Päivi Räsänen, the leader of Finland's opposition Christian Democrats, said Monday that Matti Vanhanen (centre), the prime minister, should cut short his visits to Tanzania and South Africa over the Finnish dockers' strike.

Ms Räsänen said the timing of the visits was inappropriate.

"Is not the prolonging of the port strike the kind of emergency that requires the prime minister's active involvement back home?"

The prime minister is scheduled to return to Finland on Thursday.

STT