Foreign minister claims no longer has stake in field hospital maker
Estonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) said at the government press conference Thursday that he has signed a contract to sell his stake in field hospital maker MM Hospital and that everything should become clear in the coming days.
Tsahkna said that negotiations to sell his part of MM Hospital have been going on for a while and that the decision has now been made to sell.
"The decision has been signed and will be made public soon. You will hear more then. My ties to the defense industry in Estonia will be no more in a matter of a few days," the minister said.
Tsahkna added he is surprised his stake in the government contractor caused such a fierce debate.
Eesti Ekspress wrote a few weeks ago how Tsahkna does not perceive a conflict of interest in the fact that his former employer and current business partner, field hospital maker Semetron, for which MM Hospital is a subsidiary that handles its business activity, has made millions from diplomatic transactions between Estonia and foreign countries, while he has still promised to sell his stake.
Tsahkna's participation in the venture as Estonia's foreign minister was widely criticized. Eesti 200 leader Lauri Hussar told ERR last week that Tsahkna had told him he has distanced himself from the firm's management and has a passive interest.
During the time Tsahkna has been minister, MM Hospital has made €4.3 million. Estonia has a joint tender with Lithuania for another €150 million worth of field hospitals.
The majority shareholder of MM Hospital, through various ventures, is Estonian businessman Margus Linnamäe.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski
