High-earning MPs in all political parties, biggest borrowers in Reform
MPs from every Riigikogu parliamentary group can be found at the top of the income rankings. When it comes to financial obligations, it is members of the coalition Reform Party that lead the pack, according to overviews of Estonian MPs', ministers' and top officials' declarations of interest published in Wednesday's papers.
The three biggest earners in the Riigikogu in 2023 were Center Party MP Lauri Laats, with a total income of €236,524, independent MP Kersti Sarapuu with €193,140 and Isamaa MP Mart Maastik with €177,958, according to the list published by daily Postimees (link in Estonian).
Others who brought in more than €100,000 last year included Isamaa MP Aivar Kokk (€165,230), Eesti 200 MP Irja Lutsar (€139,994), Social Democratic Party (SDE) MP Helmen Kütt (€135,233), Reform Party MP Margit Sutrop (€126,174), Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) MP Jaak Valge (€122,174), as well as Eesti 200 MP Marek Reinaas (€119,533), Center MP Vadim Belobrovtsev (€117,955), Reform MP Valdo Randpere (€133,449), EKRE MP Rene Kokk (€110,639), Reform MP Andres Sutt (€108,494), SDE MP Heljo Pikhof (€107,117), EKRE MP Alar Laneman (€106,527), Reform MP Mario Kadastik (€104,544), Reform MP Toomas Kivimägi (€103,236), Reform MP Andrus Seeme (€103,136) and Reform MP Meelis Kiili (€101,260).
Two Estonian government members' 2023 income likewise broke the €100,000 mark: prime minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) with €112,667 and regional affairs minister Piret Hartman (SDE) with €108,083.
MPs with the lowest declared income last year were Eesti 200's Juku-Kalle Raid (€48,000), Eesti 200's Tanel Tein (€48,615), EKRE's Evelin Poolamets (€48,773), Reform's Luisa Rõivas (€49,804) and EKRE's Rain Epler (€49,837).
Postimees noted in its overview that not all MPs had submitted their declarations of interest by the May 31 deadline, among them "one of parliament's businesspeople with the widest reach, Tarmo Tamm (Eesti 200)."
"More broadly as well, it was specifically Eesti 200 politicians who were most careless in declaring their interests," the paper said, citing Constitutional Committee chair and MP Hendrik Johannes Terras, the recently kicked-out Züleyxa Izmailova and government members Margus Tsahkna (foreign affairs minister) and Tiit Riisalo (minister of economic affairs and IT).
Also failing to submit their declarations of interest by the deadline were Reform MPs Ants Laaneots and Jürgen Ligi, Isamaa MP Riina Solman and government member and interior minister Lauri Läänemets (SDE).
"While members of Eesti 200 stood out with their overall carelessness in submitting their declarations, Reform Party members, meanwhile, stood out with their borrowing," Postimees wrote, highlighting that 15 of the 20 MPs with the biggest total financial obligations were Reform members.
MPs with the biggest total financial obligations as of 2023 were Reform's Kristina Šmigun-Vähi (€655,756), Luisa Rõivas (€510,182), Mario Kadastik (€421,412), Erkki Keldo (€382,267), Eesti 200's Kadri Tali (€378,984), Isamaa's Priit Sibul (€339,939), Reform's Yoko Alender (€334,824) and Toomas Kivimägi (€317,000).
Within the government, it was SDE minister of health Riina Sikkut (€326,657) and Reform finance minister Mart Võrklaev (€304,034) who reported the biggest financial obligations last year.
Delfi business paper Ärileht highlighted (link in Estonian) that while prime minister Kaja Kallas' 2022 declaration of interests reflected the €350,000 loan she had given her husband Arvo Hallik's company Novaria Consult, as of 2023, this line had been repaid to Kallas in full.
Evening daily Õhtuleht reported (link in Estonian) that President Alar Karis declared €151,783 in income for 2023.
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Editor: Mait Ots, Aili Vahtla
