Minister presents car tax to opposition parties, EKRE declines to attend
Minister of Finance Mart Võrklaev (Reform) has been meeting with opposition Riigikogu party groups, presenting a planned car tax likely to affect the majority of car drivers in Estonia, though the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) declined to attend.
Võrklaev said Monday: "Last week, I met with Eesti 200, the Reform Party and the Social Democrats," referring to the three coalition parties.
"This week, the sequel lies in the hands of the Center Party and Isamaa. Unfortunately, EKRE did not want to meet," the minister added.
Võrklaev said that his announcement last week of two possible variants the planned tax might take had prompted debate, a discussion which is gaining momentum and which, the minister said, is important.
The vehicle tax is aimed at reducing car use, increasing economic mobility and encouraging people to choose more environmentally friendly vehicles, the minister, who admits he owns two cars, said.
"The vehicle tax is a step towards a cleaner environment. I look forward to a constructive discussion with the Riigikogu factions," Võrklaev said, via a ministry press release.
The planned tax would apply to cars, even those which are not driven or roadworthy, and other private vehicles, such as vans. Larger trucks are covered by a separate tax system.
The tax was unveiled as part of the Reform-Eesti 200-SDE coalition agreement inked in April.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
