Riigikogu Vice President Toomas Kivimägi (Reform) told ERR that it was a unanimous decision by the Riigikogu board, based on a compromise between all parliamentary factions.

"The current limit of €450 has been in place since 2015. At the time the decision was made, that amount accounted for 43.6 percent of an MP's total allowable expense reimbursements. The new decision made by the board sets the limit at 35 percent, which is 8.6 percent lower. Yes, in absolute terms the amount is higher because the total amount of MPs' reimbursements has increased. This has been discussed for four or five years, and now the parliamentary factions have indeed reached an agreement," Kivimägi said.

The MP stressed the decision is not funded by the taxpayer.

"This does not touch taxpayer money by even a cent. The overall reimbursement limit was not increased. I would remind critics that this current Riigikogu composition reduced the reimbursement limit for MPs by 30 percent for the duration of its term," Kivimägi stressed.

The matter was made public on social media by EKRE MP Varro Vooglaid, who claimed the increase in car compensation was led by the Reform Party.

"The Riigikogu board, led by the Reform Party, made a symbolically notable decision in the middle of summer – while MPs previously could use up to €450 per month in reimbursements for car leasing, the limit has now been raised to 35 percent of the allowed monthly reimbursement amount, which currently stands at €553. Of course, this hasn't been loudly announced. Understandably so, because at a time when the rest of the population is being forced to pay a car tax under threat of account seizures, while fuel excise duties and VAT are also rising, this doesn't look good at all," Vooglaid wrote.

"Varro Vooglaid is lying when he says it was at the Reform Party's initiative. That's honestly very embarrassing," Kivimägi responded.

"I signed it on Friday. The board's written decision was made last Wednesday or Thursday. And since the President of the Riigikogu informed me through staff that he would not be able to sign any documents during the week, I did it on his behalf," said Kivimägi.

"There are certainly people who would not want MPs to be paid at all, or to receive any reimbursements. But MPs have a job to do, and there's no denying that a car is one of the tools for doing that job," Kivimägi added.

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