Savisaar resigns as MP, returns to head Tallinn
Tallinn Mayor Edgar Savisaar, who has been away from work since late March due to a life threatening illness, has officially resumed his duties.
On Wednesday, he chaired a city government meeting and took part in discussions concerning the Estonian capital.
Savisaar also notified the Estonian Parliament, Riigikogu, that he steps down as an MP – he was predicted to give up his seat in favor of the mayor post, following the March 1 Parliament election, but fell ill just before the new Parliament started work.
The veteran politician who was a leading figure in Estonia during the “Singing Revolution” and established the Center Party over 20 years ago, is now expected to take few major decisions on his future in politics, such as whether he would continue as head of his party. Savisaar has called up the party congress in November.
Savisaar fell critically ill in late March was taken to Tartu University Clinic with a suspected pneumonia. It later emerged that he was suffering from Streptococcus bacteria, a nasty and aggressive infection, which very often kills. However, Savisaar survived, but doctors had to amputate one of his legs above the knee.
Savisaar has since recovered, albeit confined to a wheelchair. People close to him report that although he is physically weak, his mind is sharper than before the illness.
Editor: S. Tambur