Inquiry concerning the misappropriation of "Slava Ukraini" funds and the related investigation (No. 578)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session.
Date: 2024-01-15 23:33
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 52
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 1m
AI Summaries: 52/52 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda item concerned the interpellation by Riigikogu members Rain Epler, Kert Kingo, Ants Frosch, and Varro Vooglaid regarding the investigation into the misuse of donations by the NGO Slava Ukraini. The initiator of the interpellation, Rain Epler, emphasized the public's great interest in the investigation and asked Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets to provide substantive answers, avoiding reference to the independence of the investigation. Minister Läänemets confirmed that the investigation is a national priority and that the PPA (Police and Border Guard Board) has ensured the necessary resources. He explained that most procedural actions have been carried out in Estonia, but collecting evidence from Ukraine within the framework of international cooperation is time-consuming, which is why a joint investigation team has been established. Members of the opposition (primarily EKRE) sharply criticized the slowness of the investigation and the unequal treatment compared to other cases of political or economic crimes, where investigative bodies acted more quickly and vigorously. Martin Helme and Kert Kingo directly accused the government of political interference and "hushing up" the matter, arguing that over the course of a year, no visible vigorous procedural actions (searches, computer confiscation) have been taken against the main parties involved (e.g., Johanna-Maria Lehtme). Minister Läänemets rejected these accusations, emphasizing that political interference in the investigation is unacceptable, and called the opposition's accusations irresponsible and damaging to the reputation of Estonian institutions.
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made
Most Active Speaker
Martin Helme (right) was very critical and active, accusing the minister of political interference and stalling the investigation. He also used additional time during the negotiations.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asked Rain Epler to present the substance of the Riigikogu interpellation, which concerns the misappropriation of Slava Ukraini funds and the related investigation.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler submitted an interpellation concerning the potential misuse of donations collected by Slava Ukraini. He stressed the independence of the investigation and the protection of donors' interests, and requested clear and substantive answers from the Minister of the Interior.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Hussar thanked [the assembly] and said that the Minister of the Interior, Lauri Läänemets, would answer the interpellation from the Riigikogu rostrum.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
The investigation into the funding of Slava Ukraini is a priority. International cooperation with Ukraine is underway, and a joint international investigation team is accelerating the collection of evidence to clarify whether the donations were used for their intended purpose or whether assets have been misappropriated. The prosecutor’s office will decide the further steps, and the Minister of the Interior emphasizes that it is not appropriate to evaluate the methods of the prosecutor’s office, and the principles of justice must be upheld.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanked the Minister, announced that the Minister had several questions, and then gave the floor first to Anti Poolamets.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets’s speech accuses the coalition and Kaja Kallas of betraying Ukraine and causing damage to Estonia’s international reputation, expresses concern regarding the destination of thousands of Estonians’ donations, and calls for a swift and thorough investigation into the Slava Ukraini case. He references the Ekspress claim that Hennadi Vaskiv transported vehicles with Estonian license plates in October, and notes that the pace of the investigation is extremely slow.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets stated that while he cannot comment on the specifics of the Prosecutor's Office's work, it is a priority in Estonia that the investigation, conducted jointly with the Police and Border Guard Board, proceeds as quickly as possible and that resources are guaranteed. He noted that, according to the coalition agreement, the entire pre-trial procedure must be significantly accelerated, and he desires the same rapid progress in the Slava Ukraini investigation. However, he simultaneously acknowledged that long-running cases, as well as matters concerning salaries and legislation, may take time, and he will not intervene in the investigative work.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Lauri Hussar asks Martin Helme to come and speak.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme alleges political interference and emphasizes that the investigations are being conducted by the Security Police, not the Prosecutor’s Office. He stresses that nothing has been done over the course of the year, and he wants to know what the Security Police intends to do about the situation.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets stated that the PPA (Police and Border Guard Board) is handling the proceedings and numerous procedural steps have been taken. We have received all the necessary information available from the Estonian side, but the final, complete information from the Ukrainian side has not yet been obtained.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman called upon Jaak Valge to speak.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
She is just asking where Johanna-Maria Lehtme is.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets stated that he currently does not know his location, is not involved in tracking activities, and believes that, should the need arise, the Estonian state knows where he is.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar calls upon Rain Epler.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler is asking why certain cases, such as the Parvel Pruunsild case and the Slava Ukraini case, receive active media coverage while others do not, and what criteria subordinate institutions use to determine the extent of that coverage.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Lauri Läänemets stated that the extensive coverage of the Slava Ukraini case stems from significant public interest and the fact that information is frequently disseminated not only by the procedural authorities but also by the subject of the investigation or their legal counsel. He added that while the actions taken are usually reported when dealing with a public figure, a large amount of information reached the media before the investigation even began, meaning there has been less reporting on the specific steps of the actual proceedings.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asks Kert Kingo to come forward.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo accuses the cooperation between the Prosecutor's Office and the police of covering up cases, and asks what steps the Social Democrats will take for aiding in this cover-up.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets rejects accusations of lying, denies any cover-up, challenges the presented evidence, emphasizes his responsibility as a Member of Parliament, and wishes to clarify the case involving donations related to aid for Ukraine in order to protect the reputation of Estonian institutions.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman calls upon Varro Vooglaid to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid posed a specific question regarding the investigative actions taken concerning Lehtme, inquiring whether he had been interrogated as a suspect, whether his computer or phone had been seized to collect evidence, and what steps have been taken thus far to explain why the proceedings are stalled.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets confirms that all necessary procedural actions have been taken or are currently underway. The investigation is being led by the Prosecutor's Office in cooperation with the Police and Border Guard Board, and the state must ensure resources and the fastest possible process, the culmination of which will be clarity and obtaining a conviction in the matter concerning Slava Ukraini, as well as seeing a court decision in the case of former police chief Elmar Vaher.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman invited Mart Helme to speak.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme accuses Estonia of unequal treatment and provides examples from various investigation scenarios, while simultaneously emphasizing that the coalition must hold together and that he wants to be kept informed of the investigation's progress.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The speech emphasizes that it is time for the listeners to take action.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme is criticizing the Ministry of the Interior for its inaction, arguing that it is failing to do its job and is not keeping people informed about the police's progress.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman announces that Mart Helme now has the floor.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The central theme of the presentation is the progress of the investigation, and the speaker asks for an update on how things are going.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
I have stated that the proceedings must conclude as quickly as possible, evidence is collected swiftly, and, if necessary, the case is brought before the court and the ruling takes effect. Although people are concerned, I am not aware of any facts or evidence regarding delays, and the unity of the coalition does not depend on this. If circumstances arising from the actions of the Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office and police, as well as Ukrainian legislation, require more time, then that may be the case.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
At the beginning of the address, Kalle Grünthal is invited to the stage.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal notes that colleagues have been firing off questions and are extremely interested in the outcome of the investigation, which is a matter of honor for the Estonian state, and finally asks what they actually know about the progress of the investigation.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
I have described to you everything I know, and generally speaking, I’ve told you what I don’t know. These are details that politicians, especially ministers and members of the government, should not be getting involved in, and this relates directly to an impartial investigation.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar calls upon Arvo Aller to speak.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller stated in his speech that despite the existing suspicions, the investigation appears incomplete if it turns out that no documents or computers were seized and no searches were conducted at Johanna-Maria Lehtme's premises. He also asked when the first positive results might be achieved and whether any evidence has been seized.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
According to the minister, all necessary procedural steps have been carried out, and the material has either been collected or obtained. A date for the final conclusion has not yet been set, but all information must be acquired as quickly as possible so that the proceedings can be advanced.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanks the Minister, confirms that there are no further questions, and before opening the debate, notes that there are two questions concerning the rules of procedure for the session and invites Kert Kingo to respond.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo asks whether the minister's statements constitute lying or merely an attempt to score political points, and which specific sector is actually responsible for these actions—the Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor's Office, the Police, or the Security Police—and how these should be interpreted in the chamber.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar stated that, as the presiding officer of the sitting, he was not permitted to delve into the substance of the answers or the questions of the interpellation, and instead directed attention to Martin Helme, whose question concerned the procedure for conducting the sitting.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme urged the Speaker of the Riigikogu to intervene after a minister threatened members of parliament from the rostrum, stating, "We will remember this," arguing that the incident was scandalous and the presiding officer should have stepped in.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar said that the minister probably meant something else, his reply sounded like a joke and was not a threat, and it referred to the question Mart Helme had posed regarding the rules for conducting the sitting.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme stresses that this is a standard working process, not an obstruction, and procedural questions must be addressed the moment they appear on the screen, rather than waiting until all questions have been submitted.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced that the procedural questions had been received and answered, and then opened the debate, inviting Martin Helme to the speaker's stand, who requested three minutes of extra time.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme accuses state institutions of political interference and covering up the truth, claiming that crucial procedural steps are being ignored and cases left unresolved because the Social Democrats (Sotsid) have a vested interest in remaining in government.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Speaker thanked [the previous speaker] and invited Anti Poolamets to the Riigikogu rostrum to deliver the next address.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets expresses deep inner turmoil and sorrow that his sincere viewpoint was cheaply politicized, warns against a power grab by security agencies, and stresses the need for necessary action and additional time to preserve democracy.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar requests three minutes of extra time.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets stresses that it is necessary to engage in political action regarding specific issues and to keep state institutions under supervision using formal inquiries, while accusing the opposition of denigrating the state, and warning that this threatens people's lives and security.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The speech calls for action, saying that your time has come.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The talk was simply a thank-you, expressing gratitude to the audience.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Hussar invited Kert Kingo to the Riigikogu rostrum, and Kingo requested three minutes of additional time.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo accuses the minister and the justice system of lying, asserting that the 6.5 million euro fraud committed in Estonia was insufficiently investigated, that evidence was not properly sought, and that the victims were not heard.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar declared the list of speakers closed, closed the debate, and concluded the consideration of this agenda item.