Svobodna Dnevnik

[Hadash]

Svobodna Dnevnik

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Mordvanian Minister of Defense involved in new leaked recordings
By: Polina Lamparska
Published: Zechyr, 1599


Edgar Puusepp during a recent interview

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More than six months after the start of the publications of the so-called “Handke Tapes”, another political scandal has hit the Mordvanian government, with the leaked recordings of Minister of Defense Edgar Puusepp.

The leaked recordings were not published by Slovogradanski zvon, the newspaper which has been publishing the Handke Tapes, but by Jasnost, a more controversial newspaper from Mestarka. The recording are not either from the same time than the “Handke Tapes”, but much more recently. Although there is not clear indication when they were recorded, there seems to be the case that they were recorded sometime between the election of Agnieszka Szczepanska as President of Mordvania and the 1596 legislative election.

In the recordings, Edgar Puusepp can be heard discussing with Michael Baumsek, an Ostlander businessman of Mordvanian background, a deal to build three skyscrapers in Mazenskai. The recording reportedly reveals that Puusepp recommends Baumsek that, in the case the project is not completed -as the project had been met with protests by local activist-, to take legal action and try to blame Mestarka’s opposition parties in the local town council. During the conversation, Puusepp repeatedly tries to convince to not leave the project and at some point, he reportedly claimed this to be the only way Baumsek would be reimbursed if the project fails.

Edgar Puusepp was mayor of Amsberg from 1583 to 1591, as a candidate of the Coalition of Constitutional Forces. At the time, Puuseep gained a reputation as for his good management of public finances and for ending arbitrary and corruption practices in the local government. Under a centrist and anti-corruption platform, Puuseep run as Centre Democratic Party candidate to the 1590 presidential election, in which he finished third with 13% of the vote. He became Minister of Republican Affairs from 1591 to 1594, during a coalition government between the Mordvanian Republican Party and the Centre Democratic Party. He became General Secretary of the Centre Democratic Party from 1593 to 1595. Surprisingly, he lost the Centre Democratic Party primaries and did not repeat as candidate of the party for the presidential election, in which his rival and colleague Agnieszka Szczepanska was elected President of Mordvania. During Szczepanska’s administration, he served as Vice-President of the Republican Council and minister without portfolio from 1596 to 1598, and Minister of Defense since 1598.

Puuseep is considered one of the most influencial ministers in the Szczepanska’s administration, as a former party leader and one of the most veteran politicians of the Centre Democratic Party. However, his reputation as a politician who steers clear of graft seems threatened to be tarnished by the leaked recordings, as it was already damaged after the Handke Tapes. The opposition has demanded Puusepp to resign immediately, with several opposition lawmakers calling for a vote of no confidence against the government if he is not dismissed.

During the conversations, Puusepp and Batumsek also made disparaging comments about President Agnieszka Szczepanska, and Puuseep reportedly bragged about his role during the electoral campaign -although it is unclear if he meant the 1596 presidential election or rather the legislative election held later that year-  and his own influence in the national government.

The leaked recordings, which allegedly happened before the Handke Tapes were made public and before Puusepp became Minister of Defense as wells, also shows Batumsek discussing with Puusepp the influence of the military establishment, with Puusepp declaring that he would be glad if they could simply privatize Radio Republikanci (a state-owned radio station which is operated by Mordvanian Armed Froces) or “just shut it down for good”.

Marius Budrys, Deputy General Secretary of the Centre Democratic Party, has denied that the latest leaked recordings reveal any wrongdoing. “[The converesation] contains no shred of evidence to suggest Centre Democratic Party or government officials did anything inappropriate”, Budrys declared in a press conference, in which he rejected to allow questions from the media.

President Agnieszka Szczepanska run as presidential candidate vowing to take an uncompromising stance on corruption, but the conversations reportedly showing Edgar Puusepp -who is considered to be Agnieszka Szczepanska’s political menton and one of the top officials of her administration- taking part in murky dealings may undermine her image even further. President Szczepanska’s approval rating is currently 24%, in a poll before the last leaked conversation was published.

She is expected to address this issue in a coming interview in state media, scheduled tomorrow evening.