The coalition that brought together the Reformist party (center-right) and the Center party (which even had links with Vladimir Putin’s party in Russia) in the Estonian government did not resist the criticism directed by the prime minister against government partners. Kaja Kallas accused the now former members of the Center of not defending the interests of Estonia and of being “actively working” against the values of the country.
The Financial Times reports that Kaja Kallas, the prime minister, called on Estonian President Alar Karis to dismiss the seven ministers from the Center (centre-left) party, even though the party cut ties with United Russia by beginning of the war. “The security situation in Europe does not give me any chance to continue cooperating with the Center party, which is unable to put the interests of Estonia above those of political parties”, he said, quoted by the newspaper. Kallas went further and even accused the party of being “actively work against the fundamental values of Estonia”.
The prime minister will try to form a new coalition with two smaller parties. The Guardian writes that Kallas’s Reform party has proposed coalition talks with Isamaa’s Conservatives and the Social Democrats. If this is not possible, the Center’s leader and former prime minister, Jüri Ratas, will have the opportunity to form an alternative government.
On Friday, Kallas defended: “Unfortunately, it turned out that there are two parties in parliament that simply can’t moldeven in the current situation, and ensure the protection of our independence and our constitutional values”.
The Financial Times explains that several factors may have contributed to the breakdown in relations between the government partners. Among them is a bill on pre-school education (which was rejected by the Centre, along with the far-right Ekre party), but the document also points to “long-standing tensions”.
Although the Center party already cut ties with Putin’s party after the invasion of Ukraine, the relationship did not last long. Kallas, whose country shares a border with Russia, has been advocating that Europe and the United States step up aid to Ukraine against Moscow, at the military and sanctions level. But the newspaper says there is an understanding in civil society that the Center party may have discouraged aid to kyiv.
Source: Observadora
