KOOS party may be allowed to pay 2027 Riigikogu election deposit in cash

An exception may be granted for a political party to pay its deposit ahead of the March 2027 Riigikogu election in cash.
The KOOS party has been unable to open up a bank account in Estonia, which would be the normal means of making payment according to the rule-book.
However the requirement may more be a case of the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law.
Justice Ministry Deputy Secretary General Heddi Lutterus said the requirement is not enshrined in law however, and an exception may be granted in this case.
"The Political Parties Act, which regulates the establishment of political parties, their activities and the supervision of their financing, does not require a registered political party to have or open an account with a credit institution," Lutterus said in a written response to a request for clarification from party representative Igor Hopp.
"If a party duly fulfills its obligations under the Accounting Act and the Political Parties Act and maintains financial discipline without having an account, then, while this is not standard practice, the mere fact of not having an account cannot in itself be held against the party," Lutterus added in her response.
Lutterus pointed out that the financing reports available on the website of the Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee (ERJK) show that KOOS has submitted income and expenditure reports, Lutterus noted, though added that in establishing the rules for paying election deposits under another act, the Riigikogu Election Act, the Riigikogu likely had the payment of deposits in cash in mind.
Consequently, a party must submit a copy of the payment order confirming payment of the deposit along with its other candidacy documents.
Another aspect of the law is the fact that a party's deposit need not be made from that party's own account, Lutterus went on, with the most important parameter being payment is made on time – if a credit institution or other financial services company provided cash payment, for instance, this could be a feasible avenue of payment, Lutterus continued, noting that "the service may involve fees or transaction limits."
Polling day is March 7, 2027.
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Andrew Whyte










