Estonian former senior public official: President's office's money scandal not exceptional

TALLINN - Estonian IT entrepreneur and investor Taavi Kotka commented on social media that the money scandal surrounding the Office of the President is nothing exceptional, Postimees reports.

"During my four-year public sector career, I frequently experienced such quid pro quo, and it was done quite openly. I recall, for instance, a direct demand from the then Ministry of Justice's secretary general at a crowded meeting. They said they would create the necessary interfaces for e-residency in the business register, provided the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications funds another system that the Ministry of Justice needed," Kotka wrote on social media.

"Secretaries general need to get along 'well' with each other; otherwise, issues related to their ministry will stall. Officials must maintain good relationships; otherwise, they won’t get approval from other ministries, causing delays," he added.

"I don't approve of the president's office asking for money. On the contrary. But it's definitely not exceptional in the Estonian public sector," Kotka wrote.

Kotka served as the deputy secretary for communications and state information systems at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications from 2013 to 2017.