Parempoolsed pay off debts using 2023 party donations

The nonparliamentary Parempoolsed received a total of €712,929 in monetary donations last year, with which the party paid off all of its remaining outstanding debts from the 2023 Riigikogu elections.
Founded in August 2022 and legally registered as a new political party in Estonia that fall, Parempoolsed has not instituted mandatory membership dues; instead, it relies fully on private donations.
Last year, entrepreneur Raul Kirjanen donated €200,000 to the party, and banker Rain Lõhmus another €125,000.
Of its own members, Kadri Kullman contributed €9,055 in donations to the party, followed by party chair Lavly Perling with €3,240 and deputy chairs Kristjan Vanaselja with €5,745 and Siim Valmar Kiisler with €2,400.
On December 8, ERR reported that at that time, Parempoolsed still had €255,000 in unpaid debts to its name. With the help of donations, the party thereafter went on to pay off its debts in full, including interest.
Donating members, the majority of whom contribute regularly and on a monthly basis, supported the party with an average of €467.
Parempoolsed deputy chair Kristjan Vanaselja told ERR that the donations they've received will allow the party to head into this June's European Parliament elections with optimism.
Of course Parempoolsed will have to put in more effort, Vanaselja acknowledged, as their campaign costs will be dictated in large part by other Estonian parties' own campaigns. Their goal in these elections is to not end up in debt as well as to earn at least one of Estonia's seven seats in the European Parliament.
Top 10 Parempoolsed donors in 2003
- Raul Kirjanen, €200,000
- Rain Lõhmus, €125,000
- Heldur Meerits, €30,000
- Jaan Pillesaar, €30,000
- Almar Proos, €22,500
- Sten Tamkivi, €22,000
- Taavet Hinrikus, €22,000
- Ivar Dembovski, €13,000
- Oleg Gross, €10,000
- Mart Mere, €10,000
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Editor: Aili Vahtla