Vanhanen: Kontiola called to apologise before coming out on KMS

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Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen says that Centre Party head of development Lasse Kontiola will not be called to account for his activities in KMS, an association formed to channel campaign contributions to Parliamentary candidates of its choosing.
     Last week Kontiola admitted to having dealt with KMS money matters behind the backs of party leaders. He also had access to KMS bank account, which he used on ten occasions.
     Vanhanen, who returned from a visit to Japan on Wednesday, attributed Kontiola’s behaviour to his “youth”. Helsingin Sanomat asked Vanhanen about the communications that he has had with Kontiola.
     How have you been in in contact with Lasse Kontiola?
     “He called me about it. It was certainly more than a week ago. It was the day before his statement was in the newspapers. On the same evening he sent a press release to the media.”
     Was someone close to you in contact with Kontiola, or did you urge him to draw up an apology?
     “No, he called to explain what it was about.”
     Were your aides in touch with him?
     “Not to my knowledge.”
     Did you have advance knowledge of the apology?
     “No, he just called and read the statement, and said that he planned to make it public.”
     
In Vanhanen’s view Kontiola “did not act correctly” by operating within KMS. The party leader is nevertheless forgiving:
     “He is a young man and he said that without the permission of his employer, he had taken the right to use the bank account [of KMS] and apologised to the party leadership for it.”
     As Vanhanen sees it, Kontiola implemented a “technical action” when he transferred KMS funds to campaign organisations of various candidates.
     “He should have asked for permission for a side job like this.”
     When asked if Kontiola’s actions behind the back of the party leadership should not lead to certain consequences, Vanhanen avoided the question by saying that the crisis also involves parties other than the Centre.
     “Kontiola made bank transfers to candidates of other parties as well. If he had asked permission from his employer, that permission would not have been granted.”, Vanhanen said.
     
Vanhanen did not denounce Kontiola for his participation in a vote in the Rovaniemi City Council to allow the sale of a snowmobile factory to the Nova Group and Nova Real Estate Development. The Nova Group is the biggest contributor to KMS.
     According to Vanhanen, it is the job of the police to investigate possible conflicts of interest.
     Vanhanen said that he had relayed a message through Centre Party Secretary Jarmo Korhonen “a week, or a week and a half ago”, that staff at the party’s headquarters would clear up anything that needs clearing up. Vanhanen said that the party congress would determine whether nor not Korhonen enjoys their confidence.
     
Vanhanen reiterated on Wednesday that he would not give a Prime Minister’s report on the matter to Parliament, urging the opposition to put forward an interpellation.
      The matter is expected to be brought up on Thursday during Parliamentary Question Time, which also suits Vanhanen.
     “Of course. The government is ready to debate this with the opposition. We need to have a form of discussion which offers a genuine possibility for balanced debate, going through election funding of all parties. A prime minister’s report does not give a possibility for that”, Vanhanen said.
     On Thursday, the first proposals for amendments in the law on campaign financing will also come up for Parliamentary debate.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Further evidence of close ties between Centre Party and election campaign finance organisation (4.6.2008)
  KMS deputy chairman: organisation established at Centre Party headquarters (2.6.2008)
  Party leaders agree on EUR 3,000 limit for individual political contributions in municipal elections (28.5.2008)
  KMS support to Vanhanen campaign: Centre Party’s Kontiola made bank transaction (9.6.2008)
  Nova Group backed KMS with at least EUR 145,000 (6.6.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat