TALLINN - Estonia will face a general parliamentary election on Mar. 4, 2007, after President Toomas Hendrik Ilves signed a resolution calling for the election of the 11th Parliament.
In calling the election, Ilves launched an attack on the recent style of Estonian politics. He said the interests of parties had started smothering the national interest, and accused both the governing coalition and the opposition parties of indecision and conflict.
According to Ilves, people also should ask why citizens' trust in the rule of law had become shaky and why the meaning of laws was distorted behind the shield of legal correctness.
"Why do some of our businessmen knowingly ignore both laws and good practices but enjoy politicians' favor? Why is it that political debates are rampant with language which makes us want to cover our children's ears when we hear it?" Ilves said.
The president also called on candidates to observe good practices of fair campaigning and refrain from denigrating their rivals.
