Other parties to the negotiations on a potential future coalition in Tallinn disagree, however, saying that this is a constitutional matter, to be decided at national level, and not the regional one.

The Social Democratic Party (SDE), Isamaa, the Reform Party, and Eesti 200 are attempting to form up a new coalition in Tallinn.

However, according to SDE chair and Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets, Isamaa is holding this process up, by imposing conditions on the negotiations.

Appearing on Wednesday's edition of politics show "Esimene stuudio," Isamaa's Urve Paris Palo denied the party is dragging its feet, adding Isamaa would be willing to agree on a coalition formation immediately.

However, Palo said the window of opportunity created by the coalition negotiations in Tallinn should be utilized also to remove the voting rights of third-country nationals at local elections.

"I think the time, if not the last opportunity, has come," Palo, a former SDE member and former entrepreneurship minister, said.

"I see no logic in allowing third-country nationals, who cannot vote in Riigikogu elections, to vote in local municipal elections. Where is the logic in that?" she went on.

Palo was likely referring primarily to Russian and Belarusian citizens resident in Estonia; "third country nationals" is a fairly loosely defined term, broadly referring to non-EU/EEA citizens resident in Estonia.

Palo went on to say she believes that the nationality issue is very much tied in with municipal politics. "Firstly, we are all politicians here, representing parties, our voters, and worldview."

"Politics gets done as and where it can be, including at the Riigikogu and at the local level. If an opportunity has arisen to resolve in this way an issue so important for Estonia, then we must simply use this window of opportuity. So we can't say that the voting rights of third-country nationals do not affect Tallinn. They very much do," she continued.

Appearing for SDE was Tanel Kiik, who said that while the formation of a new coalition in Tallinn is certain, discussing national-level issues in the process is not a serious requirement.

Kiik said: "SDE might as well come out with it and say that we want to implement progressive income tax, because it affects every resident of Tallinn, we want to implement universal health insurance, we might want to enact some kind of nationwide mobility reform."

"But these are national politics-level issues. Not to mention the fact that this specific issue of voting rights has a constitutional dimension. In other words to start agreeing on amending the Constitution during Tallinn city coalition negotiations is actually less than ideal. It can't be a component of the Tallinn coalition agreement. Therefore, we keep these issues very clearly separated," Kiik went on.

"We are ready to discuss all themes relating to the city of Tallinn, cutting city media funding, improving transportation management, network issues – as I have said, in my opinion, free public transportation must be maintained – looking at how to support the elderly. All these topics which concern Tallinn: The city's budget, or decision-making level of the city council. However we cannot agree on amending the Constitution during the Tallinn coalition negotiations," he added.

Reform Party member Jürgen Ligi concurred on the last point.

"This trickery is a habit of Res Publica (the name of one of Isamaa's progenitor parties – ed.): To bring in completely unrelated matters, to list their talking points. But it's clear that we are not changing the Constitution, in Tallinn," he said.

Ligi said that a new coalition will be forthcoming, but since Tuesday's vote of no confidence against Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart (Center) passed by only a slim majority, its formation will be difficult. "It had to be done when trust had completely collapsed. Even if there had not been enough votes for the no-confidence motion, it still would have had to have been done. It's true, there was a very slim majority, and it will be difficult to assemble a new government, but we definitely won't be discussing amending the constitution there. That's chicanery," he stated.

Eesti 200's Marek Reinaas said that despite Isamaa's conditions, the negotiations are not at deadlock, meaning one will be formed. However, he said he also believes that Isamaa is dragging out the negotiations unnecessarily.

Reinaas said: "I have to admit that Isamaa is indeed dragging out this process, but I don't understand the purpose of that, since if you've already signed up to a vote of no confidence, then you should be ready to sit down at the negotiating table without needing the board to convene for this purpose (Isamaa representatives are meeting on Thursday to formulate their conditions – ed.). This means a new city government will emerge."

According to Urve Paris Palo, a new coalition should not be formed in undue hasted. She compared the situation with that of the national coalition government formation last year.

Paris Palo said: "Do you really think we can trust your rhetoric that something has to be done quickly?"

"A year ago, you did something very quickly, and we have seen the results, of that, which we do not like at all: The economy is in stagnation, people's livelihoods have significantly diminished, and so on."

"Those decisions were made very hastily, implemented hastily, and now we are facing the consequences. Yet the rhetoric now is the same; do it quickly. What happens if we discuss things calmly, use common sense, and think through everything, properly? This would include discussing what would happen if we finally do what was pledged a long ago, ie. end the voting rights of third-country nationals in Estonia," Paris Palo continued.

Beyond that, Isamaa does not have any "red lines" in the negotiations, she added.

Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) honorary chair Mart Helme, also appearing on "Esimene stuudio," stated that his party fundamentally supports the removal of voting rights from that citizens of third countries, but added this issue cannot be resolved by the Tallinn city legislature.

"This has to be brought before the Riigikogu and resolved there. At the Riigikogu, for instance, we recently proposed a bill that all our official websites should no longer be available in the Russian language. We were the only ones who supported the removal of Russian-language websites. Yet Isamaa MPs weren't even present in the hall for that, let alone supporting us. They did not provide support," Helme said.

"But now there's this populist stalking horse: 'Let's remove the voting rights of Russian citizens via a decision by the Tallinn City Council.' Listen, this is not sensible talk," he added.

Helme: Together with the Center Party, we can block coalition decisions

Appearing for the Center Party, which prior to Tuesday's vote had ruled in Tallinn, alone and latterly in coalition with SDE, for nearly two decades, was Andrei Korobeinik.

Korobeinik said that an agreement to form a coalition between the Reform Party, Isamaa, SDE and Eesti 200 supposedly exist prior the collapse of the current coalition.

According to Korobeinik, the Center Party did not hold any negotiations with EKRE. At the same time, however, his party's desire is to prevent the Reform Party from implementing the same type of policies in Tallinn as it has done at the national level, he said.

Mart Helme concurred that the talks of forming a coalition between EKRE and the Center Party are without basis. However, he said, the two parties can together in opposition start blocking decisions made by the coalition-to-be, if and when it enters office.

"We did sign the vote of no confidence too, because we truly believe that the Center Party has been in power in Tallinn for too long. But we do not support /.../ this red-green, euro-fanatic, new city government," the EKRE leader said.

"And, honestly, they can hold it together with spit and wire, but looking at the balance of power, if we, together with the Center Party, don't like something, then we can obstruct it very easily. This means that you, dear sirs, have to be kept on your toes all the time there, making sure that every last one of your deputies is present at every last session, because otherwise there could come a vote of no confidence or something like that, then you would fall with a thud," he went on.

Korobeinik noted that the number of Center Party members at the Tallinn legislature might increase. "We currently have 33 votes, soon very likely 34. So even SDE can do the math there."

Korobeinik also said he does not believe the next mayor of Tallinn will be Social Democrat Jevgeni Ossinovski, as tipped in some quarters.

"I personally deeply doubt that Ossinovski will become the mayor. He is not so naive as to go and lead Tallinn for just a couple of months. So, I believe we will see some Social Democrat get put in the firing line for a few months. But the near future will show," he said.

Caretaker Tallinn mayor is Madle Lippus (SDE), only the second woman ever to have held the post.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!