Allan Kiil – a top squirrels confidant

Photo: Toomas Huik

Educated at physical fitness faculty of Tallinn pedagogical Institute, Allan Kiil (52) has kept his seat as deputy head of a mightiest state enterprise in Estonia - a sign of a single party keeping tight reins on Port of Tallinn management. For years.

A former private businessman and head of Paljassaare Port, Allan Kiil’s career was off and running as soon as the switch was made from People’s Party to Reform – mere three months later, the man was appointed to state enterprise board.

Not limited to that, his political career began to bloom as well. A year later he pocketed 256 votes at local elections, rising to be chairman of Harku Parish council. Known for his forceful leadership style, Mr Kiil soon found himself in a peculiar political situation. According to accusations, as council chairman he made deals with private enterprises leading to a conflict with parish government. We are told that Mr Kiil was enraged that fellow party cadres were disobedient. So, in the fall of 2007, he initiated no-confidence of own parish government. By IRL votes, it succeeded, but a little while later Mr Kiil got taken down as well.

After that, Mr Kiil has focussed on Port of Tallinn, in a field already familiar. While Mr Kaljurand was tasked with general management of the company, Mr Kiil was over public procurements. For instance: it was Mr Kiil who last fall, in the name of Port of Tallinn and suitcase in hand, travelled to Turkey to sign the new ferryboats building contract.

Surprisingly, the tussle with own party comrades took no toll on Mr Kiil’s standing in squirrel ranks. For instance, when one-time economy minister Juhan Parts (IRL) demanded in 2010 that the Kaljurand-Kiil tandem be dismantled, Port of Tallinn chairman Neinar Seli so highly esteemed his brother-in-party as to ignore instructions by the minister.

The departure of Mr Seli brought no changes. Last September, the port’s council as lead by Remo Holsmer (Reform) re-appointed Mr Kiil and Mr Kaljurand for a five year term. The council was unanimous, despite the17 other candidates available. The appointment was coupled by both men’s monthly wages raised by €2,500 to be €8,8000 (Kaljurand) and €8,000 (Kiil).

Before becoming board member at Port of Tallinn, Mr Kiil owned a residential lot in Sõrve Village, Hiiumaa, a close to seven hectares seaside real estate in Abruka Village, Saaremaa, and a property called Kännu of over 20 hectares in Suuresadama Village, Hiiumaa.

Curiously, the latest real estate purchases by Mr Kiil fall into the past three years, regarding which he is under suspicion of bribery: in the fall of 2013 he and wife Marika acquired a holding in his parents’ farm in Loksa Village. Just six months after that, they purchased a three room apartment for nearly €200,000 in Kadriorg, in a new apartment house at Kreutzwaldi Street.

Mr Kiil’s latest real estate buy happened mere week ago as, with wife, he obtained the neighbouring lot of his Sõrve Village home. The 2,132 square metres of property were sold to his old friend by Toomas Vilosius – a fellow party member and former colleague at Paralympics Committee.