Nordica bosses skip Riigikogu's anti-corruption committee meeting
Representatives from the state-owned airline Nordica, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this week, did not attend a extraordinary session of the Riigikogu's Anti-Corruption Select Committee on Thursday.
Centers's Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, chair of the committee, said several key figures had initially agreed to attend, including Kaupo Raag, a member of Nordica's supervisory board and representative of the Ministry of Finance, and Gabriel Rusu, a member of Nordica's management board, along with his colleagues.
However, they later refused to participate.
Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Svet (SDE) also declined the invitation, citing his attendance at a government meeting. State Auditor Janar Holm did attend the session.
Kovalenko-Kõlvart said the committee seeks to understand how Nordica's management board reached the decision to file for bankruptcy on Wednesday.
"For months, they were eager to give interviews about how Nordica's situation was improving and that privatization negotiations were underway. Now, with the news of bankruptcy, they are burying their heads in the sand. They had the opportunity to attend the session remotely, but it's clear that government representatives and Nordica's leadership are avoiding answering uncomfortable questions," she said.
The MP further criticized this as an indication of a lack of respect for state assets and taxpayers' money.
Kovalenko-Kõlvart also suggested that it reflects an attitude of disregard toward the Riigikogu and its oversight committees.
She noted that Svet, who previously expressed frustration about attending a committee meeting on Rail Baltic, now appears to be actively ignoring the committee altogether.
At the same time, EKRE proposed the formation of a parliamentary inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding Nordica's bankruptcy. The opposition party's draft proposal has been submitted to the Riigikogu.
EKRE Chairman Martin Helme blamed coalition party Reform for Nordica's poor performance, calling for accountability.
EKRE said the proposed inquiry committee should examine why the state failed to identify management issues, whether the company's leadership fulfilled their duties of care, and how much Nordica's mismanagement has cost taxpayers.
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Editor: Helen Wright
