Eija-Riitta Korhola
Eija-Riitta Korhola (born 15 June 1959, Lahti) is a Conservative Finnish MEP (Kansallinen Kokoomus - The National Coalition Party). She is vice chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection; a member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Temporary Committee on Climate Change, and the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly; a substitute member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Budgetary Control.[1]
Korhola holds a degree in philosophy, and has worked as development educator, publicist, and a media journalist/ educator until she was elected a MEP in 1999. She is chair of First Step Forum (human rights organisation) since 2002, and vice-chair of the National Coalition Party since 2006.[2]
Korhola is another of the more vocal pro-nuclear MEPs.
Contents
Background
In 2005, Korhola hosted a “Climate Change Seminar on Nuclear Energy” at the European Parliament along with the nuclear industry lobby group, European Atomic Forum (FORATOM).[3] Also, in a speech to her party in October 2006, Korhola said the rejection of nuclear was due to “political dogma”, adding: “There are groups that are born to oppose nuclear power and for them giving up this stance would mean giving up their political identity. We are not shackled like that.”[4]
Korhola also chaired a nuclear industry event in November 2006 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Nairobi. It was co-organised by the European Nuclear Society; Canadian Nuclear Association; Japan Atomic Industrial Forum; Nuclear Energy Institute and World Nuclear Association.[5] She has also been outspoken against nuclear critics, writing to the Commission over “alleged cooperation between the Commission and Greenpeace”.[6]
Register of Interests
- Claimed to have receive money from the nuclear industry for her euro-election campaign in 2004.
Conflicts of Interest
In September 2007, the Finnish environmental weekly magazine, Vihrea Lanka reported that Korhola had “received money from the nuclear industry for her euro-election campaign in 2004.” The paper wrote: “Korhola says that the nuclear industry gave her money, because they knew she was good at her job and she was running [the] right things. ‘I don’t owe them anything’, she says.” The paper continued: “Korhola can’t say exactly how much money she received from the nuclear industry. ‘It’s better for me mentally, that I don’t know’, she adds.”[7]
Later Korhola denied taking nuclear money directly and issued a statement saying that “unlike the paper Vihrea Lanka lets people understand, I did not get support from the nuclear industry for my campaign.”[8] However, transcripts released by Vihrea Lanka record Korhola saying: “It may be that there are such [nuclear] sources involved. It's very possible… I can't say that nuclear industry's interests didn't touch the moneypot, because in the energy field they do so often.”[9]
Korhola contradicts herself by saying that although she has “never” taken money off the nuclear industry, her campaign has taken money off a company that owns a nuclear company. She says “my campaign was supported in several small ways from many sides of industry including one clean-technology energy company that invests in biomass, wind energy, and is an owner of a nuclear company.” Korhola adds: “Even if a nuclear energy – or a company from any clean energy technology – were to offer to support me, such support would not change my views on nuclear.”[10]
Resources
- European Parliament website, MEP Directory: Eija-Riitta Korhola, accessed 15 November 2008.</ref>
- European Parliament website, Written Questions with Answer, 05 December 2007, Written Question E-4923/06, by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE), to the Commission Subject: Alleged cooperation between the Commission and Greenpeace, 15 November 2006, accessed 15 November 2008.
- FORATOM, Agreement Reached at Climate Change talks, Nuclear Industry Makes its Voice Heard], November 2006], accessed 15 November 2008.
- FORATOM Climate Change Seminar, 19 October 2005, accessed 15 November 2008.
- Korhola, Eija-Riitta, Puhe EPP-huippukokouksessa Helsingissä, 19 October 2006, accessed 15 November 2008.</ref>
- Rowell, Andy, Too Close for Comfort? Spinwatch, July 2008.
Notes and References
- ↑ European Parliament website, MEP Directory: Eija-Riitta Korhola, accessed 15 November 2008.
- ↑ European Parliament website, MEP Directory: Eija-Riitta Korhola, accessed 15 November 2008.
- ↑ FORATOM Climate Change Seminar, 19 October 2005, accessed 15 November 2008.
- ↑ Eija-Riitta Korhola, Puhe EPP-huippukokouksessa Helsingissä, 19 October 2006, accessed 15 November 2008.
- ↑ FORATOM, Agreement Reached at Climate Change talks, Nuclear Industry Makes its Voice Heard], November 2006], accessed 15 November 2008.
- ↑ European Parliament website, Written Questions with Answer, 05 December 2007, Written Question E-4923/06, by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE), to the Commission Subject: Alleged cooperation between the Commission and Greenpeace, 15 November 2006, accessed 15 November 2008.
- ↑ Jussi Karmala, “Eija-Riitta Korhola Sai Vaalirahaa Ydinvoimateollisuudelta,” Vihreä Lanka, 27 September 2007, cited in Too Close for Comfort? by Andy Rowell, Spinwatch, July 2008.
- ↑ Finnish Daily Press Review, European Parliament in the media, Main National News, “MEP Korhola Denies Receiving Financial Aid from the Nuclear Industry,” 29 September - 01 October 2007, cited in Too Close for Comfort? by Andy Rowell, Spinwatch, July 2008.
- ↑ Jussi Karmala, Communication with Andy Rowell, 28 September 2007, cited in Too Close for Comfort? by Andy Rowell, Spinwatch, July 2008.
- ↑ Eija-Riitta Korhola, Communication with Andy Rowell, June 2008, cited in Too Close for Comfort? by Andy Rowell, Spinwatch, July 2008.
