Brussels shouldn't tell Estonia what coalition it should have

  • 2019-03-14
  • BNS/TBT Staff

TALLINN – Asked to comment on an e-mail sent to him by Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group (ALDE) at the European Parliament, chairman of the Center Party Juri Ratas said that Brussels should tell Estonia what the new Estonian government coalition should be like.

Politico reported on Wednesday that Verhofstadt has in an e-mail to Ratas urged him to abandon his plan to form a government coalition with the Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE) as a partner.

Speaking before reporters after a meeting held as part of the government consultations with EKRE and the Isamaa party on Wednesday evening, Ratas said that several heads of government from ALDE had expressed their support to him. 

"I've been in contact with quite a few ALDE prime ministers and they have expressed messages of support," Ratas said according to Postimees. "I believe Brussels shouldn't be telling Estonia now what our new coalition will be," Ratas said.

"We are guided by what the people of Estonia have said. It is in no way acceptable for Brussels to start telling what the Estonian coalition will be like," Ratas, the outgoing prime minister of Estonia, said.