In July, it became clear that authorities had access to bank data without a legal basis. Government agencies have made over 10,000 inquiries to banks in a year.
LHV Bank is demanding €247 million in compensation from the Financial Intelligence Unit. Other banks are also considering filing claims.
According to the Ministry, the Register of Databases and Information Systems (RIK) has not required banks to use automatic responses. It is up to banks to decide whether to respond to inquiries automatically or manually.
The Bank Association disagrees. The chairman of the Bank Association, Kadri Kiisel, said that the inquiry system was designed for automatic responses. Banks cannot verify the legality of inquiries.
The state obliges banks to provide data. The Chancellor of Justice has confirmed that a bank must respond to inquiries received through the enforcement registry.
According to the Ministry, automatic responses are still the banks' own choice. Banks must respond to inquiries, but they determine the content and extent of their responses themselves.
In July, the Minister of Justice restricted institutions from making inquiries in the enforcement registry without separate permission. The Financial Intelligence Unit applied for the restoration of access, but the Ministry rejected the application.