Riigikogu MPs want special committee to investigate former police chiefs case
At the first Riigikogu session of the new year, 21 MPs submitted a draft bill to form an investigative committee to assess the criminal proceedings against former police chiefs and the actions of the ISS board.
Last month, the Supreme Court upheld the acquittal of three former senior police officials – Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) Director General Elmar Vaher and senior officials Eerik Heldna and Aivar Alavere – finding no criminal wrongdoing in a case involving a colleague's police pension.
Isamaa Chair Urmas Reinsalu, who submitted the draft, said that parliamentary oversight cannot be used to assess court decisions.
"However, with the current crisis of confidence in the legal system, the Riigikogu cannot stand aside. We have a case where the former director of the Central Criminal Police, the former deputy director of the Internal Security Service (ISS), and the former director of the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) have claimed that the state has exercised its power against them for personal or unlawful motives," Reinsalu said.
He said the minimum MPs can do to restore public trust in the legal system is form an investigative committee to hear the views of all those involved in the case and draw conclusions regarding the allegations made through public debate.
The draft bill was initiated by:
Urmas Reinsalu, Helir-Valdor Seeder, Aivar Kokk, Andres Metsoja, Mart Maastik, Lea Danilson-Järg, Tõnis Lukas, Priit Sibul (Isamaa).
Lauri Laats, Andrei Korobeinik, Aleksei Jevgrafov, Vladimir Arhipov (Center).
Diana Ingerainen (Eesti 200).
Kalle Grünthal, Jaak Valge, Kersti Sarapuu, Jaanus Karilaid, Ants Frosch, Peeter Ernits, Enn Eesmaa, and Leo Kunnas (independent).
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Editor: Valner Väino, Michael Cole, Helen Wright
