How do you feel about the fact that your party colleague in Narva, Katri Raik, is now cooperating with Mihhail Stalnuhhin?

First of all, it has to be said that Katri Raik makes these decisions independently of the party leadership, and there is really only one Social Democrat and one member of Eesti 200. The rest of the people in this coalition are local candidates. But in a situation where Stalnuhhin continues to say that Lauri Läänemets is a fascist, you can guess what I think about this issue. Of course, I myself cannot imagine any kind of cooperation with Stalnuhhin. But there is another point here: let us not be under any illusions. In fact, there is the same sentiment and the same views among the members of the Center Party in the council, both about the Narva tank and on other issues where the Estonian and pro-Russian visions clash.

Do you plan to talk to Katri Raik about this cooperation as well?

We have spoken to Katri Raik. No matter what the party leadership thinks, we understand that the process there in Narva is much more complicated, and it is now going forward.

And indeed, if you look at where Stalnuhhin comes from, he comes from the Center Party. This whole chain of thinking actually originated from the Center Party, and the whole so-called corrupt vertical was built up from the Center Party at a certain point. So, in Narva today, neither option is good.

But if there is anything to be said about all this, it is that Stalnuhhin is now forming a coalition with the so-called 'fascists.' Because at the time, when Katri Raik was Mayor of Narva, it must be acknowledged that Katri Raik worked very hard with the Estonian authorities to remove the symbols of Soviet occupation, including the Narva tank. And she enforced the transition to Estonian-language education, forcefully dismissing two obscure language school principals who happened to be members of the council and for whom she was ousted. In this sense, it is probably not worth thinking that anyone will run over Katri Raik in the council, but we will all have to endure it and face this kind of great challenge.

Can power be exercised at any cost? For example, would a coalition with the Koos party be conceivable in Narva?

No. It is not possible to do it with the Koos party, and in fact, ideally, it should not be done with anyone who says that the Estonian government, including the Minister of the Interior, Lauri Läänemets, is a fascist and is somehow acting against the Estonian state by removing Soviet symbols. This is not acceptable in any way. But I recall that in exactly the same way, members of the Center Party stood by a tank in Narva, handed out symbols, complained about why the government was doing it. The Center Party has very cleverly built up a nest of like-minded  people there, and so, today it is a choice between one or another, who all think alike. So there are no good choices in Narva. But I do not think we should give up on Narva either. If we can keep an Estonian mayor there, we should do so. Ideally, it ought to be the case that those who think nothing of Estonia do not take part in the exercising of power.

What is worse, Stalnuhhin calling Läänemets a fascist or him referring to the Republic of Estonia the Estonian SSR?

Well, listen. Obviously it reveals the real person. What was the old saying about that? What's on the mind, is on the tongue (Mis meelel, see keelel). These things don't just happen. We have seen Stalnuhhin's determination a long time ago. By the way, the concern is that we know Stalnuhhin's name because he was a Member of the Riigikogu and he has simply received more attention [than some others]. However, if we also look at the members of the Center Party, who are on the council in Narva, they are no different from Stalnuhhin in their speeches and their actions – at least some of them. They all come from the same Center Party, have the same mindset and the same corrupt power architecture.

But is it still better to cooperate with them than to just stay out of power?

The alternative is for the whole of that same former and current Center Party bunch to form a power alliance. After all, we know that Jaan Toots (the former mayor – ed.) did not actually control the councilors. The best version would be one where Katri Raik could run Narva on her own. Or an even better version is if we had someone from the Reform Party, or someone from Isamaa in Narva Council and there were alternatives to form normal coalitions.

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