Finland Times

 

Heidi Hautala, Minister of International Development of Finland, speaks during a discussion panel on technology and innovation to fight poverty at World Bank Headquarters during the annual World Bank - IMF meetings in Washington on Wednesday. Photo - AFP / Lehtikuva.

Minister scheduled to arrive earlier shortening tour abroad

 

The minister for international development, Heidi Hautala, also responsible for the corporate governance on Friday is expected to clarify her position regarding the reported obstacle created by an official of her state department to lodge criminal complaint against Greenpeace activists.

 

“The minister Hautala is holding a press conference tomorrow,” the Prime Minister, JyrkiKatainen told on Thursday following his call for explanation from Heidi Hautala made on Wednesday.

 

Hautala is returning to the country a day before the schedule curtailing her tour abroad.

 

Katainen, however, avoided the question from journalist that whether he has trust on his cabinet colleague and said that he wishes that Hautala would herself tell first what had happened there.

 

Earlier, the Prime Minister, JyrkiKatainen, on Wednesday asked explanation from one of his cabinet colleagues regarding the allegation.

 

Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen to the media on Thursday.Photo - Lehtikuva.

Heidi Hautala, has admitted that an official of her department created the obstacle to take action against Greenpeace activists when they took over the state-owned Arctia Shipping icebreakers in Helsinki last year.

 

“It is of course a serious matter, if political decision affected the decision of police regarding making a criminal report,” said the Prime Minister on Wednesday, adding that he would consider the matter seriously.

 

The issue came to public when Finnish language newspaper Iltalehti published a report in this regard against Hautala, a leader of the Green party, one of the components of the six-party alliance government.

 

In addition to seeking clarification from his cabinet colleague, the Prime Minister also sought statement from the corporate governance unit.

 

The action of Heidi Hautala is probably going to be sent to the Attorney General for further investigation.

 

Hautala said that a senior official of the department, PekkaTimonen, had told the ship authority that state-owned companies should have more tolerance towards the NGO activities than normal enterprises.

 

The former chair of the Green League admitted that she was aware of his actions and supported the move.