Savisaar Re-Elected to Lead the Center Party
In what amounted to a routine move, Tallinn Mayor Edgar Savisaar was re-elected chairman of the Center Party on Saturday, with no other candidates putting their names forward.
Speaking at the party's 14th congress, where the internal election took place, Savisaar said that if his party does well in the upcoming nationwide municipal elections, he wants the party to rule the rest of the nation in a similar way to the way it rules Tallinn.
“Tallinn's population growth is no miracle - people flock here for the higher quality of life that the Center Party affords them,” Savisaar said, adding that the Center Party will bring free public transport to all other municipalities.
“The Center Party will give each resident the green card, which is just like a green light. That light represents the care of its citizens by the local government,” the capital's mayor said.
Savisaar has led the party since 1996, and earlier between 1991 and 1995, with Andra Veidemann holding the reigns for five months - and Siiri Oviir for two weeks - between Savisaar's periods of leadership.
The party's now 14-strong board did see some changes in the elections, with Toomas Vitsut, Rein Ratas, Tõnis Mölder, Peeter Võsa and Mihhail Korb all departing to make way for Jüri Ratas, Siret Kotka, Yana Toom and Arvo Sarapuu.