Minister: Estonia will continue to support liberal forces in Europe

TALLINN - If two camps were to emerge in Europe, made up respectively of countries upholding liberal values and of countries opposed to them, Estonia would definitely choose the first camp, Foreign Minister Sven Mikser said in a radio interview on Monday.

"If we are to see a choice between liberal and illiberal in Europe, it definitely will not be very difficult for us to choose sides in this relying upon our values," Mikser said appearing on a broadcast of R2 radio station of public broadcaster ERR.

"When we are talking about liberal democracy, then absolutely -- it is also one of the reasons why we have got into all these value-based organizations of which we are members today," the minister said.

Mikser was commenting on the rise in the European Union of political forces championing a retreat from liberal policies and calling into question several of the values associated with the rule of law.

The governments seen as such are the present governments of Hungary and Poland, but also the new government of Italy with several of its actions.