Police looking into actions of Finnish PM in RAY case

No suspicions of crime for now

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The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is investigating whether or not there is reason to suspect that Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) might have violated the law in connection with the distribution of revenues from the Finnish Slot Machine Association (RAY).
      Discussions on launching a possible investigation had been held already before Christmas between the offices of the Chancellor of Justice and the Prosecutor General.
      Vanhanen is not seen as a criminal suspect - at least not yet. The NBI has emphasised that all that is under way now is a fact-finding phase.
     
As Prime Minister, Vanhanen had been involved in deciding on the granting of RAY funds to the youth housing foundation Nuorisosäätiö, even though he received election campaign funding from the foundation.
      The NBI cannot decide on investigating a prime minister on its own. Such a decision is made by the Constitutional Law Committee of the Finnish Parliament, on the basis of a proposal by the Chancellor of Justice. Any criminal indictment of a prime minister for actions taken while in office would be handled by a court of impeachment.
      The NBI has discussed the matter with Chancellor of Justice Jaakko Jonkka and the office of the Prosecutor General.
     
The discussion was held on December 14th, nine days before Vanhanen said that he would pull out of the race for the Centre Party leadership.
      Jonkka told Helsingin Sanomat that for now, he has no grounds on which to call for an actual criminal investigation.
     
Vanhanen himself said on Wednesday that he had known nothing about the NBI’s investigation. He said that the NBI has not been in contact with him on the matter.
      He also reiterated that the matter had nothing to do with his decision to withdraw from the Centre Party leadership, and that he made his decision for other reasons, already in early November.
     
The NBI has already started an investigation into the activities of Jukka Vihriälä, the former chairman of the board of the Slot Machine Association.
      It was under Vihriälä’s leadership that the association prepared its proposals on the distribution of money to the government led by Vanhanen.
     
In Parliament, Kimmo Sasi (Nat. Coalition Party), the chairman of the Constitutional Law Committee, said on Wednesday that an investigation of a prime minister by the NBI would be unprecedented in Finland.
      Sasi said in an television interview with MTV3 News that he does not recall any time that the committee would have discussed a matter concerning a prime minister.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Vanhanen refuses to accept sole responsibility for election funding row (28.9.2009)
  RAY Chairman Vihriälä resigns in midst of election funding furore (23.9.2009)
  Vanhanen sees no problem with foundations making campaign donations (22.9.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat