Estonian Reform Party's court of honor proposes to expel Ojuland, Samblik

Photo: Küllike Rooväli

The court of honor of Estonia's Reform Party is proposing to the party's governing board to throw MEP Kristiina Ojuland and regional development director Taimi Samblik out of the party over the e-voting scandal.

The court of honor that did not reach a decision at Tuesday's meeting gathered again on Wednesday morning and after thoroughly weighing all evidence and testimonies decided to propose to the party board to expel Ojuland and Samblik both of whom were involved in voting fraud at this year's internal leadership elections. The governor of West-Viru County, Einar Vallbaum, who also was implicated in the e-voting scandal, was spared.

The court of honor said that both Samblik's and Ojuland's connection with voting in other persons' name in party board elections was proven. Ojuland, who has headed the West-Viru regional organization of the Reform Party since 2007, paid party membership dues for 39 persons which entitled them to vote in internal elections. Samblik admitted before the court of honor that it was she who committed the voting fraud, stating that she was following Ojuland's orders.

Ojuland denied having ordered the development director to rig the vote. She also gave the court of honor materials purportedly showing that irregularities occurred in internal elections elsewhere in Estonia. A check did not corroborate her claims, spokespeople for the Reform Party said.

Vallbaum's participation in vote-rigging was not proven.

The court of honor said it is regrettable that a few persons' actions gave a bad name to the whole e-election system of Estonia and emphasized that the national e-voting system is sufficiently secure.

In the court of honor's view, the breaches in this case do not give grounds for doubting the legitimacy of the 2013 board election results.

The governing board of the Reform Party began to discuss the court of honor's proposals at 11 a.m.