Corruption, Estonia, Financial Services, Legislation, Port, Transport

"I believe that everyone has seen the statements made by both the State Prosecutor's Office and the Security Police that in the procedures, no evidence has been revealed that some political party was covertly funded through Port of Tallinn," said Rõivas.

Rõivas said that the Security Police (KaPo) has also stated that no information has been revealed that the Council of the company had been aware of taking bribes or that they were involved in it.

Commenting upon accusations of businessman, former interior minister Jüri Mõis that management of Port of Tallinn made payments to parties according to the agreement of a former government coalition, Rõivas said that it is hard to believe. "The story's credibility is reduced by the fact that a former interior minister says that he went to KaPo once and did not get help and then he kept it to himself," was Rõivas sceptical.

Jüri Mõis, who was Estonia's interior minister in 1999, said in an article in Äripäev on Thursday that he got trustworthy information in the first half of 2001 that nearly a million kroons or 64,000 euros for each of the members of the then three-party coalition was taken from Port of Tallinn. He said that the port managers were given corresponding orders and promises from the politicians to turn a blind eye. Mõis said that he spoke of the matter in KaPo but no investigation was started since there was no evidence.

The Mart Laar-headed Pro Patria Union, Reform Party and Moderates government was in power in Estonia from spring 1999 to the start of 2002.