YLE clarifies claims over Vanhanen's timber delivery
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On Wednesday afternoon the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) elaborated somewhat on its claims, made in a Monday evening current affairs documentary, that Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen would have been in receipt of free building materials for his home in Nurmijärvi.
According to the YLE Head of Current Affairs Jyrki Richt, Vanhanen took delivery at the construction site of his house of a load of valuable specially-planed timber, the supply of which had to be approved by the management of the building firm concerned.
"The value of the consignment was considerable, or in other words it exceeded the limits of the site foreman's ability to sign off on it personally", noted Richt in his statement.
According to Richt, the wood referred to in the TV2 Silminnäkijä ("Eye-Witness") programme on Monday was not the same consignment that the Prime Minister hinted at in his press conference on Tuesday.
Vanhanen commented on Tuesday that the only thing he recognised from the YLE claims was a single consignment of untrimmed wooden planks supplied by a Helsinki building firm to his home in Nurmijärvi. Vanhanen added that the consignment in question was not of any great value, and that he would hardly be likely to risk his political career over such a thing.
Richt stated that the foreman sought approval for the delivery from his superiors, and that the delivery was approved when it became clear where the wood was to be used.
Richt also noted that the goods in question were intended for a different purpose from that specified in the invoicing.
Richt says that YLE has confidence in the veracity of its anonymous source and stresses that the protection of journalistic sources is one of the cornerstones of the freedom of the press.
Prime Minister Vanhanen has responded that the YLE claims are "nonsense", and that he would be willing to invite an impartial journalist, for instance from the Finnish News Agency, to bring along an expert of their choosing to inspect his property to ascertain the facts.
Vanhanen commented that he was relieved because the revelations indicated that the YLE claims had no foundation. He does not intend to take legal action against the broadcaster.
"It is very difficult for a politician, almost impossible, to pursue a libel case. They are very long drawn-out processes", said Vanhanen.
Although the alleged events took place several years ago, the issue is a highly-charged one, given that Mr. Vanhanen was chairman of the Nuorisosäätiö foundation between 1998 and 2003 and deputy chairman prior to 1998.
In the event that a construction firm that had built blocks of flats for the foundation (a charity that also later donated money to Vanhanen's 2006 presidential election campaign) might have attempted to secure further deals with the foundation by giving the materials to Mr Vanhanen, the ramifications could be considerable.
Mr. Vanhanen built his home in the Lepsämä district of Nurmijärvi in stages between 1996 and 2000.
More on this subject:
 Vanhanen goes on offensive against YLE over corruption allegations
Helsingin Sanomat
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