"We have a very concrete vision, and we managed to write down in considerable detail how we plan to cleanse the city apparatus from this food chain," Pere told ERR.

He said that people who have been appointed to the supervisory boards of whichever type of municipal institutions based purely on their party affiliation might not be needed. "Regarding, for example, hospital supervisory boards, we agreed to lay down a universal strategy for how to man these boards. Whether we'll have 50 percent or 75 percent doctors or specialists and just a few city government representatives, we'll see," he said, adding that the sides to the incoming coalition will go over all existing boards and settle for a universal approach for the future.

"We also have a number of posts the Center Party has been offering people as a reward over the years," Pere said, rushing to add that no one will be fired based on their party membership either. "We live in a democratic country, and if a school principal happens to be a Center member, let them be. No one will also be looking at people's first language. But if a person has been hired without qualification, if their appointment has ignored rules or if the position is not needed in the first place or duplicates another... Or should it turn out that a municipal bathhouse employs a crisis manager and several other kinds of managers, then such positions are not needed," the politician noted.

Pere did not wish to say how many such positions there may currently be in Tallinn.

"We will be mapping that out. Some figures did crop up in terms of how many people work in certain functions. Board members, supervisory boards and ordinary employees. But this will not be specified in the coalition agreement, we will not set a target of firing one person per day or a set number of people," Pere said.

"Our approach will be transparent and professional, and we may bring in an independent auditor if needed," he added.

The Social Democrats' Jevgeni Ossinovski also told ERR that there is no plan to sweep the city apparatus based on party affiliation. "We most certainly will not do that."

"However, we are prepared to agree on certain structural reforms as concerns municipal companies and foundations. We should also look into organizational structure. But these are practical reforms," Ossinovski remarked.

--

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