Ossinovski: My Riigikogu replacement should still be a Social Democrat
Social Democratic Party (SDE) MP Jevgeni Ossinovski, who was elected as the Tallinn city council chairman last week, said the dignified move by his potential replacement Anastassia Kovalenko (Center) would be to turn down the parliamentary seat.
Ossinovski told ERR on Wednesday that it would not be optimal if Kovalenko joined the Riigikogu, effectively taking away a vote from the Social Democrats. "There is certainly a presumption that a Social Democratic seat is filled by a Social Democrat. It would be dignified to not take our seat from us," the new Tallinn city council chair said.
As of Wednesday, Ossinovski has not yet signed a statement to declare leaving the Riigikogu. He said he would do so soon.
The first two potential replacements for the former minister - Monika Haukanõmm and Rene Tammist - have already announced they would not join the Riigikogu. The queue of replacements went to Anastassia Kovalenko, who ran as a member of the Social Democratic Party in 2019, but left the party last year, claiming the party had changed its values.
Kovalenko has not announced her decision yet. She ran in the recent local government elections as a member of the Center Party electoral list and was elected into Tallinn city council.
If Kovalenko were to refuse the Riigikogu seat, the offer would go to teacher and Social Democratic Party member Toomas Jürgenstein.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste
