Laar: Estonia better defended than ever before
Two-time former prime minister and IRL leader Mart Laar said that in many ways, Estonia has never before been protected so well as it is now.
In an interview with Eesti Ekspress, Laar said the first shock of the new security reality, which sent people to stock up on bullets, has now passed and the noise of the NATO jets over Estonia are increasing the trust and the feeling of being protected.
He said IRL has gone through many changes, with only Helir-Valdor Seeder of the old Pro Patria Union, one half of IRL, heavyweights remaining, adding that IRL will send an ethnic Russian candidate to Parliament for the first time.
Speaking about Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Laar has met, he said that Putin is cold and calculative. “Putin is a judo wrestler by nature – he will try to shake your balance and if that is successful, victory has been achieved.”
Laar said he is slowly getting better after a stroke at the beginning of 2012, which left him in a wheelchair, adding that 20 years of full-on political activity was the main reason. He said a great many politicians have suffered the same fate, adding that Center Party Chairman Edgar Savisaar, for long Laar's main adversary, should also think more about his health and step down.
Editor: J.M. Laats