Some time ago, I said in an interview with ERR that the Estonian state had not treated Elmar Vaher well. In light of today's court ruling, I want to clarify that statement.

Despite my legal education, I am not going to speak to the legal side of the case. Two court instances have now issued rulings and provided substantial reasoning, which those interested can read. But I do want to speak to the substantive and moral side of what happened.

Elmar Vaher was accused of aiding in fraud, as if he had tried to help swindle money from the state. I don't see it that way, for three reasons:

1. Rotating personnel while preserving their years of service has long been standard practice in Estonia's security structures. Even during my early days at the Ministry of Defense, I remember cases where military personnel nearing the end of their careers were reassigned to the ministry. One of the reasons cited for these rotations was to allow their service time to continue counting toward retirement. This is a fair way to treat people who have dedicated their lives to defending Estonia.

2. The nature of work in the institutions involved is similar — they all contribute to defending the Estonian state and society. Today, broad-based national defense is supported not just by traditional security forces but also by other agencies, whether it's the Tax and Customs Board, the EDF Headquarters, the Information System Authority, a ministry, the police or elsewhere.

3. In our system of governance, career frameworks are unfortunately inconsistent. Equal work does not always guarantee equal conditions. Despite performing similar duties within the framework of broad national defense — facing similar stress and risk levels — those working in different institutions often do so under varying terms. One could reasonably assume that anyone contributing to national defense is listed in corresponding Russian databases and would be targeted, just as happened in Estonia in the 1940s or is now happening in Ukraine. Our career system is imperfect, and it is not ethically wrong to receive the same social guarantees for equivalent work within this flawed system.

What happened to Elmar Vaher is the greatest injustice I have seen inflicted on a civil servant in my 25 years of public service.

Elmar Vaher led the police for 10 years. During that time, I saw the police grow into a strong and humane organization — one where, despite the usual background noise of public grumbling, there was little complaining and a clear focus on getting things done. The police help Estonians rather than punish them, and this is reflected in public trust levels. We truly have one of the best police forces in the world. And this has been achieved despite a polarized political environment, which at times drags the police into its fray, and despite the crises the police have helped to resolve.

In recent crises that have struck us — such as the ID card crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, the refugee situation and other effects of the war in Ukraine — the police have played a central role, even when they weren't the lead agency. They've always stepped in to assist others who lacked the necessary skills or resources.

I remember a Sunday evening when Elmar Vaher and Egert Belitšev presented me with the security operation plan for removing the tank and other Soviet monuments in Narva. As I delved into the complex details of the plan, it struck me how mature the police had become as an organization. Their ability to plan was on par with that of the Defense Forces — and that, in Estonia, is the gold standard.

As state secretary, I did not speak out publicly about Elmar Vaher's case, because it is not appropriate to comment on the actions of law enforcement agencies. I also understand the other side; they have an obligation to act if they suspect wrongdoing. I've been in situations myself where I had to enforce the law against a good colleague, and I also applied stricter criteria than I would have for a stranger.

Now that two courts have made their rulings, I hope we can close this chapter.

Still, we must consider how to make things right for Elmar Vaher. How do we replace injustice with gratitude for his service to Estonia? I hope those in a position to make that decision will give it serious thought.

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