Minister backs Särav to stay in post

Minister of Economic Affairs and IT Tiit Riisalo (Eesti 200) said Deputy Secretary General Sandra Särav will continue in her role at the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MKM). He also said he had communicated with Bolt over the platform work directive.
Estonian ride-sharing startup Bolt aggressively lobbied MKM and drew up a working version of the government's position on the European Union's platform work directive, Brussels-based media outlet Euractiv reported this week. Communication that went through Särav, who previously worked at Bolt, should be public information but was not made available to the website despite requests.
In an interview with ERR on Thursday, Riisalo said he had read the article and found it one sided. "This view is a bit difficult to understand because we deal with entrepreneurs on a daily basis on very different issues," he said.
"Of course, both consumers' and workers' interests must be protected, but at the same time businesses must be able to develop their own businesses. And I can't imagine any other way for such communication (between the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Trade and Industry and business) not to take place," Riisalo said.
The minister also denied correspondence had been deliberately hidden.
He said Särav, a former Bolt employee, had not attended meetings with the company's representatives at the ministry when discussing the directive.
Asked if she will continue in the role, Riisalo said: "As far as I'm concerned, she will definitely continue in office. I do not see any reason to take any steps here."

"Sandra Särav is one of the brightest civil servants and I would be extremely sad to see her go. The Estonian public sector and Estonian companies would lose a good worker and advocate and a person who does not count the hours she works," the minister said.
Asked if there was a conflict of interest as Särav holds Bolt stock options, he said the law allows it. He suggested she be "even more attentive" in the future and register her correspondence in the correct way. Riisalo said all correspondence with lobbyists must be recorded correctly.
Asked if he had been in contact with Bolt over the directive, the minister said he had met and communicated with the company's representatives and had also met Bolt President Jevgeni Kabanovi.
Riisalo could not exactly recall the content of the discussions but said they did talk about issues related to platform work. As Bolt is an international company, and there are not many of those headquartered in Estonia, he said would be "totally unacceptable not to engage" with it.
Asked why there was no record of his conversations in the lobbying register, Riisalo said this was a matter for those running his office and everything is on his calendar: "But I have nothing to be ashamed of – I can publish my calendar day by day if I need to, I do not see the issue."
The minister said he was not happy with the final draft of the directive, even though Estonia voted in favor, as it lacks legal clarity. "What the result of that will be, we will see in the coming years, we will probably see an increase in the number of disputes," he said.
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Editor: Helen Wright