Martin Helme: agreeing on joint loan was a difficult compromise

Minister of Finance Martin Helme (EKRE).
Minister of Finance Martin Helme (EKRE). Source: Priit Mürk/ERR

Minister of Finance Martin Helme (EKRE) said that coming to an agreement on EU's joint loan was a difficult compromise with no space for withdrawal for the Conservative People's Party of Estonia.

Helme said on social media: "The agreed upon position was a difficult compromise for our party and there's practically no space for withdrawal, Jüri Ratas knows this as well. There's no way for us to ultimately support a result, which does not consider our worries."

He acknowledged that the decision to support EU's joint loan was made without too much conflict, even considering EKRE's stance on it.

Helme said that the government has brought out a possible conflict with previous EU treaties, requiring an independent legal analysis to be made.

The Minister of Finance: "There's a clear line that has been drawn that the loss of general tax policy or a consensus on taxes is not acceptable. Our requirement of a discussion on repayment conditions is also brought forward. We wish to look at the budgetary conditions of member states in a situation where the EU's own budgetary regulations are essentially ruleless. That is important, as is the fact that the final decision is to be made by the Riigikogu."

Helme acknowledged that there are large conflicts of opinion among member states. "The plan [for economic recovery] proposed by the European Commission could end up staying a proposal or changing completely during discussions. We didn't need the governments opinion to be a resounding no in that situation - that wouldn't have been a working position in Brussels nor would it have been achievable by the coalition."

He concluded: "We have to secure that tax sovereignty and budget sovereignty remain, that we do not carry other states' debt burdens, and that the final result is democratic and legitimate. We have just started the battle now."

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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste

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