In the autumn of 2022, a corruption scandal broke out in Kohtla-Järve. The main suspect was municipal businessman Nikolai Ossipenko. He passed away last year. The criminal case continued, and the first court rulings have now been enforced.
In a plea deal, the court punished Anton Dijev. He must pay over €12,000. Anton Dijev was a member of the Kohtla-Järve City Council. He voted in favor of an agreement with Nikolai Ossipenko. In return, Dijev received two positions on councils: at Ida-Viru Central Hospital and the municipal company OSK Grupp.
Judge Deniss Minzatov stated that Dijev’s crime was bribery. Despite receiving a punishment, Anton Dijev ran for the council again. He received enough votes and was elected for the fifth time to the Kohtla-Järve City Council.
Anton Dijev’s punishment came into force during the elections. He did not speak about it publicly. Sergei Lopin, the head of the Center Party’s Kohtla-Järve region, said he only found out about it from a journalist. Dijev told the newspaper Põhjarannik that he must continue to act and be cautious. He did not explain to Sergei Lopin why he concealed his guilt.
Vitali Borodin is the former deputy mayor and council member of Kohtla-Järve. He also entered into a plea deal with the prosecutor’s office. He did not run for the council this autumn and has ended his political career. The court fined him over €20,000.
There are three more suspects in the Kohtla-Järve corruption scandal. Court proceedings are underway against them. The former chairman of the city council, Tiit Lillemets, is also among the suspects. His trial will continue next year in May.
Timofei Korepov and Maria Merkulova are also suspects. Timofei Korepov works as a public order officer in the Kohtla-Järve city government. Maria Merkulova was the deputy chairwoman of the city council. Currently, she is an ordinary member and part of the social committee. She ran in the elections but was not elected.
Pre-trial proceedings are still ongoing for six individuals.