Palloson: Additional check revealed Hallik's activity did not pose a threat
The Internal Security Service (ISS) found during an additional security check that the business activity of Arvo Hallik, husband to Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, does not pose a threat to national security, ISS Director Margo Palloson said.
"The prime minister, like other members of the government and Riigikogu, have access to Estonian state secrets based on official position. The prime minister passed a security check for access to NATO and EU secrets back in 2021 during which we did not find grounds to restrict her access. We do not have the right to carry out additional checks of people who have access to state secrets based on official position for a period of five years. The information obtained in the process cannot be revealed, while it is clear that contact with Russia is subject to checks," Palloson told the media in terms of what he was asked to clarify at Tuesday's Riigikogu Security Agencies Monitoring Select Committee.
"As concerns whether the ISS has warned the PM and about what, the premier has answered relevant questions in full, and we have nothing to add," the ISS chief said.
Palloson admitted that there have been questions in public of a possible security threat. "As security agencies, it is our task to anticipate and prevent threats, which is why we have carried out an additional check of the prime minister, her husband and the latter's business activity. Our information suggests the prime minister is not vulnerable to influence from persons representing the interests of the Russian Federation. We also maintain that no sanctions violations have been found," Palloson remarked.
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Editor: Mari Peegel, Marcus Turovski