MINISTER of Finance Riikka Purra (PS) views that the government has no choice but to slash earnings-based pensions as part of its effort to balance public finances, reports Helsingin Sanomat. “My understanding is that it’s impossible to reach the desired outcome without dealing with pensions,” she said yesterday in an interview with the newspaper, referring to the three-billion-euro target set for the spending cuts and tax increases that are to be thrashed out in the looming framework session.