Opposition: Residence Permit Business Is National Security Threat
Senior Centre Party member Ain Seppik said the actions of MPs from IRL who arranged residence permits for Russian businessmen for a fee posed a threat to Estonian and EU security and were a matter for the police authority that investigates security and high-level corruption matters.
"This is a national security problem, not just Estonian national security but all of the European Union," Seppik told uudised.err.ee. "As the Schengen system is based on trust and all people with residence permits brought here using this scheme access the entire Schengen space."
"It's an international scandal," he added.
He said that the security police KAPO should be involved in the matter if the residence permit applicants' business plans and background were not checked.
Seppik the investigation could raise questions as he said Interior Minister Ken-Marti Vaher, who is from IRL, is close to the MPs who helped arrange residence permits.
The ETV program "Pealtnägija" (Witness) revealed on November 30 that Indrek Raudne and Siim Kabrits, MPs for IRL, and Tallinn City Council member Nikolai Stelmach were behind a lucrative enterprise whereby the foreign businessmen would pay 3,500 to 4,000 euros for arranging the permits, which give the holders access to the Schengen zone.
Kristopher Rikken