Center Party MP appeals to justice chancellor over Riigikogu speaker 'obstruction'

A Center Party MP is appealing to the chancellor of justice over what he sees as obstruction of his Riigikogu party group's functioning.
Speaking to ERR, MP Andrei Korobeinik said: "We need to ask the chancellor of justice her opinion on our Riigikogu faction being unable to enact policy since the Riigikogu's board, which the coalition has a majority on, is holding this up."
The Riigikogu speaker, Lauri Hussar (Eesti 200), has two deputies, one of whom, is a Reform Party MP, Toomas Kivimägi, and the other is Jüri Ratas – who recently quit Center, a party he once led, to join Isamaa.
Korobeinik added that Center was unable to get its MPs, now down to six after waves of defections starting last September, on to Riigikogu committees.
Korobeinik told ERR his party has discussed the matter with MPs from other parties and that "everyone from both the opposition and the coalition is of the opinion that we should be allowed to be in the committees."
The Center Party has the right to be represented on the Riigikogu's social affairs committee, for instance, Korobeinik said, adding: "no move has yet been made."
"Lauri Hussar has unfortunately not demonstrated any initiative," Korobeinik continued. "The Riigikogu has the right to regulate itself, but it seems to me that things are getting a little out of hand at present. Factions and MPs can be represented on a committee when they want to be, but our faction cannot send any representatives. In my opinion, this is not how the Riigikogu should function."
Speaker Hussar had told ERR in late January that MPs who joined the Social Democrats (SDE) from the Center Party cannot be considered coalition members as such – SDE is in office with the Reform Party and Eesti 200 – and by the rules are MPs who belong to no party group.
Hussar added that negotiations are underway between the Riigikogu board and the party groups to, among other things, establish how the proportional representation of political parties at the legislature will be guaranteed.
In any case, the four MPs who left Center for SDE naturally would not be representing their former party on committees.
Since the election of Mayor of Tallinn Mihhail Kõlvart as Center leader last September, three MPs joined Isamaa (one of whom, Tõnis Mölder, has subsequently left due to allegations of bribery), one joined the Reform Party and two are now sitting as independents, in addition to the four who opted to join SDE.
The chancellor of justice is Ülle Madise.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Andrew Whyte