Estonia faced ongoing political controversy Dec. 27 as Tallinn mayor and opposition Center Party leader Edgar Savisaar faced accusations by opposing party members of pro-Russian leanings. The scandal stems from a now-declassified report from Estonia's intelligence agency, Kaitsepolitsei (KaPo), labeling Savisaar an "agent of influence" of Russia and a "security threat" due to his acquisition of 1.5 million euros (about $2 million) from a Russian nongovernmental organization (NGO). The controversy began after Estonian newspaper Postimees reported Dec. 16 that KaPo had written the Estonian government describing Savisaar as a national security threat. This was not the first time Savisaar's ties to Russia had been publicly aired, nor the first time that KaPo had leveled criticism against him. The scandal undoubtedly will serve as a leading issue in Estonian parliamentary elections set for March 2011.