Estonian president to meet with party leaders next week to discuss political situation

  • 2021-01-10
  • BNS/TBT Staff

TALLINN – The Estonian president will meet with the leaders of all parliamentary parties and parliamentary groups of the Riigikogu next week to discuss the political situation and the cooperation capacity of political parties. 

According to the head of state, the Riigikogu must be able to show the people its ability and will to work together, and both the coalition and the opposition must be able to exercise their rights arising from law, spokespeople for the president said.

"In democracy, the right of the majority to pursue its political agenda and the right of the opposition to have a say and be heard are equally important. Democracy means, first and foremost, the responsibility of the majority towards the minority. But the developments in the recent days in the Riigikogu show that, above all, political parties need to look for the ability and will to cooperate and to move forward on a common ground. The Estonian people expect their representatives to cooperate and to follow the laws they have established. The Estonian people would like to be proud of the Riigikogu," Kaljulaid said.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the head of state will meet with Reform Party chair Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister and Center Party chair Juri Ratas, Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE) leader and Finance Minister Martin Helme and Isamaa leader Helir-Valdor Seeder. In addition, the president will also meet with the leader of the Center Party parliamentary group Kersti Sarapuu, the leader of the EKRE parliamentary group Siim Pohlak, and the head of the Isamaa parliamentary group Priit Sibul.