Minister Claims Savisaar Administration Neglecting Streets on Purpose
Economic Affairs Minister Juhan Parts theorized that the large number of potholes in Tallinn's streets are the result of a deliberate policy on the part of the city's mayor.
He said the Center Party was reluctant to finance major road repairs and that it was part of a pattern of disincentivizing automobile transport.
"When the snow melts, we'll sit in our cars in the big holes and think together with Edgar Savisaar over where that hole came from. The infernal winter! Another thaw! The answer is actually quite simple," said Parts at the government's press conference on Thursday.
Savisaar, said Parts, is "systematically harassing car owners. And moreover, the potholes don't vote. If this continues, I predict the state of the streets will get worse."
Parts said that, since 2006, the budget for major repairs of Tallinn streets has been reduced to less than a quarter of what it was, down from 30 million euros to 7 million euros a year.
"The city of Tallinn does not systematically deal with elementary things like wholesale and maintenance repairs of streets and roads," Parts said.