TALLINN - The Estonian capital was set to undergo a change in power on Thursday, as officials from the Reform Party, Res Publica and the People's Union signed a coalition agreement on Wednesday afternoon.
Keit Pentus, chairwoman of the Tallinn chapter of the Reform Party, told the Baltic News Service that the three parties' representatives had already come to terms concerning a coalition agreement on Tuesday. She added that the new agreement was slightly shorter than the present one but in more concrete terms since it was intended for the one year only as local elections will be held in the fall of 2005.
"Tallinn will get a good coalition agreement and budget," she said of the deal.
According to the deal, Res Publica's Tonis Palts will become mayor, replacing the current mayor, Edgar Savisaar, and a Reformist will remain chairman of the council. The Reform Party will get three and Res Publica two deputy mayor seats, and one deputy mayor will come from the People's Union.
Although the exact size of the budget will be decided later, Pentus said that the main aim of investments would be schools, kindergartens, roads and culture.
Pentus said the three parties were certain that their representatives on the City Council would support the vote of no confidence in Savisaar, scheduled to take place on Thursday.
