The Ministry of Justice is amending the Political Parties Act in order to improve the transparency of party financing. According to Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta (Eesti 200), the goal is also to ensure that hostile states don't influence Estonian voters with their money.

"This can be addressed by giving the Political Party Funding Supervision Committee the authority to review the funding of non-party organizations that nonetheless encourage people to vote one way or another," Pakosta explained.

ERJK deputy chair Kaarel Tarand says that the amendment of this legislation has been anticipated for years, and he hopes that the bill won't stall and will reach the Riigikogu.

Currently, Tarand says, the committee's options are limited when it comes to party financing.

"The law doesn't provide us with sufficiently clear rules or the committee with the authority to complete its proceedings," he explained.

Liberal Citizen Foundation (SALK) representative Tarmo Jüristo acknowledged that amending the law is necessary. Even so, he believes that the state has come up with only a half-solution, as the legislation would only apply to organizations directly linked to political parties, such as party youth organizations or other member associations.

"For example, SALK, which I represent, is not an affiliated organization of any party, and under the [amended] Political Parties Act, we would not fall within the scope of this oversight," Jüristo explained. "Just like, as has been much discussed, the Institute for Societal Studies, which operates in the field of political influence activities, and they, too, aren't affiliated with any party, and that is a very big loophole."

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