PM Speaks Out for Embattled Minister of Culture
At a government news conference on November 18, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip declared his continued support for Minister of Culture Laine Jänes, whose decision to fire the head of the National Symphony Orchestra has sparked a furor within Estonia's cultural and political circles.
"My full support is with Laine Jänes. In financial matters, she was absolutely correct," said Ansip, alluding to the fact that Jänes's decision to fire orchestra director Andres Siitan was based on what she said was his financial mismanagement.
"Financial discipline demands a strict following of the law. The budget is absolutely obligatory for the manager of an institution. If one director spends more than what is planned in the budget, that is a gross violation," he said.
After Siitan's firing on November 15, the opposition Centre Party threatened to call a vote of no confidence to remove Jänes from her post.
World-renowned conductor Neeme Järvi, who was the orchestra's artistic director, announced today that he was quitting over the issue.