President stands ground on Interior Ministry appointment

Vanhanen expects no problems between President and government

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President Tarja Halonen has adhered to her stand on the appointment of a Chief of Staff for the Ministry of the Interior. Going against the unanimous view of the government, the President refused to name Ilkka Laitinen to the post on Friday.
      The President wants to retain the current holder of the post, Ritva Viljanen, for another term.
      The President’s decision means that matter will be sent back to the government for further consideration. If the government does not relent, Halonen can appoint whomever she wants to the position.
     
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) feels that the dispute over the appointment will not cause any problems in cooperation between the government and the President.
      Vanhanen also does not feel that the disagreement gives any material for debate on constitutional reform, or the powers of the President.
     
“This simply shows that the constitution works when there are disagreements. In matters of appointments, disagreements are resolved very simply, because the President is the one who decides, and the government simply makes preparations. In this respect there are no problems”, Vanhanen said on Thursday evening at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, where he was leaving for a one-week visit to China, where he will attend the Beijing Olympics.
     
Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund (Nat. Coalition Party) told the Finnish News Agency STT on Thursday that she was surprised at the President’s intervention in the appointment. Holmlund did not hear about the President’s opinion on the matter until this week, although the President and the Minister of the Interior had met to discuss the matter on many occasions. Vanhanen said on Thursday that he would continue to stand behind Holmlund’s proposal. He also denied claims that the disagreement on the matter had anything to do with the political backgrounds of the candidates.
      Vanhanen would not speculate on Thursday as to what effect an appointment that goes against the recommendation of the Minister of the Interior might have on the operations of the Ministry of the Interior.
     
If the President’s view differs from the proposal put forward by the government, the matter is returned to the government for more debate. The president is legally entitled to appoint any applicant who meets the requirements of the post.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  President and government at odds over appointment of ministry official (7.8.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat