Rural affairs ministry: No bugging device found in former minister's office
The Ministry of Rural Affairs says it has not found any bugging device in the office used by former minister Mart Järvik (EKRE).
Järvik claimed on Tuesday that he found a concealed device above his desk during his time as minister, which came to an end early last week when the government released him from his post.
"We have received information about a possible eavesdropping device as claimed by Mart Järvik. At first inspection, no eavesdropping device was found in the minister's office and no special equipment has been found at the Ministry of Rural Affairs," ministry spokesperson Anne-Liisi Mändmets told ERR on Thursday.
Mändmets said that unauthorized persons cannot enter the ministry's premises, since all visits are recorded at reception and visitors are accompanied while in the building.
"No strangers enter the minister 's office, and, when necessary maintenance is being done, that is with a ministry escort," she added, noting that the office cleaner carries out their work with due security precautions as well.
The Office of the Prosecutor General also rejected Järvik's claims, though Riigikogu speaker Henn Põlluaas (EKRE) said that he has a bug-detecting device of his own, which he said had never yielded any devices. Põlluaas declined to answer if he had lent the device to Järvik at any time.
Järvik was released from office following a government-initiated inquiry which found he had overstepped his authority on several occasions, been involved in potential conflict of interest situations and not been consistent about the timeline when he first became aware of Listeria contamination allegations at fish-packing plant.
Ardo Aller has been named his replacement.
Download the ERR News app for Android and iOS now and never miss an update!
Editor: Andrew Whyte