Tiidus Appointed Culture Minister
MP Urve Tiidus has been appointed minister of culture by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, making her the second woman on the 13-member Cabinet.
The Reform Party leadership met this morning to find a successor for Rein Lang, who stepped down as culture minister earlier this week after a scandal involving the culture newspaper Sirp.
Prime Minister Andrus Ansip then submitted the nomination bid to the Estonian president.
Lang will switch out MP Andrei Korobeinik in Parliament, and Tiidus will be replaced by Tarmo Mänd.
"Urve is a balanced and experienced person. Her previous experience as mayor and MP will certainly help her in the new position," Ansip was quoted as saying by uudised.err.ee.
Speaking to ETV yesterday, Tiidus said: "I think that people coming from other regions and more distant places outside of Tallinn may be able to measure up in a different way in a posting here in Tallinn."
"I have always felt respect for creative abilities and talents. I think that would help me in this position," she said.
Tiidus, 59, would be the second-oldest Cabinet minister behind Jaak Aaviksoo (Education).