Finland’s audit office considers probe into Helsinki Garden project funding

Finland’s National Audit Office (VTV) is assessing whether to launch an investigation into the financing of Helsinki’s Garden project, according to a report by public broadcaster Yle.

Jonna Toivoniemi, a VTV director, said the office is reviewing news coverage of the project and will determine if the conditions for initiating oversight are met. The team may conduct the assessment over the summer if necessary.

The government approved €35 million in investment support for the Helsinki Garden project during last year’s mid-term budget negotiations. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has stated that the National Coalition Party introduced the matter as part of economic and employment measures.

A VTV investigation would mark the start of a formal oversight process, involving interviews with parties that may have engaged in lobbying as well as those potentially influenced, such as MPs, ministers, or officials.

The audit would evaluate whether registration in Finland’s transparency register—where organizations must report lobbying activities—is required. Toivoniemi noted that while lobbying is a necessary part of political decision-making, policymakers should consider a broad range of information sources.

The government’s funding decision relied on the project’s own economic impact assessments. When asked why no independent evaluation was commissioned, Orpo did not provide a direct answer.

VTV oversees compliance with transparency register obligations. Toivoniemi said investigations are typically triggered when unregistered entities are reported to have engaged in activities that should have been disclosed.

She declined to comment on whether any party linked to the Garden project should have registered, stating that VTV first conducts a full review and hearing in all oversight cases to determine if registration and disclosure were necessary.

Toivoniemi added that lobbyists generally comply well with the law and often voluntarily correct any deficiencies in their disclosures.