(Delfi reported in early April that the Central Criminal Police is investing Isamaa over possible illicit funding involving party member and businessman Parvel Pruunsild, while the Prosecutor's Office has offered very little in the way of details.)

Have you now received any information from the Prosecutor's Office regarding a possible criminal investigation related to Isamaa?

No.

Have you submitted any additional requests or inquiries to the Prosecutor's Office from your side?

No, we've submitted our questions and received a response from the Prosecutor's Office — granted, not one of substantive nature — but it has reached the public as well.

How do you comment on the Prosecutor's Office's approach to handling the proceedings in this manner?

Clarity is definitely important for us, and we haven't received any substantive answers. This situation is certainly troubling.

Could Isamaa's reputation be damaged?

I believe it won't be damaged. But of course, clarity is first and foremost in the public interest — and naturally, it is also in the interest of the Isamaa party.

Isamaa's general assembly is also just around the corner, taking place on May 31 at Hotel Viru. Is it clear what the main objectives of the event will be?

This is a very significant general assembly for our party, because it's important for us to offer an assessment of where Estonian society currently stands and to reflect the expectations people have — especially regarding the governance of the country. As of today, when I look at the government's policies, this erratic and clumsy approach unfortunately does not meet the expectations of society. And of course, as the alternative to this government, it's crucial for us to present our perspective on the fundamental issues facing Estonia, as well as our outlook for the upcoming local government elections.

Will you also be electing the party's chair and board at the assembly?

Yes, new leadership bodies will be elected there as well.

Are you running for chair again yourself?

Yes, I'm ready to do so. It's up to the members to give their assessment of that.

Are there any opposing candidates running against you?

I haven't heard of any. But the opportunity is open to all members. The deadline to submit candidacies for both party chair and board membership is two weeks before the day of the general assembly.

At this point, is it clear to you — and would you perhaps like to state it publicly — whether you yourself will be running as the mayoral candidate in Tallinn?

We're moving at the right pace toward the local elections. Right now, the party's central task — also at the general assembly — is to provide an assessment of the key issues facing Estonia and our perspective on the current situation. And of course, it's clear that change is needed in this country, and that change can begin with the local government elections. So, when the time is right, our regional branches will make those decisions across various municipalities, including in Tallinn.

In general, it has been quite common in Estonia's local government council elections for the party chair to run for mayor of the country's largest municipality. But aside from yourself, who else would you highlight as potential mayoral candidates for Tallinn from Isamaa's ranks? I know there's been talk of Riina Solman, for example. But who else?

I think we have several politicians of that caliber, but there will definitely also be interesting names on Isamaa's list in the local elections — people who haven't previously been involved in politics. In that sense, our Tallinn branch is in a good position; when the time comes, they'll be able to choose from among several strong candidates.

When can we expect those decisions to be made, roughly speaking?

When we reach that critical point in decision-making, which also marks the launch of the campaign phase. Timing is important in election campaigns. But I believe these elections are not primarily about any single technical issue or individual candidate. These elections are, above all, an opportunity for Estonian citizens to give their verdict on what's happening in the country more broadly — and I encourage everyone to take part and make their voices heard.

Could it be that the Isamaa candidate for mayor of Tallinn will be revealed at the general assembly?

A: I think at the general assembly we'll be discussing issues concerning the entire country, including the situation in our rural areas and cities as a whole. But I don't believe the question of specific local government leaders falls under the scope of the general assembly. That decision will be up to our Tallinn branch, as part of the city's separate campaign process.

Why don't you want to say whether, as the party chair, you're likely to be Isamaa's mayoral candidate in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia?

Because we haven't made those decisions yet. I will, of course, be running in the local elections in Tallinn — that goes without saying. But as for who will be our mayoral candidate, I think we'll determine that when the time is right.

It's hard for readers to believe that you haven't discussed these matters.

But there's a significant difference between discussing something and making a decision — and when it comes to making a decision and announcing it publicly, timing plays an important role, especially in terms of achieving the desired outcome.

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