Helme: Reform and Center coasting on groundwork we laid

Outgoing Minister of Finance Martin Helme (EKRE) said that the new coalition will be coasting on work done by him and his father.
"I made an interesting observation. The plan seems to be to take credit for the work of the Conservative People's Party's previous interior minister to develop the border and strengthen border guard, while claiming one had no idea what Mart Helme's "big plan" was. The plan was what you have now promised to take forward. By the way, both the opposition and media initially ridiculed Mart for the plan. It seems both [incoming coalition partners] have taken a shine to the plan now. This is a good example of the right thing not being the right thing if pursued by the wrong people," Helme commented on social media.
"Another interesting piece of logic seemed to suggest that if the previous government's topics caused a lot of damage and embarrassment internationally, the new government would not have that problem. Asked by a journalist whether half the government coming from a party officially suspected of corruption in a situation where talks are headed by a former minister forced to resign over misuse of state property is not damaging to Estonia's international reputation, we were told that "explanation is in order." Explanation having the potential to neutralize domestic noise abroad must be a cutting-edge discovery. A shame it was not discovered sooner! We could have avoided so much damage to our reputation! Or perhaps this is an example of the wrong thing not being the wrong thing if done by the right people?" Helme went on.
"By the way, it also turned out our word carries just as much weight as Germany's in the EU. I can attest to that as I once vetoed a decision at an EU finance ministers meeting and the matter was not passed even though Germany really wanted it. Unfortunately, Jüri Ratas overturned by veto the next day. The incoming government will also have no problem being Germany's equal when it comes to Europewide taxes, the green and digital turns as they plan to support everything as far as I can understand. Therefore, there will be no opportunity to find out how that equality would play out were it to prove necessary to stand up for Estonia," Helme also wrote.
Helme to the new government: You can stand on my giant shoulders
Commenting on the economy, Helme said he has done great work as finance minister and that the next government would be standing on his shoulders in continuing efforts introduced by Helme.
"Members of the Reform Party have said in recent years how the government is standing on the shoulders of giants [Andrus] Ansip and [Jürgen] Ligi. However, their tax and economic plan unveiled today (yesterday – ed.) is nothing but taking credit for the outgoing government's work and continuing in the same vein. A compliment in itself! But I am not jealous. You can stand on my giant shoulders," Helme wrote.
He remarked that he has spent two years preparing for a state budget review and the only reason it remains outstanding is that no one in the government was willing to cut a single cent.
"It is good if they can make it happen in the new one. It was especially amusing to read about cuts based on expenses not made in the coronavirus situation. I took such proposals to the government twice this year, while I was politely told to go and "run the numbers again," Helme's post read.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski