Interior Minister Igor Taro told a parliamentary committee how people in Estonia are secretly monitored. He showed how many people have been surveilled and how many permits have been issued. After the meeting, the minister said this data is for internal use only.
Committee member Raimond Kaljulaid said this was incorrect. He found that the law does not prohibit the publication of such data. Kaljulaid said he could publish the data, but he won’t do so out of respect for the state. He gave the minister an opportunity to change the decision.
Kaljulaid said many people are surveilled without reason. He mentioned that no one knows exactly how many people have been monitored. This topic is important because it concerns people's rights.
Interior Minister Taro responded that matters discussed in a secure setting must remain there. He said public data is available to everyone. If members of parliament wish to discuss it, they can do so publicly.
Taro stated that surveillance is a serious matter. It should not turn into a trivial dispute. He offered Kaljulaid the opportunity to contact him if there are questions.