Johanna-Maria Lehtme

Johanna-Maria Lehtme

Johanna-Maria Lehtme (born 1 October 1988) is an Estonian politician, cultural organizer activist who is the founder and leader of the non-governmental organization Slava Ukraini, which organizes humanitarian aid to Ukraine from Estonia.^[1]

Lehtme is the daughter of Estonian filmmaker Riina Sildos. She graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Tartu with a bachelor's degree in 2011.^[2]

Following the 2023 Estonian parliamentary election, she was elected as a member of the XV Riigikogu, representing the Estonia 200 party. Due to a financial scandal of the organization of Slava Ukraini, she left her vacated her position in the Riigikogu, and was replaced by Züleyxa Izmailova.^[3]

Since 2023 she is under criminal investigation with the suspicion of, in her role as a board member, partially diverting assets belonging to the non-governmental organization to benefit third parties, thereby causing financial damage to Slava Ukraini and breaching the trust given to her by the organization in contract matters. In the fall of 2024 the non-governmental organization reported ceasing its operations due to lack of donations.^[4]

References

1. "Kandidaadid". rk2023.valimised.ee. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
2. "Kalev Vilgats: Johanna-Maria Lehtme peadpööritav lend ja langus". Vaba Eesti Sõna (in Estonian). 29 May 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
3. "Johanna-Maria Lehtme lahkub riigikogust". Postimees (in Estonian). 19 May 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
4. "NGO Slava Ukraini closure has no bearing on Lehtme investigation". ERR. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.