Tiny part of half a million in salary hikes donated

Riigikogu. Photo: Tairo Lutter / Postimees

The salaries of ministers, the president and MPs were hiked by €321-494 a month due to indexation last April. While many politicians promised to donate the advance to show solidarity with the people in the coronavirus crisis, it now turns out donations have been modest. Only 23 out of 116 politicians and officials who promised to donate a part of their income did so more than once.

The salary hike has given MPs and ministers a 13th salary so to speak or an additional €3,850-5,920 before taxes. In order to promote transparency in terms of how politicians use their money and whether they keep their promises, Postimees asked politicians for screenshots or bank statements of donations, as well as approaching charities for confirmation of sponsorship.

The status of MP that comes with the obligation to answer the press’ questions did not stop almost half of delegates from completely ignoring the paper’s inquiries even after repeated emails and calls. They included many Center Party and Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) MPs who had publicly promised to donate their salary hikes – Centrists until the end of the May emergency situation and EKRE MPs for the duration of the economic crisis. A considerable part of ruling Reform Party MPs cared little for the people’s right to know what was done to sums pledged. Opposition Isamaa and Social Democratic Party (SDE) delegates were a little more open.

A total of fifty politicians did not disclose who they had donated to and refused to prove having made donations over the past year. Replies suggested donating was too personal to be publicly discussed, that disclosing donations would harm the recipient and that journalists have no right to demand proof of contributions.

The taxpayer has added a total of €497,560 to the salaries of MPs and ministers in the last year at least €41,743 was either returned to the state or donated to various organizations. That is the sum Postimees managed to track down.

It is to be believed the actual sum is greater as Postimees also managed to track down one-off and regular donations the volume of which was not disclosed.

This means we can neither conform nor deny the actual sum of donations being thousands or even tens of thousands of euros greater.

For example, while President Kersti Kaljulaid said she donated nearly €11,000, Postimees only managed to confirm a donation of €500 to a single organization.

Only seven politicians out of 116 can be said to have kept their promise in full over the last year.

Just like last spring, the Center Party sent a collective reply via their press representative. A considerable number of Center MPs ignored Postimees’ letters even when we emphasized the importance of individual replies. Those who did pick up the phone pointed out the group’s common position.

“We will not be giving out details of individual contributions that nearly everyone has made,” Enn Eesmaa said.

MP Dmitri Dmitrijev who has supported and plans to continue supporting NGO Purtse Voluntary Rescue said that the group decided that delegates do not have to comment on size and recipients of donations.

“Many Center Party ministers and MPs make regular donations and support organizations and people who need help,” press representative Andres Kalvik said.

While Center listed organizations its members donated to last spring, no details were given this time around. It turned out in 2020 that NGO Purtse Voluntary Rescue had only received a donation from Dmitrijev, while no donations were really made to the Estonian Food Bank despite the organization being mentioned in the collective reply.

Of 25 Center Party MPs, Postimees could prove donations by President of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas, Siret Kotka and Dmitri Dmitrijev.

EKRE big promises hide big hearts

Conservative People’s Party Riigikogu group said last spring that they will donate their salary hikes and even ask their MPs for bank statements.

The crisis has now lasted over a year, while the salary of politicians was hiked again in April. Delegates’ replies seem to suggest that promises made last spring have been forgotten, while there were also exceptions.

“Simply because our MPs have not sent you data does not mean that they haven’t donated. I also weighed the matter for a long time before replying,” Jaak Valge said. The MP has donated €10-1,300 monthly but did not want to disclose the recipient.

MP Kert Kingo was the biggest sponsor of the Lost Foundation that helps search for missing persons last year. In addition to a regular monthly donation of €100, she also donated three months’ salary advance in the total sum of €1,953 to the organization.

Kai Rimmel, who left the Riigikogu in January, said she donated her salary hike portion to families in need, struggling pensioners and large families in her rural municipality. Rimmel did not deem it necessary to prove her claims and disclose the sums even when told that screenshots would not be made public. “I really do not have to prove to you that I’m not a camel,” she said.

It can be said with certainty that out of 22 EKRE MPs, only Jaak Valge, Kert Kingo and Urmas Espenberg donated a part or all of their annual wage hike.

Reform Party MPs reluctant to respond

The ruling Reform Party also agreed to donate salary advance last year, while a clause was added that donations would not be checked. Like last spring, Reform MPs were the least forthcoming in terms of confirmation.

Of the 34 MPs Reform had last year, 25 are left after the party formed the government.

Out of those 25, we could only confirm MP Madis Milling’s donation to the Tartu University Hospital’s Children’s Fund. Milling said he has not donated the salary advance part as such. “Why should I? I was a sponsor long before I became an MP and I have no intention of feeling guilty because indexation hikes my salary. I find it to be false,” the MP said. Two Reform delegates, Ants Laaneots and Valdo Randpere, said that they have not donated their salary advance, with Randpere adding that he has not made a deal of any sort, that he spent the money and still came up short. Many others voiced their displeasure when asked about donations, with MP Annely Akkermann asking for the journalist’s bank statement in return.

Social Democrats more modest this year

While all SDE MPs replied to Postimees inquiry last year. Of 11 MPs, Kalvi Kõva and Katri Raik did not respond this time. Postimees managed to confirm donations by four SDE MPs, which is the second-best result after Isamaa. SDE Riigikogu group chairman Indrek Saar and MPs Heljo Pikhof, Ivari Padar and Raimond Kaljulaid said they have donated their salary advance but failed to provide proof or list recipients.

Riina Sikkut has donated at least €1,700 to eight organizations, making her the most broad-based sponsor in the Riigikogu. Postimees had to confirm Sikkut’s donations with organizations one of which, the Heateo Foundation, failed to do so. Donations by Helmen Kütt, Lauri Läänemets and Jevgeni Ossinovski were also confirmed.

Isamaa MPs open compared to the rest

Six out of 14 Isamaa MPs can be shown to have made donations all year, while four of them have donated the entire annual salary hike and two almost half of the total sum.

Former Defense Minister, MP Jüri Luik donated more than his annual salary advance to NGO Wounded Fighters Society (EVVÜ).

Former Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu made a proposal to the Estonian Red Cross for a fund for healthcare workers called For Bravery last year. Reinsalu donated €4,000 to the fund which the latter confirmed.

Priit Sibul donated €4,066 to county-level organizations of large families and Setomaa organizations and sent in screenshots.

Üllar Saaremäe returned a month’s salary advance in May of last year and donated a part of the hike after that.

Raivo Tamm and Viktoria Ladõnskaja-Kubits returned their annual salary hike in full, with the latter providing screenshots of the transactions.

She also wrote a bill to freeze top public servants’ salary advance that got stuck in a Riigikogu committee after its first reading.

Some Isamaa MPs claimed to have made donations but provided no proof. MP Mihhail Lotman said he returned three months’ salary advance and made donations to different organizations after that.

Siim Kiisler and Aivar Kokk failed to reply.