"As of the government's decision, responsibility for population and family policy topics will be transferred from the Ministry of the Interior to the Minister of Social Protection [Signe Riisalo] under the Ministry of Social Affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will shape policy in the field of global Estonianness. The resources allocated to the fields in question will also be transferred to the respective ministries," said Raivo Küüt, interior ministry undersecretary for population, civil society and family policy.

Küüt told ERR that seven officials were directly dealing with population policy under the previous government. "We will do all we can to allow the advisors to implement their sectoral expertise in their fields going forward," the undersecretary noted.

With the previous Center-EKRE-Isamaa government stepping into office in the spring of 2019, a new department was created within the interior ministry, dealing with all population and family policy questions. Riina Solman, the population minister, chose former Postimees affiliate "Meie Eesti" editor Lea Danilson-Järgi to head the department.

According to ministry spokespeople, the officials moving to other ministries will confirm their transferral by Friday. The ministry also created an undersecretary position for population, civil society and family policy topics with former Police and Border Guard chief Raivo Küüt taking the position.

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