The prime minister’s celebration at the official residence did not pose a security risk, the security chief says | Yle news
prime minister Sanna Marin (SDP) has faced questions about meeting musicians, friends and acquaintances at the official Kesäranta apartment in September.
The Prime Minister had participated in the record release festival at the Tavastia Club in Helsinki and then invited about 20-30 people back to Kesäranta for the after-party. According to Yle sources, security personnel did not verify the identity of the guests upon arrival.
However, Marin’s director of security told Yle that when holding private events at the official residence, the protocol is always followed, but did not want to comment on the details of the September party because the event was related to the prime minister’s private life.
“The protocol has always been followed. There are events on the summer beach on a daily basis. We have agreed on how these arrangements will be maintained and their security as needed,” the Prime Minister’s Director of Security Ahti Kurvinen told Yle.
A change in attitudes within the party
According to Yle sources, the rage of the Kesäranta event will rise as some of Marini’s own party – the SDP – have begun to question the prime minister in more detail.
Marin has been extremely popular in the SDP, especially in dealing with the Covid pandemic, but sources close to the party say they have seen changes in attitudes as the Covid pandemic moves further on the political agenda.
Yle understands that Marin was openly interrogated and criticized at the party meeting on 14 October. about a recent controversy with the Central Party of the governing coalition partner.
Marin had criticized the Minister of Culture Antti Kurvinen (Cen) by publishing a list of spending cuts even though he knew the government was going to visit them again. At the party meeting, SDP members demanded from the Prime Minister answers to Kurvinen’s dispute and questions related to the state gambling monopoly Veikkaus and the cancellation of budget cuts.
The last small scandal in which Marin was involved – “breakfast sports“- is also reappeared recently after the Chancellor of Justice asked Marin for an explanation of the free meal benefits he had received at his official residence until the beginning of this year.