The Office Commission of Parliament of Finland on Wednesday decided to suspend Secretary-General Antti Pelttari from his office from 1 July, said an official press release.
Pelttari, also a former Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo) is suspected of treason and official misconduct when he was working as the top official of the Supo.
He is suspected of disclosing secrets that time.
The Office Commission made the decision based on an overall assessment that carefully considered both the legal protection of the official concerned and the need to ensure the effective functioning of Parliament.
Expert opinions provided during the process were also taken into account.
The authority said that the decision to suspend Secretary-General from office is a precautionary measure.
It does not take a view on whether the suspicion of a crime is justified. Should new information come to light, the decision must be promptly reconsidered.
During the suspension, Secretary-General will be paid half of his salary as per the rules.
Pelttari was appointed as the Secretary-General of Parliament in late 2023 and took over the charge at the beginning of 2024.
The Office Commission consists of the Speaker and the two deputy speakers as well as of four MPs chosen by Parliament and their alternate members.
The Office Commission decides on Parliament's annual budget proposal, appoints civil servants to the key offices of Parliament, agrees on the conditions of employment for Parliament's civil servants and decides on how Parliament's facilities are allocated, in addition to which it makes substantial procurement decisions.
The allegation of suspected sedition against the Secretary-General of parliament came into light following media reports in May this year.
- Parliament
- Secretary General
- suspended
- Sedition
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
