The Tallinn Administrative Court overturned an ERJK decision. ERJK had ordered four political parties to return money to the SALK foundation. The court found that ERJK did not do its job properly.
The court stated that ERJK did not check whether SALK did anything wrong. SALK shared research data with others as well. Therefore, it might not have been a secret activity. The court added that ERJK did not investigate whether it was paid or voluntary work.
The court found that the ERJK decision had major flaws. ERJK did not gather sufficient evidence. Suspicion alone is not enough to make a decision. The parties were also unable to defend themselves because ERJK did not provide them with all the data.
The court ruling is not yet final. It can still be appealed. The Reform Party, Eesti 200, the Social Democrats, and the Center Party had challenged the ERJK decision in court.
In March, ERJK had decided that the parties must repay 92,572 euros to SALK. ERJK believed that SALK provided free services to the parties. These services included sharing research data and consulting.
The court clarified that the law prohibits secret services to political parties. This is forbidden to ensure fair politics. However, the court also emphasized that parties and citizens can communicate freely. They can share information and opinions.