Forensic tests to go ahead in TUT rector election fraud case
Sandor Liive, the head of a Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) committee tasked with electing a new rector, said forensic tests will go ahead, after four of the 11-strong committee claimed they did not vote for Jaak Aaviksoo, who officially received eight votes, just enough to be elected rector.
The four members petitioned Liive to hold a new, again secret, ballot. Liive instead has asked the Estonian Forensic Science Institute to look over the ballot papers to see who voted for whom, taking DNA, fingerprint and handwriting tests.
Committee member Heiti Hääl, owner of Alexela and one of the four to protest the election, said he will only participate in the forensic tests if the current result, election of Aaviksoo, is annulled and a new, secret, vote is held.
Liive said on Monday that he has rejected Hääl's conditions adding that he has been in contact with Hääl and has asked him to take part in the tests. Liive added that the tests will go ahead in any case and if all parties participate, the results could be due next week.
Aaviksoo was named rector after five votes in the committee. Had he failed to receive the eighth vote in the last round, the committee would have been disbanded and the current rector would have stayed in office for another year.
Aaviksoo will have to avoid a veto vote by the university's 41-strong council, which is likely, as a veto would need two-thirds. The deadline for any veto is June 22, after which Aaviksoo will be named rector, unless the initial vote is annulled. Aaviksoo is currently an IRL MP, although he announced his decision to quit the party.
Editor: J.M. Laats