Ex-Minister's Convenience Migration Theory Criticized by Cabinet
Government members, including the prime minister, said today that former minister Tõnis Lukas's speech yesterday, where he said those who leave Estonia are doing out of convenience, should not be taken seriously.
PM Taavi Rõivas said at the Cabinet press conference today that there is no point in offending those who have left the country, adding that according to statistics, most people leave to further their education, not just earn more money.
Health and Labor Minister Urmas Kruuse said people lacked such possibilities during the Soviet times and that it is important for the nation for people to receive training and education abroad.
Other ministers said when salaries in Estonia increase, many will return as they have been forced to work abroad to make ends meet.
IRL MP Margus Tsahkna told uudised.err.ee today that emigrants should not be insulted and judged. He said if all those who leave are branded lazy then they will never return. He added that a better step would be to look into reasons for emigrating.
Lukas, a former IRL education minister, said on Wednesday that those leaving Estonia are "immigrants of convenience" and that some are even leaving out of laziness.