Marju Reismaa, museums adviser at the Ministry of Culture, told ERR that a public competitive process will be announced in the coming days to find Karis' replacement.

Reismaa said the process might take some time, and an acting director may be appointed in the interim, most likely from the museum's board of directors.

Karis, the sole presidential candidate, was elected in the second Riigikogu ballot on Tuesday, with 72 votes in favor, eight blank ballot papers and 21 abstentions.

He will be sworn in on October 11.

Karis was appointed ERM director in 2018, following the resignation of Tõnis Lukas. An interim director, CFO Rein Kinkar, was also appointed that time as Karis opted to work out all of his contracted term at his previous role as auditor general.

Karis is also a former rector of two Tartu higher education institutions: The Estonian University of Life Sciences and the University of Tartu.

The current ERM buildings were opened in 2016. The venue was used to host Kersti Kaljulaid's 2018 independence day reception.

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