MINTC has not improperly interfered with the operational activities of Finavia

The legal evaluation by the National Audit Office of Finland raises some views, on the basis of which the ownership steering of Finavia in autumn 2015 is regarded as problematic. The report does not claim that the activities were against the law but deals with the question of whether or not the actions of the owner have been improper in terms of good governance.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications stresses that the ownership steering of Finavia has not included any improper interference with the operational activities of the state-owned company. The Ministry has not required Finavia to bring or not to bring any legal proceedings or to give them up. The owner had a justified reason and was within its rights to issue instructions to the company in order to make sure that careful consideration was given to an exceptional matter.

- The experts and the Ministry seem to have a different understanding than the National Audit Office about the meaning of the active approach required of the state owner as set out in the governance guidelines. Therefore, the need to clarify the guidelines must be considered. If the company is a state-owned company with a special assignment, the importance of an active approach is emphasised, says Ms Anne Berner, Minister of Transport and Communications.