PM says good words about ex-minister convicted of bribery

Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip raised some eyebrows this week after he sent a video greeting for the 60th birthday of Villu Reiljan, former Minister of Environment who this week received a suspended sentence for his part in the infamous land swapping deals.

Commenting the case, Ansip said that Reiljan was a minister in his government and that the court decision has not changed in any way the fact that Reiljan had also done much good for Estonia. Ansip said that Reiljan established the Natura forest reserve in Estonia. "This is something that has turned out quite well," said Ansip.

He also credited Reiljan for establishing and successfully implementing the packaging deposit system, which Ansip said had drawn praise from other European countries. There's plenty to credit him for. I recommend to everyone if you see that someone has erred, those around him should help him pick up the pieces and go forward," said Ansip. Tallinn Circuit Court ruled this week that Reiljan, former People's Union leader, received  kickbacks from businessmen.

Toomas Hõbemägi