The Isamaa–Centre coalition-in-waiting is worrying from a security standpoint, Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) said.

The prime minister was unapologetic about the relatively harsh tone he has taken on the alliance in social media posts, and noted that Centre had a long-term cooperation with Oleg Bessedin, now detained on suspicion of crimes against the Estonian state.

Speaking to Vikerraadio show "Stuudios on peaminister" Tuesday, a co-host noted that Michal seems to have three public images on social media — one of being an active family man, another as a cordial statesman, but now also a third one, as provocateur, raising the question who had advised the prime minister to adopt such an approach.

"The only adviser was my conscience and what's going on in Tallinn," Michal replied.

Michal last week posted on his social media account an image which included Isamaa's logo and name, but spelled out in Cyrillic letters. This was a direct reference to the alliance in Tallinn with Centre, which has traditionally drawn much of its support from the Russian-speaking populace of Estonia. The post referred specifically to statements made by Isamaa party ahead of last month's local elections that a vote for them was a vote against Centre. "Before the elections, Isamaa created the impression that if you vote for them, you won't get the Centre Party, that if you vote for Isamaa, you'll get [Urmas] Reinsalu as mayor. And in both cases they were, in plain Estonian, talking nonsense," Michal said, adding that it is also entirely appropriate to call out Kremlin influence activities.

Prime minister: The Bessedins are trying to move back in

President Alar Karis had said last week that he would certainly not have personally acted in the same way, as this does not unite society but instead divides it.

On this, Michal said: "I have great sympathy for the president of Estonia, I'll say that right away."

"I welcome all opinions with gratitude. This is a dignified position held by a dignified person, first of all. And second: I will not refrain from speaking sharply or ironically when the time or need calls for it, as I don't intend to sit quietly when I see that the Bessedins are moving back into the house."

The prime minister noted that back when he sat on Tallinn City Council, he had to fight with Centre Party chair and then-mayor Mihhail Kõlvart to have a large Estonian flag placed inside the council chamber, only succeeding after Kõlvart had left office. "Do you know how I got that? I got it because Mihhail Kõlvart had to leave. Now there's a blue-black-white flag there. I have fought that fight — ironically, and less ironically — for years in Tallinn, but that fight is far from over. I maintain that the Bessedins are moving back in, and society as a whole must look this truth in the eye and ask whether that's acceptable."

Estonia and the other two Baltic states are coming under special scrutiny from Russia, he noted. "We shouldn't create the illusion that influence operations aren't being conducted here. And if we're paying, with our own funds, people who engage in such influence activities, then that's a problem," Michal went on. The prime minister added that he had read a story on Monday revealing that Kõlvart had personally helped raise money for Bessedin over the years. "If that's true, then that is a rather dark story," he added.

Centre as a whole had reportedly made payments over around 15 years amounting to €800,000 to Bessedin and some of his family members, as flagged by sitting Mayor of Tallinn Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE).

"In my opinion, this needs to be unpacked, regardless of who happened to be mayor at the time," Michal said. "But it seems to me that this pattern — without wishing to offend anyone — is connected to the Centre Party. It is the same in Tallinn with the Centre Party, in Maardu it's apparently similar, and most likely it should be looked at across Estonia."

Michal noted former reports from Romania and Moldova on election influencing. "How preparations were made over several years to influence elections through various accounts, producing anti-government and anti-state content, seeking out polarizing topics, talking about how trust is being eroded, and so on. I have read that report. Russia tried exactly the same pattern in Moldova ... there are other countries in Europe too, many places where elections have actually been interfered with or where attempts have been made to do so."

As to whether and to what extent he sees Russian-speaking Estonian citizens as a security risk, Michal replied: "I think that the majority of Russian-speaking Estonian citizens are patriots of Estonia, to make that clear. But Oleg Bessedin is certainly not among them. Herman Simm was also an ethnic Estonian, so the issue isn't about native language at all — it's about attitude."

Around 70 percent of Centre supporters are native speakers of Russian. On whether this is an issue, Michal said it was "hard to say," adding: "I think it's good when people have someone to vote for. But it's bad when they vote on the wrong grounds. If that risk gets artificially created through a narrative which opposes the Estonian state, and if that narrative is built on Kremlin talking points, then the basis is certainly wrong."

"That Russian influence is definitely something I see as a problem," he added, noting Bessedin had exploited the divide between Estonian- and Russian-speaking communities via his "Tallinners" Facebook group, currently suspended following his detention.

Bessedin is not an Estonian citizen and so likely cannot be charged with treason. He is not a citizen of Russia or anywhere else either, holding the gray passport issued to people of indeterminate citizenship who are ordinarily resident in Estonia.

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