Policymakers Divided on Splitting Intelligence, Anti-Corruption
Published: 27.01.2012 15:44
KAPO Headquarters ( Photo: Postimees/Scanpix )
A bill to reform national security institutions has caused a rift between experts - those who believe in the separation of intelligence and corruption-fighting duties, and those who support the status quo.
A potential provision of the reform would be to split up those two functions of the national security agency KAPO.
MP Marko Pomerants (IRL), a former interior minister who sits on Parliament's Anti-Corruption Committee, does not support such a split. "KAPO has managed well. Why should we be break up the system?" he told Postimees Thursday.
The head of Transparency International Estonia, Asso Prii, agrees.
"I don't understand what the reasons are for making such drastic changes at a time when KAPO is doing a good job," Prii told ERR radio. "You cannot deny that their competence has significantly risen compared to 10 years ago."
By contrast, a former head of Parliament's Anti-Corruption Committee, Jaanus Rahumägi (Reform), is a strong supporter of the division.
"Estonia's main problem is that intelligence and police work are based in the same building. There is one all-powerful KAPO, and no competitors," Rahumägi told Postimees. "Intelligence agencies have a lot less supervision. Unfortunately, we will never know how much of that intelligence is used in performing the police duties."
Ott Tammik