[ad_1]
“Corrupt garbage” as the definition of US election winner Joe Biden and accusations of colossal fraud in the presidential vote: no, this is not another dose of criticism from current head of state Donald Trump.
These are not even the words of an American politician, but they have already managed to provoke political resignation, albeit thousands of miles from America.
Estonian Interior Minister Mart Helme, representative of the far-right party EKRE, had to resign.
This came after he and his son, Finance Minister Martin Helme, were interviewed on Sunday’s radio show about the US elections. There, they did not spare criticism of the transparency of the electoral process, they questioned the ballots by mail, but above all they expressed doubts about the honesty and adequacy of the Democratic candidate Joe Biden.
“I don’t think there can be any doubt that this election was rigged. If it works, if Trump is overthrown, the United States constitution will no longer work,” said Finance Minister Martin Helme, adding that he believed it was found. currently in the United States. massive electoral fraud occurs.
“I think all normal people should speak out against it. There is no point in talking about democracy or the rule of law in a situation where elections can be manipulated so clearly, boldly and massively,” said the young Helme.
In turn, his father, Interior Minister Mart Helme, said that Biden was elected president by the “deep state.”
“The logic behind the deep state is to bring corrupt garbage to power illegally, which can then be blackmailed. Joe Biden and Hunter Biden are corrupt,” Major Helme said.
When asked by the host about the possibility of a civil war in the United States after the election, he commented that Trump will ultimately win, even at the cost of a great fight and bloodshed.
The interview generated serious criticism in Estonia against the two EKRE representatives, both on social media and from officials.
It got to the point where even the country’s military minister, Yuri Luik, said the comments “undermined Estonian security and threatened to worsen US-Estonian relations.”
“I am sad and ashamed,” said President Kersti Kalulaid. He also expressed the opinion that the words of the two politicians have damaged relations between Estonia and the United States.
Finally, after serious public pressure, Major Helme said that he would resign from his government post, although he saw nothing wrong with Estonia’s security.
“Seeing the slander and lies written by the Estonian media, I decided to resign last night. I am tired. Yesterday I did nothing that would endanger the security of Estonia. I did not say anything that was not said by the free American media.” , said. in front of Estonian public media ERR.
According to Helme, he resigned to preserve the integrity of the government coalition. However, the former minister added that what happened will not prevent him from speaking.
“You can’t shut your mouth, no one can. The prime minister can’t gag me, the president or journalists can’t gag me. I say what I think is right and what concerns me,” Mart Helme said.
The EKRE leader has long been the target of his country’s media, creating numerous scandals with comments and displaying far-right gestures.
A year ago, he had compared the European Union to the USSR. He claimed that both unions subjugated Estonia.
At the end of last year, he engaged in a debate in absentia with the young Finnish Prime Minister Sana Marin, after declaring at his election that “a saleswoman has been promoted to the post of Prime Minister.” Helme then had to clarify that he had made his comment not from the position of Estonian Interior Minister, but from the position of party leader.
His son Martin notes that Mart Helme will now return to the Estonian Parliament as a deputy. Meanwhile, the decision on who will replace his father as interior minister should not rest with Prime Minister Yuri Ratas, but with EKRE as a party, young Helme is convinced.
After the 2019 elections, Estonia is governed by a coalition between the Centrist Party, the Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) and the Conservative Party of the Fatherland.
So far, the Centrist Party has endured numerous public scandals over its choice of coalition partner, and the one that led to Mart Helme’s resignation is just another example.
