Olli Saarela apologises to Heinäluoma for colourful language
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Olli Saarela, the film director husband of Minister of Culture Tanja Saarela (Centre Party), has apologised for his ill-chosen comments made about Minister of Finance Eero Heinäluoma (SDP) in an interview published in Image magazine.
In the interview Saarela described Heinäluoma as a "miserable, large, bald-headed wuss", whom he would have liked to "punch in the nose".
According to the magazine, Saarela was infuriated at the way the Social Democrats - led by Heinäluoma - had criticised his wife in conjunction with summer budget talks by saying she was an incompetent negotiator.
On Thursday Olli Saarela sent the Finnish News Agency STT a press release saying: "I apologise to Eero Heinäluoma for my ill-judged comments and colourful expressions about him in the interview with Image magazine. The opinions were mine alone and I am solely responsible for them."
Minister Heinäluoma commented in Parliament on Thursday that "a real man is also able to apologise". Moreover, he regarded the matter as now closed.
On the other hand, Heinäluoma believed that "quite a few people were shocked" to hear somebody threaten a MP with violence because of his societal activities.
Moreover, some members of the Social Democratic Party were disappointed at the insipid way in which the Centre Party had reacted to the interview published by Image.
They had hoped that Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) would rebuke Minister Saarela for her husband's improper behaviour and tell her how the members of the government parties are supposed to behave towards each other.
A measure of petrol was poured on the embers of the affair by a remark from Minister Saarela herself (in a television interview on Wednesday) to the effect that Heinäluoma - who is also Chairman of the SDP - is still in his first term as an MP, and accordingly "should be given time" as a finance minister.
Previously in HS International Edition:
Minister Saarela apologises for husband´s ill-chosen remarks (5.10.2006)
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 6.10.2006 - TODAY |
Olli Saarela apologises to Heinäluoma for colourful language
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