Estonian PM refuses to provide more documents to Riigikogu select committee
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) said that since her trust has been breached, she will no longer submit documents to the Anti-Corruption Select Committee of the Riigikogu. According to Kallas, the commission is conducting a political trial of its own against her.
Committee chair Mart Helme (EKRE) asked for documents proving that Kallas had indeed been a partner in legal firms. According to Helme, Kallas' status as a partner cannot be confirmed via the commercial register.
Kallas stated that she had been a partner in the law firms Tark & Co and Luiga Mody Hääl Borenius (now Cobalt).
Helme reiterated his request for Kallas to provide documents pertaining to the partnerships. "Otherwise we will only have an allegation. I have been told by several lawyers that it is not credible that such a junior partner had such high earnings. This is the reason why we want confirmation. We are interested in the legality of this money," Helme said.
In turn, Kallas accused the commission's chair of using the situation to serve his own political interests. "I understand very well what is going on here. What is happening here is a political court of your own. You have some allegations that you want to find evidence for, but you cannot find it because they are not true. My income, as I have said before, is the income I have earned over the years, not just the money I earned as a lawyer. No matter how much you ask, I can't provide you the evidence you want because you only want to prove a narrative you have made up in your head," Kallas said.
"That was more than 12 years ago. If you don't believe me, ask my partners," Kallas added.
Helme also asked Kallas about the agreement for the most recent €20,000 loan.
"Since you abused my trust last time, I won't submit them to you again. /.../ I have earned all my income honestly and legally," Kallas said.
Tõnis Mölder (Center) then asked for a breakdown of Kallas' finances, which the prime Minister agreed to provide.
"I understand very well what you are doing. You want to keep this issue alive for as long as possible," Kallas said.
Once again, the atmosphere in which the committee meeting took place was emotional and heated. Accusations were exchanged between Mart Helme and Kaja Kallas as well as between Mart Helme and Valdo Randpere (Reform).
The last time Kaja Kallas attended a session of the Anti-Corruption Select Committee of the Riigikogu was on September 4. Much of that session was also spent in heated exchanges with Mart Helme.
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Editor: Michael Cole
