Major Center Party donor says donation was made from personal assets

Jana-Helen Juhaste. Photo: Kayvo Kroon / Sportfoto

The Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee (ERJK) is sending the materials of a recent donation to the Estonian Center Party for investigation by the prosecutor’s office, while the donor maintains this was their personal money.

“I confirm that the donation of €50,000 transferred to the Center Party has been made from my personal funds. I wanted to support the Center Party’s worldview and I have also applied to join the Center Party,” Jana-Helen Juhaste (35) was quoted by Center Party spokespeople as saying.

Juhaste said she does not want public attention but confirmed that she will definitely cooperate with law enforcement agencies.

ERJK is sending the materials of a recent donation to the Estonian Center Party for investigation by the prosecution as it suspects the use of a front man.

The Center Party raised altogether €108,705 in donations in the first quarter of this year, 50,000 euros of which was donated by little known entrepreneur Jana-Helen Juhaste.

According to the Commercial Register, Juhaste was still a member of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) at the time. The register indicates that Juhaste joined EKRE on Jan. 30, 2004 and left the party on April 14, 2020. Juhaste was automatically enrolled in EKRE because she used to be a member of its predecessor the People’s Union.

ERJK asked the Tax and Customs Board for information on Juhaste’s income for the past three years and believes it has been insufficient to explain the donation she made, the business daily Äripäev wrote.

According to the Commercial Register, Juhaste is a member of the management boards of companies Tarkoris OÜ and Telekomehitus OÜ. The former is a cleaning enterprise and the latter is involved in installing telecommunications cables. The legal address of both of the companies is in Tartu.