Watchdog launches proceedings into opposition party leader's talk show

The Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee (ERJK) has initiated proceedings against opposition party Isamaa Chairman Urmas Reinsalu over his talk show.
ERJK head Liisa Oviir told ERR the committee has discussed Reinsalu's talk shows published on newspaper Postimees' website and found that it may be a prohibited donation.
Oviir said the reasoning behind this move is that Reinsalu is able to freely present both his own and the Isamaa party's views and policies there.
"That's why we asked clarifying questions, first, whether any payment has been made for this, and second, what the relationship with the editorial staff is. How much does the editorial board dictate what Urmas Reinsalu must or could cover, and how much of it is entirely his own free choice," she said.
Since mid-February, Reinsalu has hosted a new show called Varivalitsus ("Shadow Cabinet") on the Postimees platform, which is owned by major Isamaa donor Margus Linnamäe.
Reinsalu told ERR in February that he does not receive any payment for hosting the show. Postimees is not paid for Reinsalu hosting the show.
Reinsalu believes this does not constitute a prohibited donation.
"I do not have an employment contract, I am working for free, so I am not sure whether the viewership of the show — if it succeeds in being creative and interesting — who really is the net beneficiary of that? Is it the media outlet that gets such a program format for free, or not," he said.
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Helen Wright