The Legal Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu will discuss the activities of the Prosecutor’s Office at next week’s session. The committee wants to invite representatives from the Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice. They want to know why the charges against police chiefs went through three court instances. Committee Chairman Madis Timpson said this topic is of interest.
Timpson said they will invite the Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice for discussions. They want to know how to proceed so that society feels more justice. Lawyer Margus Kurm said the Prosecutor’s Office currently bears no responsibility. No one is asking them why they went to court.
Timpson mentioned that there has been a suggestion in the media to form a separate collegium. This collegium would monitor which cases go to court. Timpson thought this was an interesting idea, but the details are complicated. He said it should not be a political commission but rather one composed of specialists.
Timpson wants to know how the Prosecutor’s Office decides to go to court. Is one prosecutor’s opinion enough? Timpson said he personally would not have gone to court. But he hopes the Chief Prosecutor will provide explanations on how to avoid mistakes in the future.
Timpson added that the Prosecutor’s Office should not always win in court. However, society should better understand their work. He does not generalize based on one case. But parliamentary oversight, in his opinion, is reasonable.
Timpson does not yet know whether to invite the former Chief Prosecutor Parmas to the committee. He believes the current Chief Prosecutor Astrid Asi can provide the necessary information. Timpson does not say that the Prosecutor’s Office acted unlawfully. But he thinks sensitive matters should be considered more carefully.
Timpson said this case was a clash of two people’s egos. He believes it is not right to settle personal disputes in court at the taxpayer’s expense.