Estonia, Legislation, Port, Transport

"It is in the region of 1 mln. And it arises from port fees having been left unpaid," told Saarte Liinid board member Jaanus Tamkivi on Tuesday when asked about a claim the state-owned company has on Leedo's businesses.

"We have an agreement, we've been working in accordance with the agreement for ten years. This indebtedness has been chronic, honestly speaking," Tamkivi said. He explained that where in similar disputes earlier money started moving again at least somewhat after a dispute, no money had been paid for the latest period.

The latest 10-year contract of Leedo's companies with the government to operate subsidized ferries between the mainland and Estonia's large western islands expired at the end of September 2016, after which businesses of Leedo continued operating the routes under a temporary arrangement pending the arrival of new ferries ordered by the new operator, a subsidiary of the state owned company Port of Tallinn.

"A thing or two has been paid, but at the big ports, such as the ports of Rohukula, Heltermaa, Kuivastu, Virtsu, the last three or four months definitely have not been paid for," Tamkivi said.

A court has impounded the ferry St. Ola owned by a company of Leedo as security against the claim.

Tamkivi said the other side in the dispute has not contested the claim yet.

The Saarte Liinid CEO said he still hoped that a sensible solution could be arrived at.

"I nevertheless hope that these matters will be solved in a sensible manner. Although the time for solving things in a sensible manner has already run out. When we have arrived at the point of sequestration, sensible dispute-solving apparently is over already," he said.