Finnish police removed the former Prime Minister of Estonia from a plane at Helsinki Airport on Saturday evening. Taavi Rõivasa, who was supposed to fly to Japan as part of the Estonian business delegation accompanying the Minister of Foreign Affairs. According to publications Delfi and Postimees, Rõivas was drunk at the time of the incident.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to Delfi that Rõivas was removed from the flight to Japan. The director of the Foreign Ministry’s public relations bureau, Liisa Toots, said she was aware of the incident, but could not comment on the reasons why Rõivas was taken off the plane.
“Members of the business delegation are free in their actions and decisions, and the ministry is not responsible for members of the business delegation or their movements,” Toots said. “Members of the business delegation themselves arrange their own travel to their destination. Taavi Rõivas did not fly with the official delegation minister to Japan (different flights), but we ended up at Helsinki airport at the same time.”
According to Postimees, the publication received information on Saturday that an incident occurred in Helsinki with a plane heading to Japan: passengers were unexpectedly informed that the crew had delayed the flight.
According to an eyewitness, before this, Rõivas had an argument with the crew. They argued in Finnish, but after a while the police arrived on board and took Rõivas off the plane.
Postimees also spoke with other people who were at the Helsinki airport at the same time as the delegation, and, according to them, Rõivas was already in a state of quite intoxication at the airport.
Rõivas himself said that reports about his drunken state were slander and that on the plane he argued with the flight attendants about the use of a laptop.
“I have filed a formal complaint with Finnair seeking compensation for damages,” the former politician added.
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna began his visit to Japan on Sunday, where he will meet with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Digital Minister Taro Kono and representatives of the Japanese parliament.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is accompanied by an Estonian business delegation.