HELSINKI, Sep 4 Estonian President Alar Karis, who met on Monday with the chairmen of the parliamentary parties, believes that Prime Minister Kaja Kallas should have resigned at the very beginning of the scandal involving her husband, who was doing business in Russia.
Earlier, the state broadcasting portal ERR reported that the transport company Stark Logistics, partly owned by Callas' husband Arvo Hallik, still continues to transport goods to Russia. This information caused a great resonance in society. Critics of Kallas noted that she called on the whole world to «stop the bloody business with Russia,» but allegedly did not know that her husband's company continued to transport goods to Russia. Opposition politicians demanded that Kallas resign.
«I would prefer that the head of government resign at the very beginning of this chain of events that led to a serious crisis. This would save her, her loved ones, the efficiency of the government and the credibility of the messages that Estonia sends to the world. But everyone in such a situation, he makes his choice, estimating the seriousness of the moral problem himself,» the president of ERR quotes.
Last week, Kallas said that she regrets the situation with Arvo Hallik's business in Russia, but does not intend to resign. She stressed that Stark Logistics was not involved in the transportation of goods under EU sanctions to Russia. Freight transportation services are currently provided to only one Estonian company, which is ceasing production activities in the Russian Federation and exporting equipment from Russia with the help of Stark Logistics, this process will be completed in September.