In March, it emerged that the Ministry of Finance plans to amend a draft law on anti-money laundering so that the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) would notify individuals whose bank account data it has collected via the enforcement register after five years.

Speaking on the "Otse uudistemajast" webcast, Pakosta said she holds a different view from Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi regarding the transfer of banking data to the FIU. To express this, she said, she signed a critical opinion.

According to Pakosta, the FIU's work should be reorganized more broadly.

"First, the Financial Intelligence Unit should be turned into an investigative authority. It must meet the requirements of the rule of law and be subject to civilian oversight," Pakosta said on the program.

The minister noted that the FIU was separated from the police at a time when Martin Helme (EKRE) was serving as finance minister. Since then, the FIU has operated without civilian oversight, as it is still not an investigative authority.

"We even have civilian oversight over the Internal Security Service through the Riigikogu. Everything is regulated — who supervises, what is allowed and what is not," Pakosta said.

However, Pakosta added that such a situation is not normal and she would prefer the bureau to be reintegrated with the police.

"If an institution wants to be an investigative authority, it must first be established as one or merged with the police. My first preference would be for it to continue operating within the police, as it did previously," the minister explained.

However, as there is no consensus within the government on the bureau's future, the minister could not say exactly whether or when a structural change might take place.

The FIU, which had operated as a structural unit of the Police and Border Guard Board, was made an agency under the Ministry of Finance in 2021.

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