Estonian minister of rural affairs tenders resignation

Estonian Minister of Rural Affairs Martin Repinski Tuesday handed his letter of resignation to Prime Minister Juri Ratas amid alleged scandals, local media reported.

The resignation came less than two weeks after the Estonian new government was sworn in on Nov. 23.

Repinski said he tendered his resignation to get the prime minister and his Center Party out from under fire, said the report.

"It's clear that loose ends have been left from my activity as an entrepreneur and my earlier life which need to be tied up," Repinski said in a press release.

"Performance of the duties of government minister definitely does not allow for it, as in doing it, one has to focus 100 percent on the opportunities and concerns of Estonia's rural life and agriculture. Therefore I will resign from the office of minister and continue working as a member of the Riigikogu (parliament). I will put the things related to my farm in order so I could properly hand over its day-to-day management," Repinski said.

He also thanked the plenty of support from the Center Party and his fellow partymates, lauding the Center party's rural affairs policy as "highly valued".

Earlier, the Repinski-owned farm was alleged to have sold goat cheese labelled as an Estonian product despite part of it being ordered from a Dutch company, which was denied by Repinski.

On Friday, it was reported that the Ida-Viru County Court had found Repinski guilty of attempted fraud as a minor of 15 years old. Endit