Helme: We have right to support actions in line with our values
The head of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) and Minister of Finance Martin Helme commented on the recent allocation of protection money, saying EKRE has the right to support activities that are in line with the party's and its voters' values.
Helme went to social media to defend the coalition's decision to grant €141,000 in so-called "protection money" to an anti-abortion NGO founded four months ago.
"Expectedly, the left has completely gone crazy because there are plans to support life-positive and family-supporting actions from the state budget. Giving money to an organization doing necessary explanatory work for the protection of childrens' lives and increasing the responsibility of their mothers' and father's is scary, is it not? The topic is being brought up in a corruptive tone and people are being slandered, giving them positions or views they have never presented. Long discussions about what could be done to avoid these proposals, but they have never even been proposed. It is propaganda ABC," Helme wrote.
The finance minister noted that he is not in favor of distributing the so-called protection money and has repeatedly made proposals to cancel it. At the same time, he said that if the financial support is distributed, it is more transparent when going through Riigikogu than when it is being written off a party's budget.
"The support of Elu Marss (March for Life) is a proposal made by EKRE's Riigikogu group. It is a good and beautiful thing. We have the right to support actions that are in line with our world views, values and voters' expectations. If the left and rainbow-colored people can do it, why should a conservative party not be allowed to do it? Well, of course from the left's golden rule: We can do everything, others can do nothing," Helme wrote.
EKRE to provide March for Life with additional €30,000
After an NGO called Ungern Khaan decided to forego the €45,000 in support from coalition parties, it was decided that the finances will be distributed elsewhere. EKRE will direct two thirds of the package - €30,000 - to MTÜ Elu Marss, which will now collect €171,000 in protection money.
The month-old NGO, Ungern Khaan, was set to receive €45,000 to erect a statue to Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, a controversial Baltic German nobleman who grew up in Estonia. The EKRE youth organization announced it will forego the state support on Tuesday.
EKRE's Riigikogu group proposed the Ministry of Finance leave Ungern Khaan out of the list of organizations receiving support and instead distribute their part between five organizations.
The political group made a proposal to give MTÜ Elu Marss €171,000 instead of the initially planned €141,000.
According to the new distribution, endowment foundation Eesti Mõtteloo Sihtkapital would receive €7,000 and congregation EELK Pöide Maarja Kogudus MTÜ would receive €10,000.
The party is also asking for €5,000 to be given to MTÜ H. Prosti Põllutöömasinate Muuseum and another €5,000 to MTÜ Võnnu Vabatahtlik Päästselts, an agricultural museum and voluntary rescue service, respectively.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Kristjan Kallaste