Kapo gets security-query access to enforcement register

Estonia’s security police agency Kapo has been granted permission to make security-related queries in the enforcement register, ERR reported. Queries linked to criminal proceedings will remain unavailable until the register is connected to a data-tracking system.

The permitted queries concern intelligence gathering to protect national security and the constitutional order. Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa Pakosta said these are among the few queries that will not be disclosed to the people concerned through the data tracker. For example, a person suspected of treason or planning a terrorist attack would not later be shown details of the investigation through the system, she said.

Kapo is also authorised to use the register when granting access to state secrets. People applying for such access consent to a background check, Pakosta said, so showing bank queries made during the security check in the data tracker would not be useful.

Kapo submitted a new, narrower request for access this week, based solely on the Security Authorities Act. On Thursday, the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs instructed the Centre of Registers and Information Systems to open the register to Kapo. Access was opened on Friday.

The ministry suspended the Police and Border Guard Board’s and Kapo’s use of the register in October because the agencies had not introduced the data tracker.