Savisaar camp claims Loone's recall unlawful
Center Party Chairman Edgar Savisaar and his supporters refuse to acknowledge the Board of Directors' decision to recall Oudekki Loone from her position as party secretary general and call together an extraordinary congress in November.
"Savisaar, a number of board members and party leaders believe that, based on the Estonian Center Party's statutes, the decision forced through by the 'Simson, Ratas and Reps' camp to remove Oudekki Loone from her position as secretary general is null and void," reported the Center Party's pro-Savisaar newsletter Kesknädal on Monday. "The party's secretary general is appointed by the party's board of directors on the proposal of the chairman, however the board of directors does not have the jurisdiction to replace the secretary general."
The newsletter noted in a press release that the party chairman highlighted the fact that, according to party statutes, there was no such position as acting secretary general, and so Jaak Aab remains simply Kadri Simson's advisor.
According to the press release, Kesknädal refused to recognize Simson, Ratas and Reps' unlawful position, and Savisaar and others present at the meeting called upon party members to express solidarity with Secretary General Oudekki Loone.
Kesknädal also stated that the party's board of directors had far exceeded the limits of its powers and therefore lost all legitimacy.
Party chairman Edgar Savisaar will call together an ordinary Center Party congress in which all party members can take place. "The congress must be organized within a reasonable amount of time, but before the end of this year," noted the announcement.
Karilaid: 'Board decisions must be accepted'
At essentially the same time, Center Party Deputy Chairman Jaanus Karilaid had sent journalists a message confirming that the extraordinary meeting of the party's board of directors which took place on Sept. 25 was in line with the party's internal rules and that claims made by the party chairman and some board members that the meeting and the decisions reached during it were null and void were not true.
"Our statutes stipulate how the board of directors may be convened and all rules have been met," explained MP Karilaid. "Clearly over half of the board members were present, which guaranteed that the necessary quorum was met as well. Thus all decisions reached are competent and enforceable. Oudekki Loone lost the trust of the board of directors and as a result cannot continue as secretary general." Karilaid noted that he was glad that the board had also finally established the plan to call together a party congress as well as the matter of changing the party's statutes. "The board of directors' decisions must be accepted," he added, instead of simply brandishing fists after a fight.
Center Party Court of Honor Chairman Kalle Klandorf added: "Pursuant to the Center Party statutes' paragraph 10.1, the secretary general is subject to the party's board of directors, and so the board has the right to dismiss a secretary general who is incapable of fulfilling their duties. These issues are not based on an individual's discretion, but rather are regulated by rules. All board decisions adopted by an absolute majority are legitimate and made for the future of the Center Party."
Editor: Editor: Aili Vahtla