Finnish Ambassador in Lisbon Denies Harassment Allegations - Internal Investigation Launched

The Finnish Ambassador in Lisbon, Titta Maja-Luotto, has firmly denied allegations of harassment and inappropriate behavior raised by all embassy staff. An internal investigation has been announced to address these claims.

Maja-Luotto, who has been serving in Portugal since last September, expressed regret over the current situation at the embassy. She attributed the discord to changes she has been implementing, particularly regarding staff roles and responsibilities.

All seven employees of the embassy and the ambassador's residence in Lisbon, including three Portuguese nationals, filed a complaint with the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) in February. However, the alleged harassment was first reported to authorities as early as October.

The staff described instances of harassment, intimidation, insults, age discrimination, racist behavior, and emotional abuse, stating they are enduring a "draining situation" with significant impacts on their physical and mental health.

The ambassador argued that the dispute highlights "the importance of communication in the workplace", admitting that "the line of communication hasn't always been as open as it should have been."

Maja-Luotto acknowledged the team is under "severe mental stress", which she regrets, following her attempts to adjust staff roles to allocate "more working time to substantive topics rather than administrative issues to improve reporting to the ministry."

"Some of these processes weren't satisfactory for the people involved," she commented, conceding she should have "implemented these changes more gradually."

She also emphasized that certain MFA norms must be adopted by all embassies, alongside compliance with Portuguese legislation.

"I detected some anomalies and requested an internal investigation, including forensic analysis," she said, noting the deadline for this procedure is confidential.

"We need answers to understand if all practices are being followed," she explained.

The ambassador expressed confidence that the staff "aren't doing anything wrong" and praised the team: "The embassy has great professionals who are dedicated and doing an excellent job."

"We're not familiar with Portuguese law and they don't understand there are norms we must comply with," she stated, justifying the need for "external help."

One of the incidents reported by the staff during a hearing with MFA officials involved an alleged derogatory comment about African people made by the diplomat.

When confronted with this allegation, the ambassador vehemently denied it, calling it "a misunderstanding."

"I've discussed several times that we come from diverse ethnic backgrounds and that means we have to understand each other," she said.

The diplomat also argued that "there's a basic minimum level of skills all EU embassy staff should have" and mentioned offering support, including training, to help staff "meet these requirements."

"I spoke about equal treatment in a way that would make the workplace more equitable and ethnically diverse. And I never, ever dismissed anyone's qualities but encouraged them to acquire the skills needed in Portugal in 2025," she added.

"I deeply regret that such activity was interpreted as racist or ethnically discriminatory," she commented, stressing her diplomatic career has been marked by "avoiding racial discrimination and any form of discrimination" and that she is "known as a feminist at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs."

The verification process has already been completed by the Finnish MFA, with the results remaining confidential. A government official from Helsinki stated on Thursday that "the decision on possible consequences under the civil service law is still under review and no decision has been made."

The ambassador said she is calmly awaiting the outcome of the process, while two complainants admitted to Lusa that the result was "highly disappointing."