Political parties in Estonia’s parliament, the Riigikogu, wanted to remove the Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs, Liisa-Ly Pakosta, from her position. They accused her of two main things. First, they said she did not take action in a criminal case called the Pihlakodu case. Second, they criticized her for bringing 600 prisoners from Sweden to a prison in Tartu.
Pakosta said she will not resign. She denied the accusations and said they were not true. She explained that in Estonia, politicians cannot interfere with the work of the prosecutor’s office. This is against the law. She also said she has worked hard to solve the Pihlakodu case.
One politician, Lauri Laats, said that under Pakosta’s leadership, some crimes, like rapes, were not punished. Pakosta responded that she was not the minister when these crimes happened. She said the suspect is now in court, and if new evidence is found, it will be dealt with. She also encouraged people to report crimes to the police.
Pakosta also talked about the Tartu prison. Some people said bringing foreign prisoners to Estonia was dangerous. Pakosta said this is not true. She explained that the prison was empty and costs a lot of money to maintain. Bringing in prisoners from Sweden creates jobs and saves money. She also said the prison is safe and follows international standards.
In the end, Pakosta said Estonia is a safe country with a good prison system. She believes the prison should be used, and people should not be afraid.