Estonian parliament to vote on granting Reform's Kallas power to form government

TALLINN - Head of Estonia's election-winning Reform Party Kaja Kallas is to appear on Monday before the parliament, which will vote on whether or not to grant Kallas the authorization to form a government coalition. 

The Reform Party and the Social Democratic Party (SDE) made public on Saturday a document regarding the foundations for government formation that describes the principles according to which a government led by Reform Party leader Kaja Kallas would start operating. 

"President Kersti Kaljulaid last Friday made a proposal to me to form a government. According to the Constitution, I must give a presentation to the Riigikogu regarding the foundations for forming a government, which I will give on Monday. These same principles, which our government would be guided by, are described in this document," Kaja Kallas was quoted by party spokespeople as saying.

SDE chairman Jevgeni Ossinovski said that the Estonian society has made tremendous progress in the last approximately 30 years and the prerequisite for that has been a free society and belonging to the European value space.

"Not all have been a part of the common success enough, but that does not mean that we have to hate each other and close ourselves up as a society. The new government must be ambitious and forward-looking, because our fate not only here and now but also in decades' time will depend on the decisions made today," Ossinovski said.

"On Monday, every MP will have the opportunity to assume a stance and decide whether Estonia will be carried forward by values that the IKE [Isamaa, Center Party and Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE)] government is based on, or the principles offered by us. Every MP is free in their mandate. Every MP will have time over the weekend to discuss with their voters and their own conscience what one or another decision will bring along for the future of Estonia," Kallas said.