active in finding solutions to the European banking and financial problems to get credit flowing and recovery started. This has happened in good co-operation with other European leaders regardless of their political background. I'm particularly pleased for the constructive co-operation with PM Gordon Brown and President Sarkozy.

At the same time as we are handling this acute crisis, we look further ahead. We need to manage the huge debts we now take without burdening too much our children. Therefore my government has continued efforts to improve our educational and innovation system, taken initiatives to lengthen working careers and launched a new growth project, among other things. Unfortunately Mr. Rasmussen's Finnish colleagues have not been very helpful in these efforts.

Me and my European liberal colleagues are ready and willing to discuss economic policies with our socialist partners at any time, but the discussion must be based on facts, not impressions and hopes of the Finnish opposition.