Estonia: Jevgeni Ossinovski to resign as minister of health, labor

TALLINN - Chairman of the Estonian Social Democratic Party (SDE) Jevgeni Ossinovski at a council of the party on Saturday said that ahead of the parliamentary elections in 2019, he will focus fully on the party and thus will resign as minister of health and labor after budget strategy negotiations, the news portal of the public broadcaster ERR reports.

"Shifting the focus of our politics to our central topics means that over the next 330 days, I personally have to make a daily effort in the name of that. However, it will not be possible to do so when fulfilling the tasks of the minister of health and labor," Ossinovski said.

He said that a year before the elections, he must fully commit to the party and that his current field of responsibility in the government is by far too important and at the same time undoubtedly the most difficult for Estonia for it to be possible to not do it without full commitment.

Ossinovski listed the achievements made as minister and added that there is a lot yet to be done and that it is necessary to keep going as strongly as before.

"It is exactly this reason why my sense of responsibility towards the party as well as the people of Estonia demands that I hand over the baton. I have decided to continue leading the party as the head of the parliamentary group of the Social Democrats in the Riigikogu. I know that this decision is necessary for the party and that this decision is right," he said.

As state budget strategy negotiations are currently underway, then Ossinovski as both the head of his field and the Social Democratic delegation in the government considers it his duty to complete this process as minister.

"This means that now that I have spoken with you, dear fellow party members, we have enough time to find an honorable successor for my current position. I believe that I can present my proposal to the board already in the next few weeks," Ossinovski said.