Justice minister weighs up potential disciplinary proceedings against prosecutor general
Minister of Justice Kalle Laanet (Reform) is preparing to initiate disciplinary proceedings which, if they go ahead, will ascertain whether Prosecutor General Andres Parmas has disbursed his professional duties fully, after daily Eesti Päevaleht (EPL) reported allegations of the violation of official duties by one prosecutor under Parmas' charge.
Minister Laanet told EPL that: "We are preparing the initiation of disciplinary proceedings to find out whether, in the case of Andres Parmas, this is a case of the wrongful and improper performance of professional duties."
"The state's prosecutor general must be particularly responsible and exemplary, much more so than we usually demand from a public servant, when it comes to his or her work, work which is related, among other things, to limiting the fundamental rights of other individuals."
"As a result, you have to be highly demanding, both of yourself and of your subordinates," the minister went on.
Parmas himself called the minister's rationale "incomprehensible."
"I have resolved this application for the initiation of disciplinary proceedings correctly and within the limits of my competence as arises from the law while, as the chief prosecutor, I have done my best to prevent the repetition of similar, minor mistakes," he continued.
EPL reported allegations made by PPA Internal Control Office director Priit Pärkna, in relation to a case investigating suspicions of work pensions fraud. Pärkna's claims related to Prosecutor Maria Entsik's handling of the case; Pärkna has stated that disciplinary proceedings should be initiated against Entsik.
Prosecutor general Parmas however informed Pärkna that, after reviewing the materials collected during official supervision and listening to Entsik's explanations, he is of the opinion that, based on the circumstances as outlined by Pärkna, there is no basis for initiating disciplinary proceedings against Entsik.
On October 11 last year, Entsik had prepared an unsubstantiated order for the part termination of the criminal proceedings, leading to the Pärkna criminal case being terminated.
Pärkna's beef is not about this per se, but rather that there are legally provided-for options on claiming damages in respect of the case, but Entsik did not explain this to him, Pärkna says.
"In the decree on the termination of the criminal proceedings drawn up against me on October 11, 2023, there are no explanations of any kind regarding my right to request compensation for damages caused to me by the conduct of criminal proceedings based on the provisions of the criminal procedural code," Pärkna noted.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Merili Nael
Source: EPL