Several opposition parties are demanding greater transparency over the government's decision to award the project a 35-million-euro investment subsidy.The opposition has called for the government's resignation. Image: Mikko Stig / LehtikuvaYle News10:14Opposition parties have intensified their criticism of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) over the government's decision to grant a 35-million-euro investment subsidy to the Garden Helsinki arena project.The criticism follows Yle's reporting that the project was heavily lobbied by its backers after the Ministry of Finance rejected an earlier request for a 110-million-euro state loan guarantee.According to messages obtained by Yle, project leader Jan Vapaavuori – a former NCP cabinet minister and Helsinki mayor – continued lobbying government officials after the ministry's rejection and said that Orpo supported the project.Orpo has denied personally lobbying for the funding decision or granting any favours to NCP campaign donors linked to the project. He has also welcomed an investigation by the Chancellor of Justice into complaints concerning the subsidy.Artist's impression of Garden Helsinki, a multi-purpose arena planned for the Taka-Töölö district of the capital. Image: PES-ArkkitehditOpposition calls for answersThe Social Democratic Party is calling on Orpo to make a formal statement to Parliament explaining the government's decision, arguing that his previous explanations have been inconsistent.The Green League has meanwhile submitted new parliamentary questions seeking clarification on how the decision was made and whether ministers were aware of competing arena projects before approving the subsidy.Greens MP Saara Hyrkkö said the issue is not the project itself but whether such a significant subsidy was awarded through a sufficiently transparent process, particularly given links between the project's backers and NCP election donors.Meanwhile opposition Left Alliance chair Minja Koskela said the government's handling of the case was serious enough to warrant its resignation, while Greens leader Sofia Virta said Orpo should resign if it emerged he had knowingly provided false information about the decision.Harry Harkimo, chair of the small Movement Now, said the case should be referred to Parliament's Constitutional Law Committee if satisfactory answers are not provided.