PM Dismisses Claims of Problems with E-Election System
Prime Minister Andrus Ansip has exchanged unpleasantries with Centre Party chairman Edgar Savisaar over the latter's allegations that Estonia's electronic election system is not on the level.
On August 11, Ansip dismissed the remarks from the Centre Party leader out of hand, saying, "Stupid talk should go back where it came from."
Savisaar alleged in an interview with party newspaper Kesknädal that there are problems with the electoral system. "No other country in the world uses e-elections. The question of forging results has been relevant for a long time."
Ansip said that "Edgar Savisaar has long ceased to be credible."
Estonia's e-elections system has not come under criticism from international organizations.
Following quick on the heels of the spat was a public letter from Paavo Pihelgas, an University of Tartu student who runs a website in which he claims that the system is rife with security holes. In his letter, he said the system was built without safeguards that votes would reach the committee without tampering. He claimed an audit of the system in the spring never took place.
A consultant for the electoral committee, Helena Stepanov, told ERR News the committee was aware of the claims but could not comment on the matter before further review of the details in Pihelgas's letter.
Kristopher Rikken