Ratas: It was clear the Reform Party was not keen on involving Center
Center Party chairman Jüri Ratas said that the Reform Party knew on Sunday that they did not want to see Center as part of the next coalition.
Ratas said that he discussed the tax system, security and other vital aspects of life in Estonia with Reform Party leader Kaja Kallas on Monday. He did not wish to elaborate on what caused differences between the parties.
"Of course, there are matters where our principles differ. With some we saw common ground, while not with others," he said.
Ratas admitted that after hearing Kaja Kallas' statement on Tuesday, he felt Reform never considered Center as a partner.
"I believe that they had a clear picture on Sunday evening (election night – ed.) to partner with Eesti 200 and the Social Democrats," Ratas said.
Trying to predict how long the coalition might last, Ratas said it will depend on the coalition agreement. "That will lay the foundation in terms of how long this coalition will have. What I mean is whether the agreement will address serious problems in Estonia. The recession will hit the labor market in four to six months, with jobs disappearing and unemployment heading up. That is one thing. The energy sector is another. Thirdly, additional healthcare funding. And finally, all parties promised to hike pensions. It is a matter of how the new coalition will manage to solve these issues."
The Reform Party decided on Tuesday evening to propose coalition talks to Eesti 200 and the Social Democratic Party.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski