TALLINN 's The executive council of the Center Party nominated on Tuesday Deputy Tallinn Mayor Juri Ratas as the capital's next mayor, while it proposed Toomas Vitsut as City Council chairman.
The nominations came after Center Party leader Edgar Savisaar decided over the weekend to remain economy minister until the mandate for the current government expires in March 2007. After that point, he said, he could return to the Tallinn mayor's office if the Center Party still maintained control of the City Council.
The Centrists will have 32 seats on the 63-seat council, which is expected to begin work this week.
The council is likely to elect the next mayor next week.
