Former Finnish foreign minister charged with bribery
By DPA, IANSFriday, January 28, 2011
HELSINKI - Veteran Finnish politician and former foreign minister Ilkka Kanerva has been charged with accepting bribes, the deputy prosecutor general said Friday.
Jorma Kalske said Kanerva was suspected of accepting money and other benefits worth some 50,000 euros ($68,000) from property developers and construction companies.
Four directors were charged with offering bribes.
The probe began three years ago when it emerged that several wealthy businessmen had covered costs for Kanerva’s 60th birthday party.
Police were investigating if the gifts were aimed at influencing Kanerva since he, as chairman of the regional council in south west Finland, had some say over planning permits for shopping centres.
The suspects have denied the allegations, and said the funds were legitimate donations to Kanerva’s political campaign.
Kanerva, member of parliament for the conservative National Coalition Party since 1975, resigned as foreign minister in 2008 after a gossip magazine published text messages he had sent to an exotic dancer.
The trial was likely to take place in the autumn.
Conservative party leader Jyrkki Katainen, also finance minister in the four-party coalition, said Kanerva could stand in the parliamentary elections due in April.
