Estonia: Ministers argue about anti-money laundering law

Estonia’s Finance Ministry has drafted legislative amendments that would grant the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) explicit authority to access banking data to combat money laundering, ERR reports. Under the law, banks would not be allowed to inform clients about such inquiries. Earlier, following criticism from Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise, Justice Minister Liisa Pakosta restricted…

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Estonia: Scandal over unauthorised access to bank accounts by officials

Estonia’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) checked around 2,000 bank statements without legal authority, Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise announced, ERR reports. FIU had obtained full bank statements via the data exchange layer connected to the enforcement register, whereas the law only allows FIU access to basic information about bank accounts. FIU told ERR that it…

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Estonia: Russian citizens still allowed to vote in local elections

Estonian parties disagree on proposed amendments to suspend the voting rights of third-country nationals, including Russian citizens, ERR reports. The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has approved the amendments in first reading with support from the ruling coalition’s Estonian Reform Party and Estonia 200 as well as the opposition’s Fatherland (Isamaa) and Conservative People’s Party of…

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