Hanno Pevkur (RE) is going to work in the Riigikogu. His seat will be vacated by Katrin Kuusemäe, who was Pevkur's substitute member.
This was stated by the Reform Party press representative Sander Andla. The faction leader Õnne Pillak also said that Pevkur is returning to the Riigikogu. The voters gave him the mandate for this. Kuusemäe did a good job in the Riigikogu. She worked in the constitutional committee and led the cancer prevention and rare diseases group.
Pevkur confirmed his return to the Riigikogu at the government press conference. The National Defence Committee is currently without a leader. It would be logical for Pevkur to take up this position. He was previously the Minister of Defence.
Kalev Stoicescu was the head of the National Defence Committee. He left the Eesti 200 party at the beginning of August and joined the Estonian Conservative People's Party. Eesti 200 called Stoicescu back from the position of committee chairman. Toomas Uibo (Eesti 200) moved into the committee as a member in his place.
Pevkur said that the position of chairman of the National Defence Committee belongs to Eesti 200 according to the coalition agreement. He said they will not change the coalition agreement on this issue. But they are discussing it. Pevkur said: "There is time, the wise do not rush."
Pevkur announced on Wednesday in "Aktuaalne kaamera" that he is resigning from the position of Minister of Defence. He has been the Minister of Defence since 2022.
The Prosecutor's Office initiated a criminal procedure on Tuesday. They are investigating the administrative area of the Ministry of Defence. The investigation concerns the State Audit Office audits of the current and past years. No one is under suspicion of a crime.
On Wednesday, it became clear that Estonia wished to buy missiles for Ukraine. Estonia paid 70 million euros as an advance to Indian entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs have not sold missiles before.