Centre Party receives most donations in third quarter, Isamaa least
The Centre Party received the most financial donations in the third quarter of 2019 with more than €150,000 euros being donated to the Prime Minister's party in July, August, and September.
Two-thirds of the Center Party's donations, €100,000, were donated by Ivar Vendelin, a report (all following links in Estonian) from the Committee on Funding of Political Parties shows, ERR wrote.
Vendelin is a partner in the Apollo Grupp entertainment chain and was ranked number one among Äripäev's list of wealthy TOP newcomers. The financial newspaper estimated the value of his assets to be €67.5 million.
The next largest donation to the Center Party was made by Kersti Sarapuu, the Chairman of the Center Party Riigikogu faction, who contributed € 5,500 to the party treasury. Members of the Riigikogu Enn Eesmaa and Viktor Vassiljev both donated €5000 to the party. Prime Minister and Chairman of the Center Party Jüri Ratas donated €1,111.
The Reform Party and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) both raised almost €35,000.
The biggest donations made to the Reform Party were from Mait Meriloo who gave €10,000, MEP Urmas Paet with €7,142, Oleg Ossinovski who donated €5,000 and Andrus Kuusmann who also gave €5,000 to the party.
EKRE's largest donations came from Paul Puustusmaa who donated €2,000, followed by MPs Jaak Valge and Martin Helme who both gave €1,500. Former party member Endel Oja, who had to leave EKRE after to a scandal, also donated €500.
The Social Democratic Party received almost €27,000 in donations in the third quarter. The biggest supporters of the party were MEP Sven Mikser €4,500, MP Jevgeni Ossinovski €3,450 and MP Helmen Kütt €3,025.
Of the main coalition and opposition parties, Isamaa received raised the smallest amount of donations - only €19,000. The largest, € 10,000, was given by Kaspar Kokk, a member of Isamaa. Priit Sibul donated € 3,000 and Siim Kiisler and Sven Sester both donated €2,500 each.
Of the parties which did not meet the 5 percent threshold in the March election, Eesti 200 received €4,000 and the Estonian Green Party €1,000. The largest donation made to Eesti 200 was €1,376 from Triin Saag, and Green Party leader Züleyxa Izmailova gave the largest donation of €400 to the Greens.
All Donations in Financial Year 2019 (first three quarters):
Center Party - €745,513;
Fatherland - €721,024;
Reform Party - €662,844;
Social Democratic Party - €440,641;
Estonia 200 - €390,877;
EKRE - €136,921;
Richness of Life Party - €106,746;
Greens - €80,021;
Freedom Party - €10,975.
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Editor: Helen Wright