Minister of justice Andres Anvelt thinks it quite unlikely for security police officer Eston Kohver to be released anytime soon as once the «train» of proceedings gets a-rolling it is very hard to halt.
Justice Minister: not much hopes for trading Kohver
9th September 2014, 15:00
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What can the Estonian state do to bring the case (the arrest of Mr Kohver – H.M) to its fastest possible end?
For that, several channels exist. One would be the diplomatic channels which, actually, are the basis for all. Knowing the system of Russian bureaucracy, the train is already a-rolling. With the 72 hour deadline that came and went today, they had actually taken their decisions over the week-end. For some so-called trading deals, there’s not much hope at the moment.
Once the proceeding is on, coming out of it is rather complex. Same with the Estonian legal order: once a person has been arrested etc the situation is difficult to change. It’s possible, but it’s difficult.
In that sense, Russia has taken a very clear direction and we may and we must speak the whole truth domestically, that we know we have evidence, that our citizen was taken from the Estonian side, and we also need to make sure to pass this information to our foreign partners so all would stand firm in faith and, by that, asking them for help.
Have the foreign partners already been informed?
I cannot tell for this is not directly my domain, but I’m sure they’ve been informed. These kinds of things, especially when it comes to special services in NATO member states, this kind of information moves very swift. And the briefing is constant so I do believe our foreign partners are just as well informed as our own people here.
So, considering what you said before, you don’t believe this can be solved quickly?
At the moment, purely as justice minister and knowing the peculiarities of the proceedings, which also exist in Russia, once the proceedings-machine starts working, stopping it will also take a certain procedure. It’s not like I turn of ignition like in a car. Up to the 72 hours limit it would have been easier, but by their behaviour the Russians have very clearly shown they want the machine to be working. In that sense it is now more complicated than before the moment the person was arrested.
Has there been any reasons presented by Russia why the consul has still not been granted the opportunity to meet Mr Kohver?
I think that formally it surely was the week-end what stopped them. One can always hide behind the week-end, but that’s not the right excuse. When it comes to what’s next, it’s really hard to say. I know the foreign ministry, the foreign minister, and the ambassadors have pointed to it, sent several notes there, but to no avail. I don’t know the tactics Russia is using at the moment. This is only known to the one managing the investigation, the one in Russia in charge of it all.
What is the help we could expect from our foreign partners, in this issue?
This is a bigger process. Surely, with a partner one is stronger than when alone. As we see these recent times, regarding Ukraine and elsewhere Russia is largely using these same methods as in the Cold War timed. It is very vital for us to have cooperation with partners who have the experience how, if needed, to negotiate with Russia and to set some demands. Good to get advice.
But what, in your opinion, really happened there, at the Luhamaa border point? Was it provocation by Russia?
That, the person knows who’s behind this. Every operation has someone in charge, and in this instance the one in charge is someone from the local FSB management or from the very Moscow. Well and he knows what their aims are and how they want to behave.
One thing I was a bit surprised by was that, following the news in Russia for a couple of days, usually –as also in the case of Ukraine – the Russian media is prepared in advance when the action begins. In this case, I was a bit confused by the situation where we knew what was happening – Russia was showing documentary shots of our guy sent into jail – but their media pressure, over the week-end at least, was relatively mild. Very simply they were saying that he was caught, brought to court, and they even gave the Estonian explanations. One gets the impression they had no clear guidelines and materials.
Well we did get a running start. While Security Police sent issued the statement in the afternoon, the Russian version only came in the evening.
Exactly. In that sense, it’s a bit different. I’m not that great of a Russia-expert to know what this means, but it does mean something. But whatever they are after, we will see pretty soon. Soon they will also launch their propaganda machinery, and then they’ll also be directing it.