The Central Criminal Police is examining two separate sets of events from November 2020 to April 2024. There are suspicions against six individuals and three legal entities.

"These suspicions are based on evidence gathered so far. After questioning the suspects, we will continue collecting and analyzing evidence to thoroughly clarify the circumstances and determine the further course of the criminal case," Pern said.

He explained that under the Political Parties Act, legal entities are prohibited from financing political parties or offering them financially assessable benefits and services free of charge. Providing or accepting donations over €40,000 is considered a criminal offense.

"The suspicion, in summary, is that Parvel Pruunsild and Tõnis Palts involved various legal entities and individuals in making prohibited donations to the Isamaa party. According to the suspicion, the total amount of prohibited donations comes to approximately €330,000," Pern noted.

Two incidents between November 2020 and April 2024 are being investigated, during which various expenses were allegedly incurred and services purchased and provided in support of the Isamaa party, for which the party did not pay.

In one of these cases, the party is suspected of accepting a prohibited donation, as some members of the party's executive board had, according to the suspicion, approved the activity.

Metsoja: Isamaa has not committed such a crime

Isamaa's Secretary General Andres Metsoja, together with sworn attorney Jaanus Tehver, discussed the allegations with the Central Criminal Police on Tuesday afternoon.

"We reviewed the suspicion and I can tell you that Isamaa, as a party, has not committed the crime it is suspected of," said Metsoja. The party will hold a press conference this evening to discuss its next steps.

Tehver also said that although the suspicion concerns the acceptance of a prohibited donation, the Isamaa party has never accepted any such donations.

"After reading the suspicion and the specific alleged prohibited donation it describes, we can state with certainty that nothing of the sort occurred."

While the Prosecutor's Office stated that the total amount of prohibited donations was €330,000, Metsoja and Tehver said the figure mentioned was €110,000.

Metsoja said he was also left unclear on how the party itself could even be a suspect in this situation.

Tehver added that a suspicion is a hypothesis and does not allow for any conclusions to be drawn.

"We'll see whether they conclude that the hypothesis becomes a theory, that is, whether charges are filed or they find that while there was a hypothesis, there is no evidence and the proceedings are closed. Time will tell," he said,

Background

On Tuesday morning, Isamaa members Tõnis Palts and Parvel Pruunsild announced that they had been issued suspicions in connection with making prohibited donations to the Isamaa party.

This was confirmed to ERR by both men's attorneys, Oliver Nääs and Paul Keres.

The suspicion relates to the period in 2021 when Helir-Valdor Seeder and Lavly Perling were running for the position of party chair. Perling, along with her supporters, had formed a faction within the party called the Parempoolsed (Right-Wingers), while Seeder's more vocal supporters had rallied behind the NGO Isamaalised. This organization was actively supported by Parvel Pruunsild, who has been a member of Isamaa since October 28, 1999. Palts was the managing director of Isamaa.

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