Opposition Finns Party chair Riikka Purra has urged Parliament to reconvene so ministers can explain risks to Finnish taxpayers linked to Uniper. The financially strapped German energy giant is a subsidiary of Finland's majority-state-owned Fortum.

"Parliament must be convened quickly. The ministers must give MPs a report on the matter and an estimate of the maximum losses related to the Uniper venture," Purra said in a press release on Monday, adding that officials must clarify the possible extent of Finnish taxpayers' responsibilities.

Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen of the prime minister's Social Democratic Party (SDP) visited Germany recently to discuss the Uniper situation, but according to Purra, this is insufficient.

Uniper is in dire straits due to knock-on effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis.

Fortum bought a majority stake in Uniper, which has extensive coal and fossil gas operations, in 2019.

Talks underway with German officials

The problems surrounding Uniper have forced Parliament's Commerce Committee to resume work in the middle of the legislature's summer break.

Tuppurainen is to discuss the Uniper situation with committee members on Tuesday. She has been representing the Finnish state in the negotiations with German officials about the fate of the company. No agreement has yet been reached.

According to Commerce Committee chair Sanni Grahn-Laasonen of the opposition National Coalition Party (NCP), Tuppurainen's briefing is crucial because the issue involves billions of euros.

"It's essential to hear what the state has done and how ownership control is working in a matter that is of such great importance to Finns. Finnish taxpayers must not be made to pay for Germany's gas crisis and energy policy mistakes," Grahn-Laasonen told Yle on Sunday.

Fortum seeks breakup of Uniper

The fact that Prime Minister Sanna Marin has been in contact with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a fellow Social Democrat, about the Uniper situation is a sign of its seriousness.

Several options have been proposed to resolve the company's crisis. Fortum has backed a model in which business functions critical to Germany's energy supply security would be transferred to the German state.

Fortum's proposal for a breakup of Uniper has gained support from some members of the Commerce Committee.

"We have to start from the fact that splitting up Uniper would be the solution, i.e. unprofitable business activities, such as gas and coal power would go to the German state, and other parts of Uniper, such as hydro and nuclear power, would remain with Fortum. I see that there is no reason to compromise on this," argued former science minister Hanna Kosonen of the Centre, one of the main government parties.

The full Parliament is scheduled to return to work in early September.