The government will operate as arbiter unless agreement is reached. The case dominated the Estonian media world for much of 1997 and culminated in a piece of history. Tammer, named Estonian Journalist of the Year for 1997, became the first journalist to be convicted and fined in connection with his professional activities since Estonia gained its independence in 1991. A recent trend towards magazines, growing at the expense of newspapers, has produced a certain amount of sensationalism - despite last year's closure by politicians of the downmarket tabloid, Post. Outhunt., was sued for libel this year for accusing Interior Minister Robert Lepikson of speeding in his car.
Politicians continue to favour certain newspapers to express themselves.
Sonumileht has Centre Party ties, despite the Tammer case, backing Savisaar on August 26 when he was accused of taping the conversations of political rivals. Only the Tartu-based Postimees, Estinia's largest newspaper, has a reputation as the most politically independent of the country's dailies. Another press scandal broke on October 9, when two Tallinn municipality officials accused the business daily, Aripaev, of slander, after part of an interview was interpreted by the Estonian economic police as a confession of bribery. According to the officials, Aripaev had distorted their words. Aripaev's editor, Igor Rotov, is confident of winning the case, should it go to court.