FM faces investigation over Syria repatriations

The Parliament´s Constitutional Law Committee on Wednesday asked the state prosecutor to open a criminal investigation into the way Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto had treated one ministry official over Syria repatriations, reported news agency Xinhua.

The matter was initiated late last year with a complaint signed by opposition members of Parliament, and the committee reached a unanimous decision on Wednesday.

Last year, Haavisto had been promoting the repatriation of Finnish nationals from the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria. Initially, he put Pasi Tuominen, director general of consular services at the Foreign Ministry, in charge of the administrative preparations.

Tuominen objected to this decision, arguing that Haavisto could not attribute political responsibility for a life-and-death situation to a single official, according local media reports. Haavisto then shifted the assignment to another civil servant and allegedly launched preparations to transfer Tuominen to other duties.

Although Tuominen was not transferred at the end, Haavisto has been widely criticized in public for the way he had treated the ministry official.

Lawmaker Johanna Ojala-Niemelä, chair of the Constitutional Law Committee, said on live television on Wednesday that the issue is why Haavisto had allegedly started preparations to transfer Tuominen to other duties, even though the contentious al-Hol issue had already been taken off Tuominen's desk.

Neither Haavisto nor Tuominen were willing to comment on the issue, national broadcaster Yle reported. The committee had heard both Tuominen and Haavisto. Ojala-Niemelä said a police investigation was needed as information obtained from them had been conflicting.

The results of the investigation would go back to the committee, which could then suggest charges. The charges would require a plenary vote in Parliament. If charged, the special National Court used for ministerial trials would convene. If then convicted, Haavisto would have to resign.