Estonian minister resigns after anti-Biden remarks

ANKARA

The Estonian interior minister on Monday announced resignation after his controversial remarks about the 2020 US presidential election and President-elect Joe Biden.

"Looking at the slander and lies produced by the Estonian media, I decided to resign last night. I am tired. I did nothing yesterday that would endanger Estonia's security," public broadcaster ERR quoted Mart Helme as saying in a news conference.

"I have not said anything that has not already been recounted by the American media, the American free media."

Helme had said that the US election results are “falsified,” and Biden and his son Hunter Biden are “corrupt characters."

"The logic based on which the deep state operates is to smuggle in dirtbags, corrupt dirtbags that can be blackmailed. Joe Biden and Hunter Biden are corrupt characters," Helme said, adding that Biden is elected by the “deep state."

His son and minister for finance, Martin, also agreed with his father’s remarks, but the ERR reported that he will remain in office.

Helme is the co-founder of right-wing populist Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE). He chaired the party from April 13, 2013 to July 4, 2020, and was succeeded by his son.

EKRE emerged as the third-largest party in 2019 elections in the northern European country.

In a statement on Sunday, Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas said: “Crude criticism of these processes [US election] based on spurious information and fake news is not appropriate for ministers of the Republic of Estonia.”

“Remarks by Mart Helme and Martin Helme regarding the US election are not credible, and are even absurd. Members of the Estonian government must be able to remain balanced when commenting on the internal policy of our greatest ally. Mart and Martin Helme must immediately stop undermining Estonian-US relations."