Matis Mäeker, the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit, said that their institution no longer conducts bank inquiries through the enforcement register. They now use emails, which take more time.
Mäeker said that they do not want to undermine the mandate of the Chancellor of Justice. If the Chancellor of Justice says that there is no right to request data, then that is how it is.
This means that the Financial Intelligence Unit receives account statements with a week's delay. They have to analyze PDF statements manually. This requires more resources and time.
Mäeker said that the process becomes slower and their ability to prevent money laundering decreases. He emphasized that they need to engage in dialogue and update mandates.
The problem is that the Chancellor of Justice finds that the law is not precise enough. He does not know if the legislator intended to give the Financial Intelligence Unit the right to make inquiries.
The Financial Intelligence Unit believes that they have the right to make inquiries. The Chancellor of Justice, however, believes that such a right should be clearly stated.
The Financial Intelligence Unit has requested bank account statements through the enforcement register fewer than 2000 times. Mäeker said that this does not mean a bank account statement every time.
The office of the Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise found that through the enforcement register, government agencies gain access to the bank secrecy of account owners without the appropriate legal basis. The Chancellor of Justice finds that the enforcement register lacks rules.