Estonia's defense minister resigns in national defense procurement scandal
The National Audit Office's criticisms of the activities of the EDF and the Center for Defense Investments are serious enough that the defense minister should resign, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said.
Estonia's Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur resigned on September 2 after it emerged that his country had allocated 70 million euros to purchase faulty artillery shells for Ukraine. Pevkur acknowledged he was unaware of the ammunition deal's issues but willingly accepted responsibility. The Estonian National Audit Office's report on August 28 criticized recent defense spending and highlighted the procurement problems.
The deal, signed with an Italian company via an Indian subsidiary, was meant to aid Ukraine against Russian forces using EU funds. The shells arrived months late and were found to be defective. Experts, including the new RKIK Director General, have stated the contract should never have been signed. Estonia's defense budget rose significantly since Russia's invasion in 2022, with plans to increase spending further next year.
The National Audit Office has repeatedly raised concerns about potential misuse of funds. Estonia's Prime Minister called an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the resignation and the audit findings. The country's Prosecutor's Office has initiated a criminal investigation into the issues in the audit reports. The Baltic states are strengthening their defense capabilities amidst new Russian threats.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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