Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas apologized for the fact that the transport company Stark Logistics, about 25% of which belongs to her husband, cooperated with Russia after the start of the war in Ukraine. The politician said this in an interview with Delfi.
“To act in Russia or maintain relations with Russia when there is a full-scale war is wrong from a moral point of view. I believe that my husband, by his actions — by selling his share in the enterprise that he built for years for the price of a sandwich — showed that he really understands the essence of the claims, ”Kallas said.
The politician added that she plans to continue his job as prime minister. At the same time, according to her, the opposition has the right to put forward a vote of no confidence and collect votes for the resignation of Kallas from office.
After the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the prime minister advocated the termination of business with Russia. In May 2023, in an interview with the Financial Times, she recalled that she had to «beg» Estonian companies not to help with «gray» deliveries of sanctioned goods to Russia.
Estonian National Broadcasting (ERR) found out this week that Kallas' husband Arvo Hallik owns minority interest in Stark Logistics, which has not stopped shipping to Russian cargo after February 2022. Since that moment, the company has received 1.5 million euros from shipments to Russia.
Kallas said that “there is no immoral activity at the enterprise owned by her husband,” since they do not have Russian clients, and she herself is not involved in her husband’s business. But as noted by ERR, in her declaration the official indicated that she had given loans to her husband's company Novaria Consult — through her he owns a stake in Stark Logistics. It was about the amounts of 350 thousand and 20 thousand euros.