Nova Group backed KMS with at least EUR 145,000

Centre Party official had access to KMS bank account

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The Nova Group, headed by CEO Tapani Yli-Saunamäki, was one of the big financial backers of KMS, an association known to have contributed to the election campaigns of Parliamentary candidates of the Centre Party and some others. Helsingin Sanomat has learned that the company donated at least EUR 145,000 to KMS.
      Other major contributors to KMS include Kyösti Kakkonen of the Tokmanni Group, Toivo Sukari, an entrepreneur promoting the idea of the establishment of Ideapark, a shopping complex envisioned for the community of Vihti, and the furniture retailer Suomi-soffa.
      Nova Group CEO Tapani Saunamäki can be seen to have had at least a double role in the election campaign finance furore mainly affecting the Centre Party. He has distributed KMS money to candidates, while his company has, for some reason, circulated money through KMS.
      Helsingin Sanomat was unable to reach Yli-Saunamäki for comment on Wednesday.
     
KMS reported spending EUR 406,000 in political contributions in the 2007 Parliamentary election campaign. Of this sum, EUR 262,000 went to candidates of the Centre Party and EUR 112,000 was for candidates of the National Coalition Party. Both Centre Party Secretary Jarmo Korhonen and the party’s head of development Lasse Kontiola have confirmed that KMS was established at the initiative of Tapani Yli-Saunamäki, who says that he made the proposals on which candidates KSM would support financially.
      Practical operations of the association were dealt with by Arto Merisalo, managing director of Nova Real Estate Development, and by lawyer Pekka Lind.
     
Jarmo Korhonen gave assurances on Wednesday that the Centre Party has not taken part in the activities of KMS, and that the party has no ties to the association.
      However, Helsingin Sanomat has learned that Lasse Kontiola had been given access to the KMS bank account.
      Contacts between the Centre Party and KMS came up when it was revealed that the company was set up at a meeting held in the party offices of the Centre Party, and that the founding documents were drawn up by Kontiola at the request of party secretary Korhonen. Korhonen has repeatedly insisted that Kontiola’s role has been limited to providing “technical support”
      Kontiola is on sick leave, and Helsingin Sanomat was not able to reach him for comment on why he had access to the KMS bank accounts. Korhonen did not answer his mobile telephone on Thursday. The answering machines of both men were full.
     
Suspicions have been raised within the Parliamentary group of the Centre Party that KMS money was used specifically to back up candidates favourable to Korhonen.
      “I have not taken part in the collection of funds for KMS or their distribution to candidates for Parliament”, he emphasised on Wednesday.
      In May this year KMS paid EUR 1,600 to another association, Menestyvä Suomi ry, in which Jarmo Korhonen serves as deputy chair. According to the campaign finance declaration, the association paid EUR 5,000 in support for the campaign of the successful Parliamentary candidate Risto Autio. The chairman of the association is Lasse Kontiola.
      Kontiola also serves on the City Council of Rovaniemi, where Yli-Saunamäki’s Nova Group is currently building a new snowmobile factory. The plant was opened on May 5th this year, and speaking at the opening ceremonies was Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen (Centre) At the ceremony, Nova real Estate director Arto Merisalo spoke about the problems he saw in the law on land use and construction, which could hinder the construction of business premises.
     
Nova had also submitted a bid for the Valtionranta construction project involving tourist services, but the City Board voted to give the project to Arina Skanska.
     
In the Parliamentary election, KMS provided EUR 10,000 in support for Rovaniemi City Board Chairman Ari Ruotsalainen (Centre). Ruotsalainen says that he did not know who was behind the organisation.
      Yli-Saunamäki and Kontiola are also linked through a company called Eurodesk, which provides consultant services for business administration. Kontiola is the company’s deputy auditor, and Yli-Saunamäki is the Chairman of the Board.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Race for Centre Party Secretary post heats up (5.6.2008)
  Further evidence of close ties between Centre Party and election campaign finance organisation (4.6.2008)
  Campaign funding: Vanhanen lashes out at opposition, denies lying (3.6.2008)
  KMS deputy chairman: organisation established at Centre Party headquarters (2.6.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat