The Right Thing
 Our
US team worked hard. We made good things happen. We found ways
to create business opportunities and gains of EUR 1.16 billion
in the United States for Nordic government controlled Sonera. We
found ways to respect our Nordic partners and add great value.
We did the “Right Thing.” We earned the promised 3% share of the
fruits of our labors.
The Wrong
Thing Our Nordic partners unjustly enriched
themselves at our expense. Our Nordic partners claim all the
benefits of our leadership and hard work in the milieu of US
policies and practices. And they seek to give us the adverse
impact of Nordic delays and mistakes within a milieu of
restrictive Nordic policies, practices, and politics.
Our Nordic partners gave us no respect and no opportunity to
share in the great value we created. Sonera’s Management and
Board of Directors worked to create promised incentive schemes
for each of its business units. They sought advice and guidance
from outside experts. Following more than 18 months of debate
and delay, they established retroactively priced incentive
schemes for three money-losing units. And they belatedly forced
our money-winning unit into an incentive scheme that gave us no
opportunity to share in the fruits of our labors.
Today TeliaSonera’s controlling shareowners, the Governments of
Finland and Sweden refuse to compel TeliaSonera to protect our
team’s constitutional rights and to honor their commitments as
members of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and
Development. Moreover, TeliaSonera and these Governments
conveniently ignore their claimed commitments to strong moral
values and high ethical standards.
Why
did our trusted Nordic partners claim our share of the fruits of
our labors? Why does TeliaSonera continue to hold and earn on
assets it does not legitimately own? Why do the governments of
Sweden and Finland, support Sonera’s decision to expropriate the
fruits of our labors?
We see three major reasons why it is so hard for Nordic leaders
to show our team the respect, consideration and fair treatment
we earned. First, there is a strong bias against US style
incentive schemes in Finland and Sweden. Second, Nordic leaders
seek to avoid criticism for retroactively implementing incentive
schemes that some politicians claim gives away the assets of a
state-owned company. Finally, Nordic leaders refuse to accept
accountability for their delays, poor decisions, and mistakes.
The Best
Thing We strongly object to all efforts to penalize
US citizens for Nordic delays, mistakes, policies, and
prejudices. We demand that the Government of Sweden cease its
support of asset seizures that violate our rights. We demand
that Finland, Sweden and the United States work proactively to
protect our rights under OECD Guidelines for Multinational
Enterprises. And we demand that TeliaSonera give us the full
protection of its Code of Ethics.
We seek to resolve this situation through respectful and
considerate negotiations. TeliaSonera, Finland and Sweden refuse
to discuss this situation. TeliaSonera’s Audit Committee has not
responded to our complaint that the Company has failed to comply
with its Code of Ethics. The Government of Sweden has refused to
provide a copy of its annual OECD compliance audit/review. We
are seeking assistance from US Government agencies to resolve
this matter. Meanwhile, remember:
STOP BUYING GOODS FROM FINLAND AND SWEDEN |
