Finnish audit office says NATO membership costs not presented transparently

HELSINKI, June 9– Finland did not present a sufficiently transparent picture of the fiscal impacts of joining NATO, particularly the significantly higher indirect costs associated with meeting alliance obligations, the National Audit Office of Finland (NAOF) said on Tuesday.

In a performance audit titled “NATO-related preparation and decision-making,” the audit office said the Finnish government estimated at the time of accession that the direct costs of NATO membership would amount to 70 million to 100 million euros (81 million to 116 million U.S. dollars) annually.