The conversation, between Erki Aavik, a close acquaintance of Laanet's and Prosecutor General Parmas, came amid a conflict between minister and prosecutor, Eesti Ekspress wrote, noting: "Erki Aavik, who invited Prosecutor General Andres Parmas in for a 'friendly' meeting in February where he then urged him to change jobs, has ghostwritten opinion pieces for Kalle Laanet, who had hired him twice at the Ministry of Defense."

Laanet was defense minister 2021-2022 then justice minister from April last year until his resignation on Saturday, March 16.

Eesti Ekspress reported that Aavik and Parmas met at a building belonging to the Estonian hunting society, with Aavik wanting to discuss Parmas' candidacy for the post of circuit court president.

Since Laanet had been highly supportive of Parmas getting that new position, Parmas was required to carry out lobby work at the Council for Administration of Courts (KHN), the publication reported.

Parmas, who due to his workplace is by default a member of the KHN, however, refused to engage in influence activity and, the weekly reported, surmised that a veiled message had originated from the minister of justice.

Under the guise of friendship, Parmas had been urged to engage in unethical behavior and resign from his post, Eesti Ekspress wrote, while a week later the prosecutor general stated publicly that Laanet was pressuring him to resign.

While both Laanet and Aavik deny any attempt on the part of the latter to exert influence, Eesti Ekspress stated that Aavik, a former violinist and Saaremaa huntsman, who was convicted in 2012 of large-scale embezzlement had known Laanet for a lengthy period of time, while the then minister had twice fixed him up with state-paid positions.

As defense minister, Laanet had National War Museum director Hellar Lill hire Aavik for a six-month period on a wage of €2,500 per month gross, while in March 2022 Laanet himself hired Aavik as a defense ministry adviser, Eesti Ekspress reported.

On March 11, Laanet had initiated the process of supervision of the prosecutor's office, citing dissatisfaction with its work and with Parmas' leadership. Five days later an Eesti Ekspress report that Laanet had as defense minister and as justice minister used state funds, to which he was eligible as a non-resident of Tallinn, to pay for the rent of a property owned by his stepson. Laanet resigned as justice minister later that day.

The circuit court president position was in the event awarded to Kristjan Siigur.

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