Estonian Parliament Committee Probes €200 Million Armored Vehicle Purchase from Turkey

The Anti-Corruption Select Committee of the Riigikogu, Estonia's parliament, is looking into why the Estonian Center for Defense Investments (RKIK), the agency in charge of military procurement, bought wheeled armored vehicles from Turkey instead of striking a deal closer to home. The question touches on both the spending of public money and whether Estonian equipment is compatible with that of neighboring militaries.

In 2023, Estonia bought 230 armored vehicles from the Turkish companies Otokar and Nurol Makina for €200 million. The whole order has now been delivered.

Criticism from experts and lawmakers

In a report by the Riigikogu's National Defense Committee, experts say that by choosing Turkey, Estonia gave up strategic cooperation with its neighbors, and that in wartime its vehicles will not be compatible with theirs. Committee member and reserve Maj. Gen. Meelis Kiili asked why Estonia left a very strong, technologically advanced ecosystem that is geographically close and includes strategic partners, and moved to one that is geographically distant and does not offer the same opportunities.

The anti-corruption committee is awaiting answers from the Ministry of Defense and RKIK. On Thursday, RKIK declined to comment to ERR and said the defense minister would explain the decisions and circumstances.

The minister's explanation

Defense Minister Martin Herem, a former commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, said that buying the same vehicles as the 1st Brigade uses would have cost more, and the 2nd Brigade's battalions would not have armored vehicles by now. He said the two key factors were price and delivery speed, and the Turkish offer was the fastest. On quality, he said there is nothing more to criticize than with any other equipment.

Kaimo Kuusk, a former Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense, said maintenance capability should also have been a criterion alongside speed and price. Herem said there have been no problems with spare parts so far, and a procurement process is under way to find a maintenance provider in Estonia.

He added that in ten years people may say it was all foolish because the war never came, but today wartime units must be prepared for a possible conflict as quickly as possible. He called talk of waiting three or four years to develop something domestically not entirely responsible.