State prosecutor Matti Nissinen presented the results of the preliminary police investigation to the parliament's Constitutional Law Committee. Nissinen told YLE that, according to the information received by the Constitutional Law Committee, the case is very complex and demands multifaceted consideration.
The chair of the committee, MP Kimmo Sasi, predicts that it will consider the case for at least three or four days.
The Constitutional Law Committee is due to hear more about the case next week from six criminal and constitutional law experts. They will also hear Matti Vanhanen himself before they bring their decision before the plenary session in the parliament. The parliament will then issue the final verdict in mid-February on whether the matter should move to the High Court of Impeachment.
The investigation is looking into whether Vanhanen should have recused himself from a series of decisions to grant financial support from the state-run Slot Machine Association (RAY) to the Youth Foundation, which he formerly chaired and which contributed generously to his presidential campaign.
