A politician sells not himself, only. On the black market, his goods are public interests.
Editorial: Centre Party prostitution
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Revelations by former Centre Party cadres tell us a pathetic story of a political party, in dire straits due to careless spending, losing its independence. And thus decisions – supposed to follow voters’ will and correspond to law and morals – are taken to black market. Such downward spirals by those at power abound, in history.
Stubbornly publishing the Centre Party coloured Russian language newspaper Vesti Dnja, things descended to begging businessmen for money and selling political decisions in return.
The latter leading to imprisonment of Elmar Sepp, Ivo Parbus and others. Unfortunate indeed is exclamation by Edgar Savisaar, on October 7th referring to «the Kapo [Security police – edit] and the Kripo [Central Criminal Police – edit] of yours» having found nothing. An Estonian top politician, a chairman of a political party, referring to police organisations under rule of law as «yours» – a person publicly distancing himself from Estonian legal order (?).
Descriptions by Tarmo Lausing add colour and details to the reality, in broad strokes known for a while now. By publishing Vesti Dnja, a foundation linked to Centre Party managed to spend nearly two dozen million kroons a year, some debts still outstanding. Businessmen donated, «purchased ads space» or «gave loans» typically to the tune of half a million kroons, at times the sums being larger.
As also evidenced by the court decision above, the money wasn’t donated without expecting anything in return. Tarmo Lausing is not afraid to say point blank: only Mayor himself was able to enforce a detailed plan in the interests of Tallinn Pharmaceutical Plant (Tallinna Farmaatsiatehas), and «yes, Elmar Sepp and Ivo Parbus went to jail in place of Edgar Savisaar».
The tales of mysterious red and green lights flashed for detailed plans – a prerequisite for real estate investments – are more, by dozens of times, than convictions in corruption. Among other things, never have we heard from the Mayor why, for years on end, we are told nothing of the Tallinn City Hall (Linnahall) development, starting ever so hopefully once-upon-a-time. It all begun, however, with unbridled spending, leading to debt and thereafter prostitution. Remembering: a politician elected to be decision maker is not only selling himself; his goods on black market are public interests.
Sad, at that, that the said party chairman has never been heard condemning bad behaviour, be it then hypothetical. Over and over again, all we hear is beating about the bush and the «others do it too» ditty. In any ordinary Estonian home, children are taught that rules and moral values go for all, and should «others also behave bad», this is no way justifies continued troublemaking.