Finnish Embassy concerned over minister demand for bribe

KATHMANDU, APR 27 - 

The Finnish Embassy in Nepal has expressed serious concern over Minister of State for Information and Communications Surita Kumari Sah's alleged involvement in corrupt practice, demanding Rs 50 million from Ncell.

Finnish Ambassador Asko Luukkainen told the Post that he was disappointed over reports that the state minister has asked for money from Ncell. Ncell's parent company TeliaSonera, is partly owned by Finland. "If this incident is true, it could jeopardize future trade potential between Nepal and Finland," he said.

The Finnish government has 11.7 percent stake in TeliaSonera via state fund Solidium. The Swedish government is the largest shareholder of the Stockholm-based telecom company with a holding of 37.3 percent. One of Europe's leading telecom operators, TeliaSonera was established in 2002 through a merger between Sweden's telecommunications company Telia AB and Sonera Corporation of Finland.

Minister Sah had allegedly demanded the amount from Ncell, the country's leading GSM mobile operator, in return for permission to import microwave frequency equipment to expand its services.

Luukkainen said that the latest episode had discouraged the embassy that has been constantly encouraging Finnish companies to invest in Nepal.

"We have been urged many times by the Nepali authorities to ask Finnish companies to invest in Nepal," said Luukkainen. "How can we tell them to do so now?"

Finland's assistance to Nepal has increased in different sectors and widened in recent years. Finnish grant assistance to Nepal is worth around Rs 2 billion annually.

Source: The Kathmandu Post