Põlluaas: EKRE willing to keep filibustering alone until next year
Conservative People's Party MP Henn Põlluaas said that his party is willing to keep up Riigikogu obstruction until next year if necessary to stop the coalition from passing its bills.
While the Center Party and Isamaa have so far suggested that the Riigikogu opposition is willing to end filibustering and amend the Riigikogu Rules and Procedures Act to avoid such impasses in the future if the coalition drops its planned family benefits cuts, EKRE's Henn Põlluaas is not of the same mind.
"Agreeing to make obstruction impossible would amount to self-sabotage," Põlluaas said.
"We do not believe we should give up this easily and allow the government to execute things they have not sought a mandate for. We can keep filibustering alone if need be, and keep at it until the end of the year."
"We have plenty of fight left in us when it comes to representing the people of Estonia. Our powder is dry enough to keep fighting. We will not be giving up in exchange for nothing," Põlluaas said.
The EKRE MP explained that the party is trying to avoid most of the coalition's major changes. "We will not settle for them canceling the family benefits cuts. That is not enough for us. We find the entire tax package, including excise duty, VAT, land tax etc. hikes, to be extremely detrimental to the Estonian economy and people."
Põlluaas said that parliamentary obstruction must also continue to block same-sex marriage and additional criminalization of hate speech.
Asked about a solution, Põlluaas admitted that it has to come in the form of an agreement between the sides. The EKRE MP promised a play in kind should the coalition attempt to end the filibustering by force.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski