President of Estonia Calls for Resignation of Prime Minister Kallas
Estonian President Alar Karis made a statement on his Facebook page in which he expressed support for the resignation of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. The reasons for this statement are linked to a scandal involving the "Russian" business of her husband, Arvo Hallik. Despite primarily fulfilling ceremonial roles, the President's statement can influence public perception of the issue and create certain pressure on public opinion.
"I would personally prefer for the head of government to step down. It would save her, her loved ones, the government's ability to function, and Estonia's credibility," wrote Karis.
In response, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas stated that she has no intention of resigning. She expressed confidence in the support of her party and coalition partners if the opposition attempts to bring a vote of no confidence against her government.
Previously, it was known that a transport company in which Arvo Hallik holds a minority stake continued conducting cargo transportation to Russia during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Taking into account Estonia's system of government, where the parliament holds the majority of political powers, decisions regarding further actions in this situation depend on the political dynamics in the parliament, party support, and voter sentiment.
On the eve of the incident, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas participated in a meeting of the country's anti-corruption committee in connection with the scandal surrounding her husband's "Russian business." The exchange between Kallas and committee members, led by Mart Helme (representative of EKRE, key political opponents of Kaja Kallas), was emotionally charged.
Helme and Priit Sibul from the "Homeland" party questioned Kallas about the details of explanations provided by her husband Arvo Hallik regarding a loan he received from her. Kallas noted that information about the use of funds she provided to her husband's company, "Novaria Consult," should be verified in the firm's financial reports. The Prime Minister avoided answering questions about the timeline of the loan, citing a desire to prevent potential accusations of dishonesty in the future.
She also assured that she paid taxes on the interest received from the returned loan and that she has not yet been reimbursed the €22,000 she lent to the company in 2023. Mart Helme criticized Kallas for having a lower income over the past five years than the €350,000 loan amount. In response, Kallas emphasized that before entering politics, she worked as a lawyer and her income at that time was significantly higher.