Sanctions and political party funding
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, information briefing
Date: 2024-02-21 15:07
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 24
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 15m
AI Summaries: 24/24 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The interpellation to Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets (acting Prime Minister) focused on the funding of the Social Democratic Party (SDE) by major businessman Oleg Ossinovski, whose business activities in Russia during the war in Ukraine have raised moral and political questions. The questioner, Anti Poolamets (EKRE), highlighted that Ossinovski had registered his Russian railway businesses in the name of a close relative, who was exporting hundreds of millions of euros worth of iron ore from Russia, linked to the oligarch Alisher Usmanov. Poolamets pointed out that SDE received a €50,000 donation from Ossinovski in 2023 and demanded clarification on whether the party would return the money, considering Ossinovski’s previous corruption suspicion in Latvia and his current questionable business activities.
Minister Läänemets admitted that although Ossinovski’s activities were not sanctioned, they were morally wrong. He explained that at the time the donation was accepted, the party lacked information about the scope of the business activities, and accepting such a donation now would be difficult. Läänemets rejected Poolamets’s claim that Ossinovski is SDE’s main financier, emphasizing that the party is primarily supported by its members. He stressed the principle of separation of powers, refusing as a minister to issue investigative orders to law enforcement agencies. Läänemets focused more broadly on sanctions policy, mentioning his proposal to the government to stop the movement of sanctioned goods across Estonia’s eastern border to prevent them from reaching Russia. Mart Helme (EKRE) intervened, accusing Läänemetsa and SDE of shamelessness and a direct conflict of interest, and demanding the minister’s resignation. Läänemets responded that personal accusations do not move things forward and emphasized the need to strengthen the capacity of the Committee for the Supervision of Party Financing (ERJK).
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made
Most Active Speaker
Anti Poolamets (EKRE) was the most active questioner, submitting an interpellation and two clarifying questions, pressuring the minister regarding SDE funding and moral choices. His position is stronger.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Next, a question will be put to Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets, who is fulfilling the duties of the Prime Minister. The question was submitted by our good colleague Anti Poolamets.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets posed a question regarding how your party has handled the donations made by Oleg Ossinovski, which are linked to Russian oligarchs and corruption, whether the money has been returned, and whether the council, the board, or the government has discussed this matter, and finally, how this affects your stance on sanctions.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invites the Minister of the Interior, Lauri Läänemets, to take the floor.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets stated that although this was not a sanctioned activity, it is morally wrong. He intends to re-submit a proposal to prevent the movement of sanctioned goods across the border in Estonia, ensuring they do not reach Russia. Furthermore, the termination of trade with Russia is also under discussion, although this would impact neighboring countries and cannot be done unilaterally.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi asked Anti Poolamets to pose a clarifying question.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets asks how you intend to remove the shadow hanging over the party and the government, and emphasizes that Eesti 200 received money from an individual who is under investigation on suspicion of corruption. He demands the return of the donation and an explanation of how you will clean up the party’s reputation.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi addresses a request to the minister.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets said that the past cannot be changed, stressed that in a democratic state law enforcement must be independent and a minister must not give tasks for investigation, confirmed that the biggest donors of the Social Democratic Party are members of the party, and emphasized the coalition's position that the Party Financing Surveillance Committee must be strengthened to ensure better oversight and reduce risks related to funding.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
During the speech, a follow-up question was requested for Mart Helme.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme was accused of accepting money from individuals under corruption investigation, including crypto businessmen, and he claimed that the oversight of party financing was under his control. Due to this, he had a direct conflict of interest as a minister and party leader, and he was asked whether he would resign.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
The Minister of the Interior thanked him and noted that Mart Helme is very colorful in his manner of expression, whereupon Helme asked for the volume to be turned up.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi calls for silence.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets asked his colleagues to quiet down, saying that their colorful way of expressing themselves, and sometimes the actual content of what they say, makes listening rather strange sometimes. He emphasized that the discussion should remain among themselves and not drift into excessive accusations.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi calls for silence and allows the Minister of the Interior to respond.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Läänemets apologizes to Mr. Helme and notes that Mart Helme is continuing to speak in the chamber.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi asked his colleagues if they wanted the Interior Minister's response, stating that if they did not, the discussion of the matter would be terminated, while Mart Helme continued to interrupt.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets denies having made the statement but promises to provide a more detailed explanation.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speaker apologizes to Mr. Minister.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Lauri Läänemets stated that the debate over funding is unproductive and we need to focus on preventing the underlying issues. He noted that the Committee for the Supervision of Party Financing needs to be more effective, and while the laws exist, enforcement is still pending. Furthermore, he does not support doing business with Russia and has proposed to the government that sanctioned goods be prohibited from crossing the border, a proposal with which we are in full agreement.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked them and noted that this was a procedural question, not a rebuttal, before turning to Mart Helme and requesting his comment.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme protested against the slanderous statement for the sake of the record, confirming that Parvel Pruunsild has neither done business with Russia, nor violated sanctions, nor brought money from there, and refuted his connection to the party's financing via Ossinovski, asking for this to be formally minuted.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Thank you, dear colleague. As that was in the nature of a rebuttal, I am prepared to grant the Minister 30 seconds so that he may offer a rejoinder on his part.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
The speaker offers thanks, agrees that the other party is correct, but denies having said what you claim, and notes that it cannot be found in the transcript.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks [the participants] and concludes the consideration of this issue.