Mysterious wooden box in Suvilahti targets Helsinki Garden project figures
A large wooden box addressed to two key figures in the controversial Helsinki Garden project has appeared in Suvilahti, sparking intrigue and political speculation. The box, measuring roughly 130–150 centimeters in each direction, was discovered near the Hanasaari power plant and is marked with references to the €35 million in state aid granted to the project.
The box is addressed to "Janne" and "Ilpo," widely believed to refer to Jan Vapaavuori, chair of the Helsinki Garden project’s board and a National Coalition Party (NCP) member, and Ilpo Kokkila, a major NCP campaign financier and owner of construction firm SRV. SRV is involved in a separate multi-purpose arena project planned for Suvilahti, though the Helsinki Garden arena is slated for Töölö.
The sender is listed as "VNK," an abbreviation for the Prime Minister’s Office, and the box includes a "packing list" instructing the recipients to "pack €35 million"—the exact amount of conditional state funding granted to the project in April 2025 by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government. The decision to allocate the funds during a mid-term policy review drew criticism, with questions raised over how the project secured such substantial support (Ilta-Sanomat).
A silhouette of a figure making a shushing gesture is painted on the box, alongside the NCP’s logos. Ilta-Sanomat reports that a reporter peered inside and found it empty, though Yle notes that its contents remain unverified. The box, constructed from thick wooden panels, was first spotted by Yle journalist Mikko Haapanen, who described it as an unusually elaborate form of political expression.
"I thought someone must have been really upset to have gone to the trouble of making the box," Haapanen said. He added that while political messaging in Helsinki often takes the form of stickers or graffiti, he had never seen anything like this before.
As of the afternoon, the Helsinki Police had not received any reports related to the box (Yle). The discovery comes amid ongoing debate over the Helsinki Garden project’s funding and transparency, with critics questioning the government’s decision to allocate public money to the initiative.