EKRE submits almost 2,700 amendments to next year's state budget
EKRE's Riigikogu faction submitted almost 2,700 proposals and amendments to next year's state budget and related laws. The party wants to block the budget which would lead to extraordinary elections.
"The current government has no electoral mandate to raise taxes, fees, environmental charges, fines, road tolls and other charges, or to introduce new ones. As opinion polls show, even their own voters do not approve of the policies of [Prime Minister] Kaja Kallas and [Minister of Finance] Mart Võrklaev. Given that Estonia is now in its seventh consecutive quarter of recession, tax hikes are the worst way to meet the country's budget deficit – the budget gap will widen as a result. Taxes should be lowered instead so that the economy can grow and tax revenue can grow at the same time. In the current economic situation, the budget and economic policy should focus on helping people," said Helme, a former finance minister.
EKRE is also against the government directing "hundreds of millions of taxpayers' money to enforce a utopian green revolution".
"The green revolution is a way of channeling money to businessmen with good relations with the government who live off state subsidies. The price for this is the impoverishment of the rest of the nation," he said.
Helme said it is unfortunate that EKRE is the only opposition party trying to block the adoption of the budget.
"Unfortunately, Isamaa and the Center have given up and are trying to get on with Kaja Kallas. Probably hoping to be invited to join the government soon," he said.
Center made 30 amendments, Jüri Ratas, MP and former party chairman, said on ERR's "Otse uudistemajast" broadcast on Wednesday.
EKRE plans to continue obstructing the work of the Riigikogu and block all legislation from being passed, Helme said. Even if the other parties have stopped. The party wants the government to collapse and emergency elections to be held, he said last month.
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Editor: Mari Peegel, Helen Wright