Jaakko Jonkka, the Chancellor of Justice, has revealed that the decision concerning the alleged conflict of interest of Jan Vapaavuori (NCP), the Minister of Economic Affairs, was straightforward.
“It was very clear that in this situation no incapacity arose. It wasn't even a borderline case,” Jonkka underlines in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat.
The Chancellor of Justice ruled on Thursday that Vapaavuori did not have a conflict of interest when recommending that the application of Fennovoima for an in-principle permit should be granted or submitted to the Government for a decision.
“We didn't even have to invoke the argument that ministers have a higher threshold for incapacity [than officials],” Jonkka highlights.
A handful of complaints were filed with the Office of the Chancellor of Justice in late September, alleging that Vapaavuori may have had a conflict of interest due to his having signed a nuclear energy co-operation agreement with Russia before presenting the application of Fennovoima to the Government.
The nuclear power plant of Fennovoima is to be delivered by Rosatom, a state-owned Russian energy company.
Tuomo Pietiläinen – HS
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
© HELSINGIN SANOMAT
Photo: Benjamin Suomela / HS
