Kallas: No changes to campaign to come
Speaking at a press conference on Friday afternoon, Reform Party presidential candidate Siim Kallas predicted that, due to the influence of Kaljurand's decision to run for president as well, a serious confrontation will await them in the electoral college. Kallas stressed, however, that he will not begin making any changes to his election campaign.
"This will not change campain plans," said Kallas at Friday afternoon's press conference. "Each additional candidate will eat up votes — from all other candidates. ...Kaljurand will evidently steal more votes from Mailis Reps and Allar Jõks instead."
Commenting on the election of the president in the electoral college, Kallas said that, "It will be difficult for the electors, who are coming together from all across Estonia, to go back [home] without any results. The motivation to find a common platform should be great."
Kallas predicted that he himself would make it to the second round of voting in the electoral college. He did not, however, wish to predict who the other candidate to reach the second round would be.
He also could not see the dissolution of the government or a change of prime minister and likewise did not wish to respond to a question regarding who might replace Kaljurand as Minister of Foreign Affairs, responding to journalists' multiple questions on the subject by repeating that this was a decision to be made by the prime minister.
Kallas admitted that the election campaign situation has undoubtedly changed, but told journalists that he is planning on meeting with local government figures every day next week.
The Reform Party's candidate refused to give more detailed comments regarding the party's internal conflicts, simply stating that "The Reform Party has made its decision."
In response to a question asking what he planned to do if he was not elected president, Kallas replied, "I will continue being Siim Kallas." He also promised to continue with lectures at the University of Tartu "in all future positions."
"Every president who is elected must be cross-party according to the Constitution; one cannot become president without the support of the political parties," commented Kallas in response to the independence Kaljurand had stressed at her own press conference a few hours earlier.
Kallas also reminded listeners that it was he who gave the current presidential elections its momentum after being the first to announce his decision to run for president in May.
"I believe that, in some sense, the presidential elections have arrived at the point to which they were logically supposed to arrive," said Kallas in a statement released on Friday morning. "I, Marina Kaljurand and all other candidates are competing in the electoral college on Sept. 24. Today's decision shows that a serious confrontation awaits us in the electoral college."
Editor: Editor: Aili Vahtla