Opposition received no new information from PM on campaign funding links with KMS

Vanhanen repeats old statements, dodges, and attacks during Parliamentary Question Time

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If opposition MPs thought that they would get apologies or confessions out of Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) on Thursday, concerning links between his Centre Party and the election campaign funding organisation KMS, they would have been disappointed.
      During Parliamentary Question Time Vanhanen responded to questioning that was launched by Jutta Urpilainen (SDP), by repeating what he had said before: that he has no way of knowing details of what Centre party officials are up to, that he first heard about the association when his campaign was offered money, and that he was left with the erroneous impression that a very large number of companies were behind the group set up by five entrepreneurs.
      Vanhanen refused to take responsibility on behalf of others, would not predict whether or not any new revelations would be forthcoming, and avoided a question by Matti Saarinen (SDP) on the conflicting versions of the extent to which Vanhanen might have helped the campaign of Merikukka Forsius (Nat. Coalition Party).
      Vanhanen’s main tactic was to repeat that accepting election campaign donations is legal, and that he himself submitted his mandatory disclosure of election campaign funding.
      He added that the whole present furore would not have happened if everyone had done the same - including members of the opposition.
     
Opposition representatives at first were conspicuously restrained, apparently fearing the negative image that might be created on live television of politicians wallowing in muck.
      Bjarne Kallis (Christ. Dem.) felt that it was a less credible notion that the Centre Party would have given KMS only technical support, considering the many ties between them. Vanhanen emphasised that the party official who was mentioned had the authority only for technical support.
      Martti Korhonen and Annika Lapintie of the Left Alliance launched an attack aimed at showing that Vanhanen is incapable of leadership, and that the country is, in fact, run by a clique of businessmen. Vanhanen responded, saying that it is unfortunate that even Left Alliance MP Paavo Arhinmäki had left an election funding disclosure that fell short of the requirements of the law.
     
The matter also came up in a debate over a proposal to tighten the law on disclosure of election funding, which proponents hope could take effect by the October municipal elections.
      Tuija Nurmi (Nat. Coalition Party) suggested that election campaign funding would become more open if donors could make a tax deduction on its basis. Heidi Hautala (Green) felt that companies should commit themselves to opening up their political contributions to scrutiny.
      Hautala also said that those who submit an inaccurate disclosure should face a monetary penalty.
      Kimmo Sasi (Nat. Coalition Party) suspected that this might lead to a situation in which MPs would start making criminal complaints of each other, to the delight of the tabloid press.
      Lauri Oinonen (Centre), who opposed the present law in 2000, said that the debate is on the wrong track. The main problem in his view are greedy media outlets, and the solution is limiting the amount of election advertising, either by law, or by an agreement among the parties.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Preparations for Centre Party congress overshadowed by campaign finance controversy (11.6.2008)
  Opposition parties want Vanhanen to report on campaign funding matter on Thursday (11.6.2008)
  KMS support to Vanhanen campaign: Centre Party’s Kontiola made bank transaction (9.6.2008)
  KMS deputy chairman: organisation established at Centre Party headquarters (2.6.2008)
  Vanhanen: Kontiola called to apologise before coming out on KMS (12.6.2008)

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