Auditor general Tytti Yli-Viikari has appealed her much-publicised suspension from duty. She has escalated the matter to the administrative court, where she is demanding that her suspension be overturned, according to local news conglomerate Uutissuomalainen.
Yli-Viikari is demanding that the court lifts her suspension and obliges Parliament to cover her suspension-time salary as well as legal fees.
In April, Parliament's Chancellery Commission unanimously decided to suspend Yli-Viikari from her role as auditor general of the National Audit Office of Finland (VTV) pending the outcome of a criminal investigation.
In her appeal, Yli-Viikari claims the suspension was unrelated to the ongoing police investigation and that the decision to temporarily remove her from duty was linked to public pressure.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is investigating salary payments made by the VTV to an official during the early stages of Yli-Viikari's tenure as auditor general. The official received a salary for two years despite having no work obligation.
Yli-Viikari has been embroiled in an expenses scandal since reports emerged that she spent about 5,000 euros of public money on hairdressing and beauty services. There were also questions over her use of Finnair Bonus flight points.
In April, the commission said that Yli-Viikari's ability to perform her duties while the preliminary investigation was ongoing had substantially deteriorated.
Yli-Viikari has denied the suspected crimes.
Uutissuomalainen was the first media outlet to report the news.