Oulu mayor faces Ombudsman complaint over dismissal case

Oulu Mayor Ari Alatossava is the subject of a complaint to Finland’s Parliamentary Ombudsman, Yle reports, citing the newspaper Kaleva. The Deputy Ombudsman is investigating whether Alatossava exceeded his authority in a case involving the dismissal of a former city employee.

According to Kaleva, Alatossava filed an application for leave to appeal with the Supreme Administrative Court over the dismissal of former head of employment relations Mauri Mikkola without a decision from the city board. He also hired an external lawyer for the case.

The City of Oulu says the matter was handled neither unlawfully nor in breach of the city’s own rules. Kaleva reports that the complaint was filed by a private individual.

Alatossava dismissed Mikkola in January 2025. Mikkola appealed to the administrative court, which found that the dismissal was not justified because it had not been carried out within a reasonable time.

The city justified the dismissal by citing a breakdown in trust. Mikkola had filed requests for a police investigation into several people who had held senior positions in the city administration. The city’s position was that he had breached his duty of loyalty.

A criminal investigation into Mikkola’s dismissal is also under way. Alatossava is suspected of abuse of public office and discrimination in employment. He considers the allegations unreasonable.