TALLINN — Social Democratic Party members will gather Friday evening to hear their leader Jüri Pihl explain his accusation that the prime minister and two other ministers may have committed treason.

The result of Friday's meeting of the Social Democratic Party could determine whether Jüri Pihl (second from right) will continue leading the party in light of the treason accusation scandal.

Pihl’s statement to country’s Security Police Board, released to the public on Thursday, has developed into a national political scandal resulting in resentment even among his own party. The party’s general assembly scheduled a general meeting on Friday to discuss whether Pihl should continue as leader or not. Party members are divided between those loyal to Pihl and those arguing that the treason allegation warrants his removal from the leadership position.

Peeter Kreitzberg, vice chairman of Social Democratic Party is standing up for Pihl. Kreitzberg acknowledged that an intensive debate concerning Pihl’s actions is taking place both inside and outside the party but insists that Pihl has not committed a crime and that he should continue as the party leader.

“Pihl’s letter was not well composed, but he did not commit a crime, and it’s not a reason to step down from the party leader’s position,” Kreitzberg told Baltic Reports.

Kreitzberg points out that it’s in the Reform Party’s interest to discredit Pihl and assures that the situation inside the party is stabilizing.

“There are many who are supporting Pihl, and he is willing to explain what is going on and discuss the state secret issue, which will be the meeting’s topic,” told Kreitzberg.

However, Sven Mikser, a board member of Social Democratic Party told daily newspaper Postimees on Friday that Pihl’s statement of suspicion to the police was a huge mistake and that if Pihl would choose to step down then no one would stop him.

“Pihl’s action was a big mistake and such things should not be done in Estonian politics. For sure it’s not handled only as citizen vigilance and an expression of his own suspicions,“ Mikser said.

Security Police Board’s reputation under question

The release of Pihl’s letter by Minister of Justice Rein Lang has been criticized, as under normal procedure such an allegation remain confidential. Lang was one of the ministers accused of treason by Pihl, along with Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet.

Kreitzberg said Lang abused his position by demanding Pihl’s statement from police and then publishing it on the website of the Ministry of Justice.

“The Security Police Board should not have given him the file and Lang should not know that such a file even exists,” Kreitzberg said.