Savisaar advisers still on Tallinn city payroll
While Edgar Savisaar (Center) was removed from the office of the Mayor of Tallinn by court order two years ago this September, ten people hired to aid him remain working at the mayor's office.
This means that Deputy Mayor Taavi Aas (Center), who continues to perform the duties of mayor, has a total of 15 assistants, advisers and assistant advisers working for him.
The Office of the Mayor of Tallinn includes ten positions, of which the assistant adviser position is vacant and two advisers are working part-time. The contract for assistant to the mayor is of indefinite duration.
Aas' office has five employees, of which one adviser works part-time. The contracts for assistant and consultant to the deputy mayor are of indefinite duration.
According to data publicly available in the Central Commercial Register, ten of these 15 employees belong to the ruling Center Party, including the driver of the Office of the Mayor; one official working in the deputy mayor's office is a member of the Reform Party.
Among those working for the Office of the Mayor of Tallinn are Moonika Batrakova, Jüri Kuuskemaa, Juhan Paadam and Linnar Priimägi.
Last year, Batrakova earned a gross monthly salary of €2,225, while Kuuskemaa earned €1,480, Paadam €1,870 and Priimägi €1,600 per month. Of the aforementione officials, the only one to belong to a political party is Batrakova, once regarded as Savisaar's closest assistant, who belongs to the Center Party.
According to Batrakova's job description, she is tasked with advising the mayor on solving issues that come up in the course of their work. Kuuskemaa's job description involves advising the mayor on matters related to Tallinn's history and culture, while Paadam's involves advising the mayor on issues related to the UNESCO World Heritage Council, Tallinn Television and other culture-related matters. Priimägi's job is to advise members of the city government and city authorities on matters related to the organization's image.
Deputy Mayors Kalle Klandorf, Mihhail Kõlvart, Merike Martinson, Arvo Sarapuu and Eha Võrk also each have offices of their own, which employ a total of 17 additional people.
The city's public relations department and Raepress employ 11 people, while another 19 journalists and editors work for city papers Pealinn and Stolitsa.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
