Foreign Ministry paid Tsahkna visit influencer from the management's budget
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has classified the cost of influencer Karl-Gustav Kurn accompanying Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna on his India visit as a management expense, the MFA's public relations head Mihkel Tamm said. Kurn kept a blog of Tsahkna's (Eesti 200) meeting and activities in India.
"Right now, the costs associated with Karl-Gustav Kurn are calculated as management expenses. Considering it constitutes a media expense, this could change for accounting purposes and be moved to the budget line of the PR department. Therefore, it is most accurate to say that it was a general Foreign Ministry expense," Tamm said.
"The MFA covered the costs of Kurn's trip, including his plane tickets, hotel stay, visa and insurance. He was not paid for the content he generated," he added.
Tsahkna has previously said that Kurn's "contracts and other matters" were handled by the ministry's PR department.
Kurn's trip cost around €3,000.
The Political Parties Surveillance Committee (ERJK) said last week that it will analyze Tsahkna's decision to bring Kurn along for the visit. The ERJK will determine whether paying for the trip might constitute an illicit donation as it could amount to a case where public resources have been used in personal interests. The committee finds that a politician should have to pay for campaigns that aim to promote their person themselves.
Tsahkna joined his Nordic and Baltic colleagues on a visit to India to attend the annual Raisina Dialogue in February. He also met with India's foreign minister and minister of state during his visit.
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Editor: Mari Peegel, Marcus Turovski
