Norman Aas: Political pressure on prosecutor general sets 'dangerous precedent'
A minister pressuring the current prosecutor general can create a dangerous precedent and should not be yielded to, former prosecutor general Norman Aas says.
Prosecutor General Andrus Parmas denies any errors in his work so far, referring to criticism directed at him as "rumors."
Speaking to ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) on Friday, Aas said: "In the long term, this will simply lead to a situation whereby any political dissatisfaction, as it were, with the prosecutor's office could spell the replacement of the prosecutor general, which would set a highly dangerous precedent in the context of the rule of law."
Whether disciplinary proceedings will be initiated against Parmas over the actions of one of his prosecutors will become clear within a few weeks, AK reported.
Parmas himself spoke to AK, saying: "I am truly sorry that all of this affects the prosecutor's office, as an institution as a whole, with regard to other prosecutors and in terms of the credibility of Estonian law enforcement and the Estonian justice system overall."
"For this reason, I did not want to speak publicly on this pressure [on him]. /.../ Without a doubt, it will not help in any way and hardly contribute to the effectiveness of the work of the prosecutor's office, when the minister responsible for this administrative area discredits the same institution, in a sustained and systemic manner," Parmas continued.
Andres Parmas claims Minister of Justice Kalle Laanet has been pressuring him to resign for several months now. This was a change on what he had said before. "It must be admitted that I have been pressured to resign myself, but without any clear and concrete reasons, which is wrong. /.../ This has been going on for several months," Parmas told AK.
Minister Laanet says public dissatisfaction with the prosecutor's office's work is running high, while the ministry is considering initiating disciplinary proceedings against Parmas amid dissatisfaction over the prosecution's passivity during various criminal proceedings.
Several prosecutors have also resigned during Parmas' tenure in office.
Minister Laanet told AK: "If we consider how often I have to answer the questions from Riigikogu MPs at question time, or via interpellations made at the Riigikogu chamber, regarding the activities of the prosecutor's office, this already indicates that the legislature is not very satisfied with the work of the prosecutor's office."
Laanet also questioned Parmas' own interest in continuing to head up the prosecutor's office, given, for instance, his failed bid to become an International Criminal Court (ICC) judge late last year, and his running as chair of one of the two second-tier circuit courts in tandem with remaining prosecutor's office chair.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Merili Nael
Source: 'Aktuaalne kaamera,' reporter Iida-Mai Einmaa.