Corruption charges rock Tallinn city government

  • 2008-09-10
  • By Matt Withers

FIGHTING BACK:Tallinn's Mayor, Savisaar, needs to clean out his own yard pundits say.

TALLINN - Forty-two Tallinn city government officials are facing corruption charges, the Public Prosecutor's Office announced Sep. 4.
At the end of 2007, the police asked the Tallinn city government for the "economic interest declaration" papers of dozens of its officials. The documents include agreements that prevent employees from holding positions as board members within private companies, although many of the accused assert that they were unaware of their violations.

Most of the accused relinquished their positions when the police informed them of their unlawful activity, deferring their board memberships to relatives.
At a press conference City Secretary Toomas Sepp explained that the announcement by the Public Persecutor's Office caught the Tallinn city government off guard. The city had expected a degree of cooperation and cohesion in the police investigation and was shocked by the unexpected announcement of the corruption charges.

"We assumed that when the police asked for the materials, and started an investigation, that we would find out about the results without asking them," Sepp said.
The corruption in the city government has rocked public opinion of city officials. A city government worker who didn't wish to be named told The Baltic Times that the city government was rife with nepotism and corruption.
"They make you sign a contract when you join that says you won't take any favors or other positions, but nobody pays any attention to it," the source said.

The announcement comes in the wake of some controversial moves by the city government.
Aug. 28 saw the city refuse to pay 10 million kroons (639,114 euros) in compensation following their contract with Uhisteenused, the company employed by the city to check valid transport tickets.
The refusal came as the city's lawyers decided the termination was forced due to circumstances beyond their control, rendering the city free of responsibility, due to the Supreme Court's ruling that the city cannot delegate their right to deliver fines to private persons.

Only a week earlier, on Aug. 22, the city announced a new attempt to sell a valuable Old Town property, a reminder of the dubious circumstances of the previous effort which landed the property in the lap of Alexander Kofkin, a long-term friend of Mayor Edgar Savisaar.
In March 2008 the residing owners, Koogikaubad, took the city to court over the sale of the contract to Kofkin. The Tallinn Administrative Court ruled in their favor, acknowledging injustice in the City's demand that applicants make their final bids in only 45 minutes.

Savisaar has denied having helped his friend Kofkin land a lucrative rent contract.
While the Tallinn city government must now defend itself against these recent charges of corruption, their job will be made easier by the Public Prosecutor's Office's decision to leave the details of the case, including what action is to be taken  against the accused, undisclosed. 

The accused face a maximum applicable fine of 18,000 kroons. 
The mayor's office refused to comment on case.