A county court decision on embezzlement charges lodged against a former government minister may not be made until spring 2023, after the general election in March of that year, and close to two-and-a-half years after the first media reports which led to the allegations were published, ETV news show 'Aktuaalne kaamera' (AK) reported Friday.
A long-running court case has reached the stage where the Center Party must still pay back the bulk of one million euros deemed an illegal party donation has also revealed shortcomings on the part of the main watchdog body tasked with monitoring party finances.
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) says she has less optimism about the next head of state getting elected straight off the bat on August 30, than she earlier had done. Kallas made her remarks in the light of a compromise candidate, Tarmo Soomere, last week apparently failing to get the required support from among the ranks of her party, along with those of the Center, Isamaa and Social Democratic parties, and an ongoing impasse since then.
President Kersti Kaljulaid s decision Thursday to strip former cross-country ski star Andrus Veerpalu of his two state decorations brings the total number of individuals so divested of their awards to fourteen.
President Kaljulaid has recalled a total of four state awards from recipients in her tenure so far. Toomas Hendrik Ilves took away the remaining 10, during his two-term stint as president, 2006-2016.
Ilves predecessors, Arnold Rüütel and, before him, Lennart Meri, doled out state awards perhaps more prolifically, and many of those who have been demoted in this way – including Andrus Veerpalu – had received their awards during the first two presidents terms.
Presidendid on teenetemärgi ära võtnud 14 inimeselt err.ee - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from err.ee Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.