The city of Tallinn has more than a dozen companies whose supervisory boards include officials, experts and politicians. The new city administration appointed 31 politicians to these bodies. According to Mayor Peeter Raudsepp of Isamaa, there were seven more previously.

According to the mayor, there is also no issue with the appointment of, for example, Isamaa's press secretary and a long-time aide to coalition partner Mihhail Kõlvart to the supervisory board of the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, as the board's role is to approve the budget and oversee activities.

"The substantive contribution still lies in organizing the work of the company," Raudsepp said.

Former mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski of the Social Democratic Party said that the participation of politicians on supervisory boards is standard and necessary, but the current city government has erred in terms of members' suitability and backgrounds.

"On the one hand, it stands out that Ester Tuiksoo, who has been convicted in criminal proceedings, has ended up involved in allocating city resources on one supervisory board. Enno Tamm, who once led TLT (Tallinn's city transport company – ed.) when major corruption cases took place there, has again been appointed to the supervisory board of a city company. Kalle Klandorf, who headed TJT (the Tallinn Waste Recycling Center) when criminal proceedings were initiated against its then management, is back at the same company — these are the main issues. People have been appointed for whom neither I nor, I believe, the wider public can be confident that they will perform their duties honestly and transparently," Ossinovski said.

Raudsepp has previously questioned whether Tallinn needs a business incubator at all. Now the coalition says that appointing Center Party member Tuiksoo to its supervisory board is justified.

"Today, this person has demonstrated that she has the relevant competence and also enjoys the trust of various organizations. Whether it is the Paldiski Entrepreneurs' Association, where she is a board member, or the Association of Business and Professional Women, where she is a member — I believe that if such organizations have shown trust in her and she has the relevant competence, then she can also serve on a supervisory board," said Kõlvart, chairman of both the Tallinn City Council and the Center Party.

According to Ossinovski, the system of supervisory board memberships needs broader reform. The share of politicians should be less than half and there is a need to consolidate various boards. Following the latest appointments, there is also a problem with impartiality.

"For example, at Tallinna Vesi (the capital's water utility – ed.), a situation has arisen where the city's interests will be represented by Mr. [Andrei] Korobeinik (Center Party) and Mr. [Urmas] Reinsalu (Isamaa), who are members of parliament and have nothing to do with city politics. To make room for them, for example, city secretary Priit Lello has been recalled, even though he has over the years promoted cooperation between the company and various city agencies. This will certainly significantly harm the city's cooperation with Tallinna Vesi," Ossinovski said.

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