Prime Minister and Center Party chairman Jüri Ratas announced the move on Tuesday: "I will make a proposal to the board of Center Party later today (Tuesday - ed.) to appoint current public administration minister Jaak Aab as education minister and the new public administration minister will be Anneli Ott, who has until now led the Riigikogu European Union Affairs Committee."

Ratas added that the education sector has always been important to Center Party and Aab's experience and expertise makes him a worthy candidate to continue Reps' professional work.

"We must contribute and make an effort to keep Estonian education among the best in the world, the efforts of our teachers and education workers must be valued and for higher education and science to continue developing," Ratas wrote on social media.

Ott has previous experience in local councils and on the local municipality and city government level.

"As an MP elected in southeastern Estonia, she has stood for the regionally balanced development of Estonia and has contributed to the successful implementation of the administrative reform. Anneli will certainly continue her work in strengthening the role, capacity and revenue base of local governments, to make them a strong partner to the state at a regional level," Ratas noted.

Former education minister Mailis Reps (Center) resigned last week after an article published by newspaper Õhtuleht alleged the minister had been using her official ministry car for non-official purposes.

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