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Home NATIONALEx-Patria boss testifies in court
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Fri, 19 Sep, 2014 12:01:00 AM
FTimes-STT Report, Sept 19
Former Patria director Heikki Hulkkonen at Kanta-Häme district court. File Photo – Lehtikuva.
Heikki Hulkkonen, former director of Patria’s AMV-division, on Thursday denied the bribery charge he faced before the Kanta-Häme District Court.
 
Hulkkonen claimed he was not corrupt and had encountered a bribery request only once.

Hulkkonen said the defence vehicle manufacturer firm had to get credibility and a favourable environment in the procurement of defence equipment.

During the police investigations, Hulkkonen described Patria’s lobbying as a normal practice.
 
He also pointed out that competition was fierce in Croatia because Patria was in the “backyard” of their Austrian competitors and because Patria had recently lost to a competitor in Poland.

The prosecution wants Hulkkonen to be handed a prison sentence of at least two years.

The accused – Hulkkonen and two others – are linked to bribery allegations connected to the sales of armoured vehicles to Croatia between 2005 and 2008.

The suspects are alleged to have paid about EUR 1.5 million in bribes in order to win an armoured vehicle deal in Croatia worth EUR 50 million.

The suspects have denied the charges.
 
 
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