PM briefs lawmakers on progress made on Estonia 2035 goals

TALLINN – On Monday, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas gave the Riigikogu an overview of the implementation of the country's long-term development strategy "Estonia 2035," in which five equal goals for the Estonian state and people have been agreed upon.

The prime minister told MPs the strategy is becoming an important instrument for the management of the state, which also provides a good picture of the directions that Estonia is developing in.

"This document, together with its numbers and dry statistics, actually describes the Estonia that our children and grandchildren will live in," she said.

The five central goals set by the strategy document are that Estonia's people are smart, active and care about their health, Estonia's society is caring, cooperative and open-minded, Estonia offers a safe and high-quality living environment that takes into account the needs of all its inhabitants,

Estonia's economy is strong, innovative, and responsible, and Estonia is an innovative, reliable, and people-centered country. The prime minister gave an overview of the state of progress towards all five goals.

Speaking about the first goal of the strategy, Kallas highlighted the importance of a good education, which is upheld not only by the level of teachers' salaries, but also by a safe, friendly and bullying-free school environment. Speaking about a caring and cooperative society, the head of government pointed out that the state budget for 2023 includes a number of measures that will help improve people's livelihoods.

Regarding progress towards economic goals, the prime minister said that geopolitical instability has also increased uncertainty in Estonia.

"At the same time, the Estonian economy has been on a good course so far, which gives us hope that sooner or later we will also come out of this crisis strong," she said.

Speaking about the goals related to the living environment, Kallas noted that 84.5 percent of Estonia's residents are satisfied with their living environment, but there is room for improvement, primarily when it comes to the energy efficiency of buildings and sustainable modes of transit. With regard to the objectives of state governance, the head of government emphasized that Estonia will continue to support the rules-based world order in the future.

"We will continue to help Ukraine because we know that by helping Ukraine, we are helping Estonia," she said.

In conclusion of her remarks, the premier said that "Estonia 2035" provides goals for the whole of Estonia and its implementation requires contributions and good ideas from everyone.

"I consider it important to maintain the same open and inclusive approach during the implementation of the strategy as was the case during its preparation. Every year, new ways are tested to give the people of Estonia a say in the implementation of the country's long-term goals. For example, right now, during the entire month of November, the 'Estonia 2035' opinion journey is underway for all those who wish. People from all over Estonia organize discussions with their friends, relatives or community and send suggestions on how to advance towards the country's long-term goals in one or another area," Kallas added.