Estonian cultural paper forms a 'shadow parliament'
Tartu-based Müürileht, a monthly newspaper writing about culture and society, asked 101 public figures to name an idea that would make life better in Estonia.
None of the people who were asked, currently stands for the parliament, therefore forming a kind of “shadow parliament”.
The list of people includes writers, entrepreneurs, actors, journalists, scholars and NGO activists.
The paper said that no idea is too utopian to say it out loud and all thoughts are worth a discussion, regardless whether they are too critical or not. The paper concluded that the end result is a collection of constructive ideas, which will encourage further discussion in the society.
Some of the novel ideas:
* Give parents with children an extra vote at elections
* Regulate the 'cannabis market' at a state level
* Compulsory IQ-test to all public servants
* Ban alcohol ads
* Make food waste illegal
* Ban oil shale industry
* Make Estonia the most pet- and animal-friendly country in the world
* Make Estonia the destination for eco-tourism
* Introduce cultural autonomy for minority groups
* Set up 'human sanctuaries'
* Introduce 0% VAT on books
* Make cabinet posts in the government non-political, filled by public competition
* Start issuing startup visas for foreign entrepreneurs
* Increase the median age of Estonian men by ten years
* Invite politicians to visit sauna together with the voters
* Set a goal to make Estonia the most intelligent country in Europe
See the full list in Müürileht (in Estonian).
Editor: S. Tambur