267:) sentence for acceptance of bribes. In 2012, the District Court found Kanerva guilty of accepting tens of thousands of euros worth of gifts from the executives, who were seen to thereby gain influence over Kanerva’s actions as chair of the Regional Council of Southwest Finland. Among other things, the council has decision-making power over the zoning of new shopping centres. The Court of Appeal also overturned the sentences for aggravated bribery of three businessmen, Arto Merisalo, Tapani Yli-Saunamäki and Toivo Sukari. The District Court had sentenced Merisalo and Yli-Saunamäki to long prison terms. General public criticised the decision for accepting bribes in Finland.
168:(25%). These companies were connected with the large construction projects of shopping centres and the promotion of a new construction law. The prosecution sought in 2011 unconditional prison sentences for Merisalo and Yli-Saunamäki as Nova group leaders. Nova’s bankruptcy estate is demanded 6.2 million euros in damages from Merisalo, Yli-Saunamäki and five others. The defendants denied charges.
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Since the parliamentarians did not perform according to the law, some individuals asked the
Ministry of Justice to investigate the case. According to the Ministry of Justice all control is in the responsibility of media and they have no opportunity to punish any politician of any potential bribery
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Corporate funding of the elections stunned journalists in 2007, but after 7.5.2008 it was revealed that corporate funding of the elections was much larger than publicly reported figures claimed. This became a political scandal in 2008-2010. Many additions were made to the public finance reports in
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members of the parliament in 2007-2011. The support was typically 5,000-10,000 € pro person. 90% of its funds was from three companies: Nova Group (Tapani Yli-Saunamäki) 145,000 € (36%), Suomen
Liikekiinteistöt SLK (Kyösti Kakkonen) 120,000 € (30%) and Maskun kalustetalo (Toivo Sukari) 100,000 €
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The
Finnish parliament considered the law unnecessary in 2002. However, Finland was forced to change the criminal law by European Council in 2002, later than in many other countries. The parliament made the law of election funds beneficial for itself. The new criminal law (2002) denied giving or
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taking bribery for/by the representatives of the parliament. The law was formulated in a way that it was in practice not possible to find any evidence of violations against the law according to professor Timo
Viljanen,
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has been in the bribery trials. All parties are appealing against convictions started on 25. March 2013 in the broad-ranging election funding scandal connected to the
Regional construction deals.
107:(rkp). The lack of amendments to financial reports was not in itself evidence that the reports were in any way complete, there was no scrutiny and no penalties were ever issued.
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Information with regards to funding was not made public during the election. The persons who were elected had to give make their finance reports public no later than May, 2007.
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the lack of transparency in
Finnish political financing is remarkable even on an international stage. The organization compared the Finnish system to that of
201:), the then-Minister of Defence, discussed the KMS funding of the party candidates with Merisalo ja Yli-Saunamäki already in the end of 2006 in the
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Uutisanalyysi, Suomalainen kansanedustaja on mahdotonta lahjoa, laki kieltää kansanedustajan lahjomisen, mutta vain ”symbolisesti”, HS 22.5.2008 A4
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has said that most payments of total 65,991 € are under the obligation to give any public information. This cannot be confirmed.
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in 2007, the possibility of corruption should be more comprehensively taken into account in the
Finnish election funding system.
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connected to
Helsingin Mekaanikontalo. It is owned by Procomex in Luxemburg and further by Kilbrin Investments Limited in the
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According to Markku
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cases and/or lack of information. In 2011 the funds have not been opened by all politicians. e.g.
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187:(EU parliament, Centre). Yli-Saunamäki has also been responsible of the sport sponsoring for
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May 2008, which was a year too late. This pertained to multiple
Ministers in Government:
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Election financiers, Did the ministers and others know whose money they were getting?
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Ministeriö ei voi määrätä vaalirahailmoitusten tekoon, Helsingin Sanomat 3.7.2008 A5
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candidates. There were several related cases that were ongoing as of February 2012.
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Matti Ylönen Veroparatiisit, 20 ratkaisua varjotalouteen Like 2008 page 108
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held on 18 March 2007. The scandal involves mainly the campaign funding of
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Suora linja 27.6.2013 Ilkka Kanervan lahjustuomio kaatui - mitä ajattelet?
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arose in the spring of 2008 due to campaign funding issues related to the
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Vaalirahan ”palautus” on asian vääristelyä, Helsingin Sanomat 8.6.2008 A5
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Kehittyvän vaalirahoituksen Suomi. Helsingin Sanomat, 25.5.2008 D 4
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Hirvonen: Vaalirahayhdistyksiä pitäisi myös valvoa YLE 26.5.2008
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Evaluation Report on Finland on Incriminations, Theme I, s. 21,
147:. The organisation Kehittyvien maakuntien Suomi (KMS) (English:
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243:. According to Ilta-Sanomat (21.5.2008) support was given by
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received campaign support from a company that was owned in
205:. In August 2007 Häkämies invited these KMS financiers to
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Vaalijohtaja: Vaalirahoituslain rikkominen melko yleistä
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KMS passed €400,000 cash primarily to the conservative
163:(who jumped into the conservative faction), and 4
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171:Tapani Yli-Saunamäki has run the campaign for
450:Häkämies sopi KMS:n vaalituesta kokoomukselle
259:The Helsinki Court of Appeal overturned MP
465:Regional Council corruption appeal begins
175:(president election, centre) in 2000 and
429:Nova Group: politicians begged for money
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485:Kanerva’s bribery sentence overturned
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21:2007 Finnish campaign finance scandal
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49:Transparency International
16:Finance scandal in Finland
524:2007 elections in Finland
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265:National Coalition Party
199:National Coalition Party
151:) supported at least 21
141:National Coalition Party
33:National Coalition Party
145:Centre Party (Finland)
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179:(president election,
519:Elections in Finland
220:Tax haven financing
203:House of Parliament
121:University of Turku
294:2010-03-09 at the
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63:The 2007 elections
29:Finnish Parliament
299:Helsingin Sanomat
239:and managed from
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93:Mauri Pekkarinen
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183:) in 2006 and
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415:2011-04-20
363:2011-04-20
306:References
237:Luxembourg
95:(centre),
91:(centre),
431:4.11.2011
301:18.5.2008
143:or rural
292:Archived
271:See more
173:Esko Aho
153:Centrist
27:for the
87:(kok),
83:(kok),
79:(kok),
75:(kok),
53:Belarus
159:, one
331:GRECO
207:sauna
189:Nokia
161:green
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