Meikar Thrown Out of Reform Party
The Reform Party leadership has kicked Silver Meikar out of the party.
The former Parliament member's confessions in an opinion article in May triggered a scandal over party financing and a criminal investigation that ended last week.
"The leadership believes that Meikar has with his activities for a long time placed himself outside of the Reform Party,“ Secretary General Martin Kukk said in a press release.
"Meikar did not even attempt reasonable discussion within the party. This indicates an effort to break up the party and carry out a defamation campaign,“ said Kukk.
He continued: "Freedom of speech is a great value and everyone in the Reform Party has the right to have their own opinion. The liberals also know that every person is responsible for his words. Indiscriminate and careless blows are not acceptable or in accordance with the liberal worldview.“
Meikar said he donated 7,350 euros to the Reform Party on behalf of people whose names he did not know. Several other individuals later came forward with similar admissions. The Reform Party denied that the scheme was orchestrated by senior party officials. In clearing the party of criminal wrongdoing, prosecutors said the lack of evidence was due to the party having circled its wagons to avoid prosecution.