Committee wants proof Renew Europe paid for €11 Facebook adverts
The Party Financing Oversight Committee (ERJK) is asking the European Liberal Democratic Party umbrella organization (Renew Europe) for proof they paid the cost of Facebook advertising for the Reform Party MEP Andrus Ansip and Centre Party MEP Yana Toom.
"On the one hand, we would like to inform Renew Europe, previously known as ALDE, that the advertisements as funded are not in compliance with Estonian law and, on the other hand, we will ask them for clarification on the payment for these advertisements," ERJK chair Liisa Oviir told ERR on Monday.
The ERJK explains in its letter to Renew Europe that Estonian law does not allow political parties to accept donations from legal entities.
The ERJK expects Renew Europe to provide copies of invoices and payment documents by Nov. 30 and wants to make its decision before the end of the year, Oviir said.
"Our goal is not to trap anyone, but to check that politicians' funding is legal," Oviir asserted.
Toom and Ansip came under the spotlight of the ERJK, as the Renew Europe Facebook account sponsored an advert for their election to the European Parliament, which was paid for by Renew Europe. The Center Party and the Reform Party both belong to the Renew Europe.
The ICRC demanded that they both pay a bill of around €11, but they declined, stating that they had neither ordered nor paid for the advertisement.
According to Oviir, she understands the situation in a humane way, but stressed that the ERJK must act in accordance with the law and that the case should therefore be closed.
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Editor: Helen Wright