66 MPs voted in favor of revoking Kingo's parliamentary immunity, while 13 voted against. One MP abstained.

Kingo is suspected of improper use of expense allowances. According to the Estonian Constitution, the permission of the Riigikogu must be obtained in order for legal proceedings against a Riigikogu member to continue.

At the request of the Prosecutor's Office, Estonian Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise made a proposal to the Riigikogu for the removal of Kert Kingo's parliamentary immunity.

According to Madise, there were no mitigating circumstances that would have justified not forwarding the prosecutor general's request to the Riigikogu.

In her speech before the Riigikogu on Monday, Kingo said it was customary to pay back wrongly used expenses, however, she had not been asked to return any money.

According to EKRE Chair Martin Helme, the accusations leveled at Kingo's are politically motivated and the Prosecutor's Office is the strong arm of the ruling regime.

An MP who is deprived of parliamentary immunity remains a member of the Riigikogu.

Last September, Kert Kingo and lawyer Martin Traat were charged with criminal offences related to the use of a Riigikogu MP's expenses allowance. According to the allegations, Kingo used her own personal allowances to pay a total of almost €10,000 in legal fees for three separate people. In spring this year, Kingo was elected to the Riigikogu after winning 3,095 votes.

 --

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!