Estonian parties debate how to restore trust in defence sector

Estonian politicians debated how to restore public trust in the defence sector during a debate on ERR’s Esimene stuudio programme, as parties addressed scandals surrounding defence decisions and transactions.

Reform Party Secretary General Kristo Enn Vaga said the turbulent global situation had required major decisions in the defence sector, but acknowledged that rapid developments could also lead to mistakes.

“At such moments, the process must be accelerated and trust restored,” Vaga said, adding that the Reform Party had proposed appointing former Chief of Defence Martin Herem as defence minister. Vaga said Herem would restore credibility as an expert in a field that was important to Estonia, Europe and the country’s independence.

Social Democratic Party leader Lauri Läänemets said Prime Minister Kristen Michal, in addition to Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur, should take responsibility for the failure of an arms deal with India.

Läänemets said the problems had begun largely when Michal announced on Vikerraadio that defence spending would be raised to five percent, even though the calculations and plans had not been completed. He said Pevkur had then begun distributing the money, but that it remained unclear what logic had been used and how the funds had been spent.

Läänemets also questioned whether the new defence minister would be able to handle a situation in which prosecutors might need to be contacted over problems involving people close to the minister or others from the period in question.

Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu said the damage to national defence’s reputation was very serious and that law-abiding citizens were saddened by the disorder.

Reinsalu said the public still did not know the actual circumstances surrounding the transactions and accused those involved of lying, obfuscating and covering up the matter for more than a year. He said Parliament had also been deliberately misled and that the people responsible had to be identified.

He called on the government to swiftly address the disorder in the defence sector highlighted by the National Audit Office. Reinsalu said the Reform Party had failed in managing Estonia’s national defence and had avoided taking responsibility, instead bringing in Herem, who he said had distanced himself from the party.

Peeter Tali of Estonia 200, who is also a member of the National Defence Committee, said his party had joined critics of Pevkur after Defence Ministry Chancellor Kaimo Kuusk promised to resolve the problems but failed to do so.

Tali said the unresolved issues and the failed shell deal with India had effectively broken the political backbone of the defence sector.