Police drop election fraud complaint against SALK foundation
A complaint accusing the Liberal Citizen Foundation (SALK) of fraud and manipulating election results has been dropped by the Central Criminal Police.
The complaint was filed last week following the publication of a story in Eesti Ekspress which detailed how the foundation helped liberal parties Reform, Eesti 200, and SDE with their election campaigns.
The complainant said SALK violated electoral freedom.
On Friday, Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) spokesperson Kaarel Kallas explained that violating electoral freedom means preventing a person from expressing their choice when voting or influencing a person using their position, violence, dependence, or fraud.
"Fraud implies the creation of an inaccurate picture of the true facts, and there is insufficient information in the criminal complaint to show that SALK misled voters and thereby fraudulently influenced them to vote for a particular political party," he said.
Kallas said criminal proceedings can only be initiated if there is sufficient reason to believe that a crime has been committed, not to search for evidence of a crime.
The decision can be challenged at the State Prosecutor's Office.
SALK aims to promote a liberal worldview and an open society.
The Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee is still looking into SALK's activities as it believes providing polling to certain parties could potentially be considered prohibited donations.
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Editor: Helen Wright