In Estonia, the corrupt perceived to «know how to live»

Photo: visegradschool.org

While investigators reach big stuff uncovering corruption action has regrettably been taken to protect those accepting bribes says interior ministry vice chancellor Erkki Koort.

-This year, not a month goes by without some corruption case coming up. Regarding Port of Tallinn, the investigation committee says the political corruption had been flourishing for a decade ... What’s up, in Estonia?

Thankfully, law enforcement does its job. Regrettably, the problems on occasions are long-term in nature.

What unpleasantly surprises me is the lack of public condemnation.

-As the hospital chief Tõnis Allik recently came under suspicion for accepting bribes, hundreds of staff signed a petition to declare he was an honest man and the hospital interests had not been damaged... What do you say about that?

That’s a matter of morals. I do realise the medical workers stick together, but the habit accepted by the masses is surprising.

-Why is corruption taken so lightly in Estonia still?

It’s what we inherited as the Soviet mentality. To this very day, this is the tough guy mentality that «I know how to live» at somebody else’s expense.

In reality, lots of people are damaged by things like that happening. Somebody stealing two or three million euros is so large a sum that for most people it hardly registers.

But €10,000 – all understand that...

There was this case in Finland where a local government official took his family travelling for public money. He was convicted and did his time behind bars.

As he returned to his village, an old lady came up and grabbed him by the coat button: «So it was you who stole mu money.»

Afterwards, the person said that was the worst punishment of all.

Here in Estonia, it does feel like it is the Soviet time still. In some places, they say «oh yes he did that but he is a good guy». Stealing from the villagers, is he?

To cite an example: Mr Solovjov (mayor of Kohtla-Järve – O. K.) went before court for corruption. Curiously, as his removal from office was sought, the court ruled that as the individual had a job, he was trustworthy – he ought not to be removed from the position he just abused...