On Monday, Tartu announced the contest for finding a developer regarding a nearly 45,000 square metre area in Raadi, Tartu, on two lots. To further the local sports and culture life, winner was in for favourable building rights.
On Tuesday morning, city government session was disrupted by Central Criminal Police who informed mayor Urmas Klaas (Reform) and city secretary Jüri Mölder of deputy mayor Kajar Lember having acted in his own interests first.
Meanwhile, Mr Lember was with policemen performing a search, officially suspected in accepting bribes. Allegedly, this has to do with both Raadi development and a less glamorous public toilets project.
The other party to the criminal act – businessman who gave the bribe – was detained as well. Allegedly, with participation by Mr Lember, he had been set up to win the Raadi project.
For those involved, the arrests after police activity ongoing for a while game as a shock. Just some dozen days ago, in a surprise announcement Mr Lember had said he was going to step back as deputy mayor to focus on business on the very Raadi area in question. «The reason being that in near future the city will declare design contest for potential developments in Raadi. I have decided to participate with an idea. I find that participating in the contest would create a conflict of interests; therefore, I have decided to step down as deputy mayor and focus on private sector for a while,» he commented.