Ilves calls for end of party politics

TALLINN- In an unusual step, Estonian President ToomasHendrick Ilves has appealed for the government to focus on the crisis at handrather than on the party maneuvering that has recently dominated the country'spolitical scene.

 "The government needs to stick together, atleast until the crisis is over," Ilves said in an article in Eesti Paevaleht on May 9.

The governing coalition in Estonia has been publicly squabbling in recent weeks as Estonia faces its most challenging economic crisis since independence in 1991. Public confidencein the current regime is in freefall as the government fails to agree on actionto deal with the countries looming budget deficit.

In recent weeks Prime Minister Andrus Ansip,a member of the Reform Party, published an open letter criticizing FinanceMinister Ivari Padar of the Social Democratic Party.

"I'm dissatisfied with the speed of workingout the means of stabilizing the national monetary system and the content of theproposals we have received," the prime minister said.

There are also clear philosophicaldisagreements within the coalition. Both favor spending cuts, but Ansip wouldsee those cuts combined with asset sales, while Padar looks to tax increases.

In a provocative move Ansip indicated he would be prepared to take over the FinanceMinistry himself. Conversely the Center Party, in a somewhat symbolic gesture,started to collect signatures for a vote of no-confidence in the Prime Minister. 

"The coalition has serious disagreements,which is why decision making is so bogged down. Prime Minister Ansip delayedmaking decisions and did not want to cooperate with the opposition," said AinSeppik, vice-chairman of the Center Party.

The government coalition consists of threepolitical parties 's Estonian Reform Party (Eesti Reformierakond), Union of ProPatria and Res Publica (Isamaa ja Res Publika Liit), and the Estonian SocialDemocratic Party (Eesti Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond).