Finnish prime minister denies free supplies from building outfit

Finnish prime minister denies free supplies from building outfitHelsinki - Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen rejected Tuesday allegations in a Finnish news documentary that he received building materials free of charge from a construction company.

At a brief news conference, Vanhanen rejected a report on Monday evening by public broadcaster YLE and said he had paid for the materials - lumber for bookshelves for his house built 13 years ago.

"Who would think I would risk my political career and credibility for a pile of lumber?" Vanhanen asked, adding that YLE should present evidence to back up the allegations.

Public broadcaster YLE's investigative programme Eye Witness on alleged that the material was delivered by a construction company during the 1990s when Vanhanen was building a house.

The National Bureau of Investigation was to look into the claims.

The YLE documentary, citing anonymous sources, suggested that the construction firm hoped to secure contracts from a youth housing foundation which Vanhanen was chairman of.

The youth housing foundation has also donated money to Vanhanen's Centre Party and his 2006 presidential election campaign, YLE reported.

The programme was broadcast amid an ongoing row over election campaign financing that has embroiled leading politicians and parties, and even triggered calls for Vanhanen to step down.

Parliament was on Wednesday to debate reforms in election funding.(dpa)