ERR News 15.10.2012
The Prosecutor's Office has due to a lack of evidence ended a criminal investigation of the ruling Reform Party's alleged funding violations, letting the justice minister and other officials out of the hot seat.
Other than Justice Minister Kristen Michal, who survived a failed attempt to initiate a vote of no confidence, suspects in the criminal investigation included MPs Kalev Lillo and Kalle Palling, and an adviser for the foreign minister, Priit Kallakas.
"Despite having gathered all the evidence that is available, we are in the end dealing with a he-said, she-said situation in each of the suspicions,” prosecutor Heili Sepp said in a statement.
"There has been a two-to-four-year period between the occurrence of the described events and the initial testimonies, and the long time period between the actions being investigated and the beginning of the investigation has made checking the veracity of witnesses' claims essentially impossible,” Sepp said.
The case was prompted by the party's own, former MP Silver Meikar, who accused politicians of covering up the origin of political contributions in an article published by Postimees in May. Meikar said he had accepted about 7,300 euros from others and donated it under his own name to the Reform Party's bank account. Meikar alleged that Michal, then the party's secretary general, had asked him to move the funds and that Lillo had provided him with the money.
Political Contributions Investigation Ended for Lack of Evidence
Eestlased Eestis | 15 Oct 2012 | EWR
Eestlased Eestis
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