Tallinn City, Center Party Sweep NGOs' Elections Hall of Shame

After reports that the city spent 65,000 euros on yesterday's opening ceremonies – from an overpass and tunnel project in the morning to a fireworks show last night – Tallinn's city government rose to first in the Hall of Shame rankings compiled periodically by a network of NGOs. 

Besides a giant effigy of the Old Man of Ülemiste, a mythical figure – which cost just under 10,000 euros for a show that was only several minutes long – Tallinn came under fire for organizing a nationwide series of Popular Front 25th anniversary events. The Center Party is descended from the Popular Front independence movement.    

None of the eight pundits who rank the most unethical practices ahead of local elections belong to a political party, though the Center Party is not represented among those members who have former affiliations.

Second-most shameful was a letter sent by Tallinn City Council Chairman Toomas Vitsut to officials emblazoned with a picture of himself that warned them that the other "candidates for mayor are planning to sack you" and hire their own minions instead. 

Third was again the Tallinn City Government, for allegedly intimidating voters at a local government forum titled "Satan votes over the Internet." The topic was the alleged lack of security of e-voting.

Number four had to do with concealing party affiliation in mail ads, while five criticized the distribution of campaign ads for city district elder Mikhail Korb (Center) at a Tallinn social center.  

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