Demaripomo to Orpo and Purra: “Will Mannerheim’s equestrian statue go next?” –

Equestrian statue of Marshal Mannerheim in Helsinki. Esko Jämsä

SDP party board member Dimitri Qvintus demands the prime minister Petteri Orpoa (kok) and the Minister of Finance Riikka Purra (ps) cancel the cultural cuts, which will force the Finnish Museum Agency to close the Seurasaari open-air museum and the Louhisaari manor castle, which is the birthplace of Marshal Mannerheim.

– Mannerheim’s birthplace will be closed, will the equestrian statue go next, if the government thinks that too much money is spent on maintaining culture, Qvintus asks.

In Qvintus’s opinion, cultural cuts have gone “too far already”.

– First, theaters around Finland are threatened with closure, and now it’s the turn of the museums. I hope reason will prevail, but the question is whether Marshal Mannerheim really has to defend Finnish culture and the freedom to enjoy it even from his grave, says Qvintus.

In addition to Mannerheim’s birthplace and Seurasaari, the Museum Agency has estimated that it will also have to close the Langinkoski Imperial Fishing Lodge and the nationally romantic site of Hvitträski.

– I would like to ask if nothing is sacred. The absurdity of the cuts is indicated by the fact that, in relation to the size of the budget, small cuts cause enormous damage to culture. I appeal to Prime Minister Orpoo and Finance Minister Purra that the government cancels the decisions, says Qvintus.

The Museum Agency announced on Thursday that the cooperation negotiations for the agency have been completed. In the negotiations, cuts of 3.2 million euros were sought from the operating expenses of 2025. According to the release, among the museum sites of the National Museum of Finland, Seurasaari, Hvitträsk, Louhisaari and Langinkoski will be closed.

– The actions decided now have significant effects on cultural heritage work nationwide. The closure of museums has regional economic effects, the opportunities for national and international network cooperation in the field diminish, and the deterioration of official services slows down the projects of both private and public operators, stated the Director General of the Finnish Museum Agency Tiina Merisalo.