Helsinki - A Finnish appeals court Tuesday convicted the author and publisher of a kiss-and-tell book on Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, saying it violated his privacy.

Vanhanen had appealed a lower court ruling that in March 2008 cleared the book based on material provided by a woman, Susan Ruusunen, whom he had once dated.

Author Susan Ruusunen was sentenced to pay a fine of 300 euros (389 dollars) while publisher Kari Ojala was ordered to pay 840 euros (1,089 dollars), Finnish news agency STT reported.

The Helsinki court of appeals also ordered them to pay 8,500 euros to the state for their earnings from the book and Ojala was to pay Vanhanen's legal fees as well as
1,000 euros in damages.

Vanhanen said he welcomed the ruling saying it addressed a key issue - the right of politicians to have a private life, STT said.

Ojala was reported to be mulling a possible appeal to the Supreme Court.

Ruusunen's book Paaministerin morsian (The Prime Minister's Bride) was published in 2007 after the relationship had ended. The two - both divorced - met via an internet dating site in 2006. (dpa)