Finance Minister and the Chairperson of the radical rightist Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) Riikka Purra took a bottle of champagne worth about 800 euros as gift, reported a leading Finnish language national daily Helsingin Sanomat on Thursday.
Several ministers of the four-party alliance government led by Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) also received gifts of more than 200 euros, although government guidelines prohibited ministers to take gifts worth more than 200 euros, said the report.
Purra, however, recorded the gift in the government's register but mentioned its value as 400 euros.
She told the newspaper that the bottle had already been opened when it was brought to her table, adding that she was unsure, if alcoholic beverages received unofficially during her free time needs to be registered.
"I do not know, if others even report alcoholic beverages they get at a bar informally during their free time,” said the report, quoting Purra as saying.
She said that it was unknown if even it should done but she had chosen to do that way.
The report also said that several other ministers in the government also received gifts exceeding the 200-euro limit.
The Prime Minister Office, however, told the newspaper that the guidelines are not legally binding.
Earlier, receiving expensive gifts by ministers drew criticism when Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala received Ruisrock festival ticket packages worth about 865 euros in the last summer.
- Riikka Purra
- Gift
- €800
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
