Riigikogu debates vetting for secret Estonian data
Members of the Riigikogu (Estonia's unicameral parliament) from the Social Democratic Party have launched an initiative to restrict access to state secrets for pro-Russian parliamentarians, according to Raimond Kaljulaid, a member of the faction.
He noted that the initiative is a response to recent shifts in Estonia's security landscape.
"The current law guarantees all Riigikogu members the right to access state secrets. In the future, to gain such access, parliamentarians will need to undergo a vetting process that considers their background," the Estonian MP was quoted as saying by the Postimees newspaper.
Kaljulaid emphasized that the initiative is also prompted by the presence of pro-Russian parliamentarians in the legislature.
"Given that not all elected members of parliament are certain to share the values crucial for Estonia's national security, the Riigikogu should consider altering its internal operational structure," he contended.
Raimond Kaljulaid further stated that pro-Russian parliamentarians should not have automatic access to classified information.
In a related development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was quoted by TASS as stating that, in his view, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania lack political independence and are merely "puppets in the hands of European giants, who are turning them against Russia and its allies."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
