Estonian Prosecutor’s Office amends suspicion notice concerning Isamaa
The Estonian Prosecutor’s Office has amended the notice of suspicion against the Isamaa party in a case involving the alleged receipt of prohibited donations. The investigation into the party’s financing is approaching the final stage of pre-trial proceedings, while Isamaa denies any violations. This was reported by ERR News.
Allegedly unpaid services
According to a statement by the Central Criminal Police, between 2020 and 2023, two legal entities provided Isamaa with services worth nearly €308,000 in total, mostly advertising services. Investigators believe that the party did not pay for these services.
According to the notice of suspicion, the costs of the services were not reflected in Isamaa’s financial reporting, and the services themselves were not declared to Estonia’s Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee as donations. Estonian law permits only individuals to make donations to political parties, and such contributions must be declared to the committee. Companies and non-profit organizations are prohibited from making donations to parties.
Investigators believe that some Isamaa leaders or representatives knew that the legal entities were acting in the party’s interests, accepted these benefits and used them for party needs. Therefore, the party is suspected of receiving a prohibited donation.
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Position of the Prosecutor’s Office and the party
Chief State Prosecutor Taavi Pern said that the lawyers of the suspects are reviewing the materials of the criminal proceedings and have one month to submit motions. After that, the Prosecutor’s Office will be able to decide whether to bring charges and refer the case to court.
Initially, six individuals and three legal entities were suspects in the case. The Prosecutor’s Office discontinued the investigation against one of the suspects, Mart Maastik, as it found no evidence of a possible offense in his actions.
Isamaa Secretary General Andres Metsoja said that the notice of suspicion contains no new circumstances and that only its details have been clarified. According to him, the initial version did not attribute the entire sum of about €330,000 to the party’s alleged receipt of a prohibited donation. Metsoja stressed that Isamaa does not admit guilt and plans to study the case materials and seek additional clarifications.
