Kallas: Mart Helme's resignation too little, too late

Kaja Kallas.
Kaja Kallas. Source: Siim Lõvi/ERR

Chairman of the Reform Party Kaja Kallas said on Monday the resignation of the Minister of the Interior Mart Helme (EKRE) is not enough to solve the government crisis and called for Minister of Finance Martin Helme to resign too.

"Mart Helme was sacrificed so that the government could continue, but it does not solve the whole problem. Mart Helme's resignation came too late and it is too little," Kallas wrote on social media.

"Estonia has already suffered a great deal of damage and, unfortunately, will continue to do so while EKRE is in government. Martin Helme participated in the same radio program and claimed that there had been falsification in the U.S. elections and agreed with what was said," Kallas added.

Reform MP Marko Mihkelson also wrote on social media that he is also waiting for Martin Helme to resign. 

Spokesman for the Reform Party Kajar Kase told ERR the group is currently discussing its next steps.

The Reform Party was planning to submit a delayed motion of no confidence against Mart Helme on Monday related to the interview he gave to Deutsche Welle in which he made homophobic comments.

Mart Helme, former minister of the Interior and Chairman of EKRE, announced on Monday that he would resign from ministerial office. He also claimed that he had done nothing wrong and his comments had not endangered Estonia's security.

On Sunday, Ratas called Helme's comments "absurd" and President Kersti Kaljulaid said they were a "verbal assault... an attack against Estonian democracy and security", adding she was "sad and embarrassed". Kaljulaid said she would convene the Defense Council this week to discuss the situation.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) said the remarks were crazy and Reform Party Chairman Kaja Kallas planned to call a vote of no confidence in Helme this week.

Minister of Defense Jüri Luik (Isamaa) said on Sunday that comments made by EKRE ministers Mart and Martin Helme about falsified U.S elections "undermine Estonian security and threaten to deteriorate US-Estonian relations".

Mart Helme: Joe Biden and his son corrupt characters 

Mart Helme, Martin Helme and MEP Jaak Madison (all EKRE) said on their TRE radio talk show on Sunday that the results of U.S. presidential elections were falsified and Joe Biden becoming president would mark America's decline.

The Conservative People's Party (EKRE) politicians said they believe large scale electoral fraud had taken place.

"I believe there can be no question in that this election was falsified," Martin Helme said. "I believe all normal people should speak up against it. There is no sense in talking about democracy or rule of law in a situation where elections can be faked so plainly, boldly and on a massive scale."

"If this works, if Trump is taken down, the U.S. Constitution will no longer be in effect," he added.

Mart Helme said that Joe Biden was elected president by the deep state: "The logic based on which the deep state operates is to smuggle in dirtbags, corrupt dirtbags that can be blackmailed. Joe Biden and Hunter Biden are corrupt characters."

The hosts also talked about the possibility of civil war in America. "I had a dream before the elections of Trump walking across a field," Mart Helme described. "And then I saw the field was covered in guts and entrails. Trump passed through it. Trump will win eventually; it will happen as a result of an immense struggle, maybe even bloodshed, but justice will win in the end."

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Editor: Helen Wright

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