Reform Party and People's Union unite against Centrists

Jul 06, 2005
By TBT staff

TALLINN - The Estonian Reform Party and the People's Union are still against motions by Social Affairs Minister Jaak Aab from the Center Party, the third party in the ruling coalition, on how to patch up a 377 million kroon (24 million euro) gap in the medical insurance budget, the daily Postimees reported.

TALLINN - The Estonian Reform Party and the People's Union are still against motions by Social Affairs Minister Jaak Aab from the Center Party, the third party in the ruling coalition, on how to patch up a 377 million kroon (24 million euro) gap in the medical insurance budget, the daily Postimees reported.

According to motions made at the end of May, the state's social tax should be raised, hospital revenues should be taxed and asset expenses should be covered by the state budget in order to economize.

Reform Party Deputy Chairman Meelis Atonen said the state budget did not permit covering hospital expenses on asssets.

Atonen told the paper that the Reform Party preferred putting more weight on patients' own responsibility. "The sickness benefits could be 70 percent instead of the present 80 percent [of the wages.] One version would be to reduce it starting from the second week of sickness," he said.

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