Awwal 26, 1432 / April 30, 2011, SPA -- The leader of the nationalist True Finns party which made an electoral breakthrough in Finland's recent parliamentary elections said Saturday said he was ready to discuss terms for approving a possible bailout package to troubled eurozone member Portugal, dpa reported. "If the package is negotiated and it can be approved, we will go ahead with it," Timo Soini said on Finnish breakfast television. Soini's Eurosceptic party became the third largest party in the 200-seat legislature, jumping from 5 to 39 seats in the April 17 elections. The True Finns are tipped to be part of the new government, but their inclusion hinges on their stance regarding the bailout package. During the election campaign they strongly opposed the bailout. Soini, who this week was elected to chair the foreign affairs committee in parliament, said in the television interview it was key to achieve a strong government and in order to do so it was necessary to reassess views. The government talks are to be led by conservative leader Jyrki Katainen, finance minister for the past four years, who is tipped to try to form a coalition with the True Finns and Social Democrats. Katainen, whose National Coalition Party won 44 seats, has prepared a list of questions to potential parties including if they were willing to back the Portugal bailout package. European Union finance ministers are expected to approve the package on May 16, which would allow Portugal to start receiving loans already in May.
