Court rejects Savisaar political ad fine complaint
Tallinn Administrative Court, Estonia's first instance court, has rejected a complaint by Tallinn Mayor and Center Party Chairman Edgar Savisaar over a 115,000-euro-fine for using public funds for political ads.
The court found that the ads were aimed to promote the party member, Savisaar, at a public event.
The decision to fine the party was made by the Political Party Funding Oversight Committee (ERJK), a political funding watchdog, in mid-January. The ruling said Savisaar will have to pay the cost of the ad campaign back to the city of Tallinn.
The ads, large outdoor posters and a TV campaign on a Russian-language network, featured Savisaar promoting city services shortly before the 2013 local elections.
Savisaar is likely to appeal the decision, which he has to do by August 31.
Editor: J.M. Laats