Purra apologises for ´stupid´ racial remarks

Finance Minister and Chairperson of the radical rightist Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) Riikka Purra on Tuesday admitted that she made the controversial remarks on the Scripta blog 15 years ago in guise of a username "riikka" and apologised for the racial, apparently violent and anti-immigrant comments.

She offered the apology in her twitter post following reports published in several news media and strong criticism in the social media by people from different strata including political leaders.

“I apologise for my stupid social media comments 15 years ago and for the harm and resentment that they understandably caused. I'm not a perfect person, I've made mistakes,” Purra wrote in her twitter in Finnish on Tuesday afternoon.

"Taken out of context and evaluated in the present moment, some texts look even worse. I do not accept any kind of violence, racism or discrimination. Those who know my way of working and my values ​​know that," she added.

Earlier on the day, President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo expressed their sharp reactions over the racist and violent comments made by the Perussuomalaiset leader in 2008.

Talking to the journalists during NATO summit in Vilnius, Niinistö said that the Finnish government would be wise to adopt a clear zero-tolerance stance on racism, local media reported, quoting news agency STT.

Orpo said that the governing parties are committed to an "egalitarian, safe society where no one needs to feel afraid", adding that all the ministers of the government must act in accordance with these principles, reported national broadcaster Yle, quoting STT.

He also said that he does not accept racism in any form.

Purra reportedly wrote the controversial remarks in 2008 on the Scripta blog hosted by former Chairperson of her party Jussi Halla-aho, also Speaker of the present parliament.

The comments written using the username "riikka" included several uses of the Finnish equivalent of the n-word as well as other racial slurs, anti-immigrant rhetoric and apparent threats of violence, reported national broadcaster Yle, adding that the texts included racist expressions such as "mocha dicks" and "Turkish monkeys".

In August 2008, it was written by the ID “riikka” that there had not been seen alarming immigration problem in Barcelona and a leading Finnish language daily Helsingin Sanomat on Monday confirmed that Purra was in Barcelona that time.

Yle found some examples of the comments written on the blog where "riikka" in September 2008 wrote about a confrontation on a train with young people from an immigrant background, saying "If they gave me a gun, there'd be bodies on a commuter train, you see."

Earlier on June 30, another Perussuomalaiset leader and Minister of Economic Affairs Vilhelm Junnila decided to resign following the controversy raised over his links to far-right groups.

Another leader and Interior Minister Mari Rantanen faced strong criticism for her social media post related to far-right ideology and immigration.

Speaker of the parliament and former Perussuomalaiset Chairperson Jussi Halla-aho, who hosted the Scripta blog was convicted of inciting hatred against an ethnic group in 2012.