Prime Minister denies accusations of lying over campaign finance issue

Centre Party MPs lash out at party secretary Korhonen

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Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) admits that he had a mistaken recollection on the location of a meeting with leading figures in the Nova Group before the 2007 Parliamentary elections. However, he sharply denies deliberately lying to Parliament.
      The Social Democratic Party is calling for a special audit of the books of Nova Group, a major donor to the Centre Party, which recently went bankrupt.
     
The opposition Social Democratic Party was not satisfied on Tuesday with answers given by Vanhanen to questions on the matter.
      Social Democratic Party chairwoman, MP Jutta Urpilainen, feels that the Prime Minister avoided giving direct answers, resorting to quibbling instead.
     
Vanhanen was reluctant to say anything on the matter on Tuesday. “Everyone wants to continue the discussion. I have nothing to add to the matter”, Vanhanen said as he rushed to his car behind the House of Parliament.
      One of those who did continue the discussion was SDP Member of Parliament Jukka Gustafsson, who accused the Prime Minister of lying to Parliament.
      On Wednesday, he reiterated calls for a special audit of Nova Group, because of the exceptionally large contributions that the company made to the Centre Party.
      A year ago Gustafsson asked Vanhanen during Parliamentary Question Time if he had taken part in negotiations in 2007 on election financing with businessmen representing the Nova Group.
      At the time, the Prime Minister answered that he does “not have a recollection of such a meeting”. On Monday Vanhanen spoke openly of the meeting, and mentioned discussions of a support package of EUR 200,000.
     
The Centre Party campaign finance issue also raised heavy criticism within the party’s own Parliamentary group. The main target was party secretary Jarmo Korhonen.
      According to Centre Party MP Juha Rehula, “Korhonen has the last possible moment to make public all details concerning campaign finance”.
      MP Mika Lintilä (Centre) asks, for his party, if Korhonen can be seen as “a credible player as the person responsible for the party’s financing”.
      Defence committee chairman, and long-term Centre Party figure Juha Korkeaoja felt that the current furore has important implications for the Centre Party’s internal democracy and the overall credibility of politics in general. “The parties now have plenty of open questions.
      Agricultural committee chairman Jari Leppä (Centre) said to Helsingin Sanomat that Korhonen “should draw his own conclusions immediately”. In Finnish political parlance, this means that he should resign.
     
SDP Parliamentary group leaders and the party leadership discussed the matter on Tuesday. Deputy Speaker Johannes Koskinen (SDP) indicated that he would propose to the Presidium of Parliament that the whole Parliament should hold a debate on the matter on Thursday morning.
      SDP Parliamentary group leader Tarja Filatov wondered on Tuesday how Vanhanen can keep the numbers of the national budget in mind when he is not able to immediately recall the payment of hundreds of thousands of euros to his party.
      Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen, the chairman of the National Coalition Party, the other main party in the four-party coalition government, said on Tuesday to Helsingin Sanomat that the changes in Vanhanen’s account of the events has not eroded confidence in the government.
      “It is something that is not really my business. Confidence remains what it was.”
     
Gustafsson feels that some kind of Parliamentary debate is needed “for the sake of the societal situation”.
      “By assembling its power, big money has influenced the composition of the government with actions that are questionable from the point of view of democracy. This makes the whole matter more serious and politically significant.”
      Gustafsson’s accusation of lying is very unusual in Parliament. Speaker Sauli Niinistö (Nat. Coalition Party) said that even with respect to lying, Parliamentary debate requires a commitment to “respectful behaviour toward others”.
     
Niinistö added that the question of lying involves politics and morality. He said that he is not aware of any lying on the part fo Vanhanen.
      “One would have to examine what has been said. I will leave my answer at that”, Niinistö said.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  CEO of Nova Group claims Centre supports real estate company in zoning issue (30.5.2008)
  Prime Minister warns of political crisis stemming from election campaign money affair (21.5.2008)
  Centre Party silent about major contributor (12.6.2009)
  Centre Party gets extensive funding from business (16.6.2009)
  Vanhanen expects detailed report from Centre Party secretary on 2007 election funding (15.6.2009)

See also:
  COMMENTARY: The law, morals, and a dodgy memory (16.6.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat