At the end of 2010 Postimees published the opinion of KAPO (Estonian Security Police) that Tallinn mayor and head of the Centre Party is a Russian agent of influence and a threat to national security. Just recently the circuit court rejected Savisaar’s suit against Postimees. It’s expected that Savisaar will appeal the decision at the supreme court.
“The Estonian president, prime minister, and interior minister have KAPO’s report, in which the chair of the Centre Party, Edgar Savisaar is identified as a threat to national security. Specifically for the last half year KAPO counter intelligence officials have designated him as a threat and have named him as an agent of influence”, printed Postimees on December 16, 2010.
The term “agent of influence” usually describes both individuals and organizations serving the interests of a foreign power who is involved in operations influencing decision-making or opinions by holding considerable credibility among the target audience. They serve a foreign power either as a controlled agent directly recruited and controlled from abroad, as a “trusted contact” that deliberately collaborates to advance foreign interests, or as a “useful idiot” that is completely unaware of how he may be furthering the interests of a foreign power. Usually an agent of influence is someone of public stature and are the most difficult to detect as there is seldom any material evidence to connect them to a foreign power.
In Savisaar’s petition to the courts these ‘unjust’ assessments of him as using his position of influence as a bargaining tool were violations of his rights. He demanded the retraction of such statements, determination that his human rights have been violated and compensation for moral damages. The circuit court left a lower court finding unchanged in which Savisaar’s claim had not been satisfied. (Pikemalt Eesti Elu 7.nov. paberlehes)
