Prosecutor's Office Extends Deadline in High-Profile Isamaa Case

The Prosecutor's Office initially planned to issue a procedural decision on the suspicion brought against the Isamaa party in June or July, but the complexity of the case has pushed the timeline back. In early June, prosecutors promised to conclude the matter by the end of July, but spokesperson Helen Uldrich now states the process has taken longer than anticipated. According to prosecutors, a decision should still be made by the end of summer.

"The collected material is currently being reviewed very thoroughly and repeatedly so that, regardless of whether the procedural decision will mean going to court or not, it is based on the most comprehensive analysis possible," Uldrich explained. "There is very little room for error for the Prosecutor's Office. The case is complex and weighty," she added.

Uldrich said the goal remains to finalize the decision during the summer months, as otherwise it would fall too close to the start of the election cycle. A team of two to three prosecutors is working on the case.

Last November, prosecutors issued a suspicion against Isamaa under section 402(2) of the Penal Code for accepting a prohibited donation of €110,234 between 19 November 2020 and 3 April 2024. According to the suspicion, prohibited donations to Isamaa totaled around €330,000.

The suspicion claims Isamaa allegedly benefited from services financed outside the party's official budget. The €110,000 service cost covered by donations was allegedly paid by the NGO Isamaalised. Party members Tõnis Palts, Parvel Pruunsild and Mart Maastik have confirmed receiving suspicions related to making prohibited donations to Isamaa. Prosecutors have not disclosed which legal entity is connected to the remaining €220,000 donation.

Isamaa chairman Urmas Reinsalu has said the party fully rejects the suspicion. The suspicion concerns the period when Helir-Valdor Seeder and Lavly Perling competed for the party chairmanship in 2021. Perling and her supporters had formed the internal faction Parempoolsed, while Seeder's more ardent supporters rallied behind the NGO Isamaalised. The latter was actively supported by Parvel Pruunsild, an Isamaa member since 28 October 1999. Palts served as the NGO's executive director. Parliamentary elections in Estonia will take place on 7 March 2027.