TALLINN, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur announced his resignation on Wednesday, saying he was taking political responsibility after the National Audit Office found serious problems in the management and accounting of the country's defense sector.
Pevkur, who has served as defense minister since 2022, announced his decision during a live broadcast of "Aktuaalne kaamera," the flagship evening news program of Estonian public broadcaster ERR.
He said he considered it right to assume political responsibility for the entire defense sector and would hand over his duties when Prime Minister Kristen Michal considered it appropriate.
The National Audit Office said last week that serious deficiencies in the Defense Forces' inventory accounting meant auditors could not establish the accuracy of an inventory balance of about 1.2 billion euros (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars).
The auditors also identified shortcomings in contract management, monitoring of contract performance, and procedures for verifying and recording goods received.
Estonia has sharply increased defense spending in recent years. The country's defense expenditure is set at 5.4 percent of gross domestic product in 2026, compared with about 3.3 percent in 2025, according to the Defense Ministry. ■