Pollster Norstat puts the non-parliamentary Parempoolsed's (Right-wingers) rating currently at 4.2 percent. Party leader Lavly Perling emphasized that ratings should not be overvalued and that the most important thing is to remain true to their principles.

"Our goal is to raise support from 5 to 10 percent. We aim to engage intelligent, self-reliant individuals who understand that people make the best decisions for themselves – not the state or local governments. We also seek to challenge the current maze of regulations and bureaucracy and to champion freedom. There's work to be done," Perling said.

"In general, we're building the party across five pillars: people, ideology, communication, organization and funding," she added.

Perling noted that Estonia currently has a left-leaning government in power. "They are inclined to regulate more and to insist that the state and local governments know better than the people. High taxes. The Parempoolsed are offering an alternative – we say, no, let people keep their money, let businesses keep their money. Trust me, they'll make better decisions with it themselves. We'll cut state expenditures and put the economy in a position to grow again. The state can only do so much – it can create the right environment and then the economy can begin to thrive," Perling explained.

"Estonia needs to be managed in such a way that, within a single generation, the net worth of all households grows to between those of Denmark and Finland."

Merging with Eesti 200 not on the horizon

Two weeks ago, former Eesti 200 leader Margus Tsahkna also appeared on "Otse uudistemajast," stating that with the upcoming elections in mind, Eesti 200 must be prepared to collaborate with other parties to implement its ideas. According to Tsahkna, the views of Eesti 200 and Parempoolsed are fundamentally aligned, as both are liberal and share similar values, making a potential merger between the two parties conceivable.

Commenting on this, Perling referred to remarks made by Siim Kiisler, stating, "This talk of merging – Siim Kiisler, a wise man, has very clearly explained why it doesn't make sense for us to discuss merging."

"We have built our parties in very different ways, and for us, our worldview has been extremely important so that our voters can rely on us. From the beginning, Eesti 200 has emphasized that ideology is somewhat like a relic of the past – something outdated and unimportant. As a result, they have brought together, undoubtedly very capable individuals, but from both ends of the spectrum – on one hand, people who respect and promote right-wing economic policies, and on the other, those who participate in the congresses of Europe's most left-wing parties," Perling said.

"If you ask how these individuals could build Estonia together in a similar way, that is a very difficult question to answer. The left distributes everything – constantly redistributing wealth – with tax hikes and an endless tax fest. The essence of being right-wing is to create, to generate added value. That is a fundamental difference," she continued.

"Indeed, even before the parliamentary elections, opinion leaders approached us with the same idea, asking whether we might consider merging. We made it very clear that there are three reasons why this is not a serious consideration, even though the parties themselves have never discussed it. First, there's the worldview. Second, organizational culture. For Parempoolsed, it's very important to build an organizational culture where members are respected. That's why we have our member evenings, our economic discussions and our emphasis on inclusivity. All our elections are conducted electronically and every member has a democratic say in the party's internal affairs. Third, there's the value system of the party's leaders. For Parempoolsed and my team, keeping promises, speaking the truth and adhering to the law are crucial. With that in mind, there's really no point in discussing a potential merger," Perling explained.

However, Perling added that all right-leaning members of Eesti 200 are welcome to join Parempoolsed.

Perling on debt: We're just deferring payment

The Political Party Financing Surveillance Committee (ERJK) initiated proceedings against the Parempoolsed party about a month ago due to a €110,700 debt owed to a company, with payment delayed by 87 days.

"Let's start with the fact that we are talking about two invoices that need to be paid. We have an agreement with the company to settle the amount by the end of the year, and tens of thousands have already been paid," said Lavly Perling.

When asked why ERJK launched the investigation, Perling suggested that ERJK should be consulted directly. "I think this is a point worth considering – that ERJK should include representatives from all parties receiving state support. That would strengthen ERJK and add objectivity, which Parempoolsed has always supported. But they are doing their job," she commented.

Perling emphasized that Parempoolsed has nothing to hide. "We have always paid our bills and we will pay them this time as well," she said.

Host Aleksander Krjukov asked what Perling would say to critics who claim that a party seemingly unable to manage its own finances should not be entrusted with governing the country.

"On the contrary. Come and see, ask questions and we'll answer them all. If you think about the competitive environment in which parties operate, let me reiterate – we are talking about two invoices remaining from the European Parliament elections. During elections, all parties are somewhat on an equal footing; they must campaign and reach their voters. Currently, we're working within these constraints.

If we look at the roughly €2 million in public funding that some parties, like the Reform Party, receive – money that's on top of MPs' salaries, advisors and the whole political food chain – this amounts to about €12 million in taxpayer money... Meanwhile, Parempoolsed receives €30,000 in state support, and we raise the rest ourselves. We don't want more public funding. We must work harder to maintain our independence and uphold our principles. We aim to align our actions with our words.

Elections happen on a fixed date, preceded by campaigns. Inevitably, smaller parties take a bit more time to settle all their invoices. This is not a tragedy, not debt, not anything else – it's simply a matter of needing slightly more time to pay our bills," Perling responded.

Ending pension and salaries indexation would usher in growth

Speaking about the government's economic and tax policies, Perling criticized the lack of a clear plan, actionable solutions or concrete measures. She noted that while the government continues to signal that the economy is about to improve, it fails to address the underlying issues.

"Instead of constantly hoping for improvement, the focus should be on solutions. The Parempoolsed have been very clear that the path to growth begins with reducing state expenditures. This includes freezing spending, de-indexing, cutting costs and downsizing. The government should set a goal to operate next year within the same budget constraints as this year. We could save €600 million. If there were enough statesmanship and courage to declare that we can manage with the expenditures and staff levels of 2019, we could achieve €4 billion in savings," Perling argued.

She stressed that de-indexing does not mean targeting the poorest members of society. "On the contrary, Parempoolsed have dared to look these individuals in the eye and say that they are being misled if they're told that indexed or extraordinary wage increases will make them wealthier. The truth is that indexation combined with inflation erodes purchasing power. Those living at the poverty line will be able to afford less bread and milk a year from now. If we were to de-index expenditures today and freeze the situation for a few years until the economy recovers and begins to grow, that is where the solutions lie," Perling explained.

Perling identified unpredictable economic policies as the primary cause of Estonia's prolonged and significant price increases. "Of course, crises have had their impact, but neighboring countries have faced the same challenges and managed to make the right domestic decisions. We have not," she said.

Commenting on the government's decision not to raise alcohol excise taxes, Perling called it reasonable. "There must be a limit to endless excise tax hikes. We all know this encourages cross-border trade. The arguments about promoting healthier behavior are not credible. This is another example of a nanny-state mentality, where the state believes that by saying 'don't drink,' people will actually drink less. That's not how it works," Perling said.

She added that economic policy should be viewed as a whole, and increasing alcohol excise taxes would harm an entire sector of the economy, including tourism as well as the hospitality industry encompassing hotels and restaurants.

The most damaging tax decision by the government, according to Perling, has been the reintroduction of corporate income tax. "This has clearly broken the backbone of our tax system's competitiveness," she said.

300 absurd norms should be abolished to rein in bureaucracy

Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa Pakosta (Eesti 200) reached out to ministries over the summer, requesting proposals to reduce bureaucracy based on the coalition agreement. As part of her initiative, "bürokraatiale vitsad peale" ("cracking down on bureaucracy"), she sought suggestions on how to adjust legislative requirements so that each new administrative burden introduced would require an existing one to be repealed. This objective was agreed upon by the governing coalition in their summer agreement. However, Ministry of Economic Affairs Secretary-General Ahti Kuningas criticized the plan, suggesting it focuses more on limiting legislative activity than on reducing bureaucracy, potentially creating additional paperwork. Economic and Industry Minister Erkki Keldo (Reform) also noted that the proposals from the Ministry of Justice require more thorough analysis.

Lavly Perling dismissed the ongoing debate as mere rhetoric without action. "We have proposed three very simple measures that would immediately reduce bureaucracy. Repeal 300 of the most absurd norms in the current legislation, which would free up time and allow businesses to focus on substance," said Perling.

"We've looked at what other countries are doing, and this is an example from Finland. Finland's right-wing government has set a clear target – they've identified a specific number, whether it's 300 or another figure, as their goal," she explained.

Perling rejected claims that the number was arbitrary. "This is not a number plucked out of thin air. We've consulted with various sectors, and it's clear that everyone can point to dozens of absurd regulations," she emphasized.

Too many officials

The Parempoolsed leader emphasized that reducing bureaucracy could also be achieved by making the public sector fully transparent.

"Many people are struggling with how the public sector has evolved into what feels like a bureaucratic union, one that doesn't engage with citizens as it should – as a service-oriented entity – but instead acts distantly and condescendingly, assuming the role of the state itself," Perling said.

"For example, it should be easy to track where my detailed planning amendment or application stands in the local government or state system. Whose desk is it on? How long has it been there? How many times has it been sent back to me? Who is responsible for it and how many steps are in the process? Who needs to approve and sign off? I believe that such a transparent system would create pressure to improve efficiency. As efficiency increases, bureaucracy will start to decrease," she explained.

Perling also pointed out that the public sector has grown excessively bloated. "We need to value having fewer civil servants. Those who remain should be highly skilled and well-compensated. Today, we simply have too many," she concluded.

Government should put its foot down in Narva

Discussing the turbulent political environment in Narva, Lavly Perling said that the political culture there does not align with Estonia's broader political norms. She emphasized that the state should take a more decisive and active role in Ida-Viru County.

"It's time for the state to assert itself there – through people and principles – to ensure that Estonia's legal and cultural frameworks are also applied in that region," Perling said.

"When we talk about political parties, this means going there, talking to people, listening to them and trying to understand the endless chains of patronage and how to break them. It also means respecting and empowering Estonian state institutions in the area so that they can perform their duties effectively, whether in law enforcement or oversight," she explained.

Reflecting on recent developments in Narva, Perling expressed disappointment over a missed opportunity. "A particularly sad moment in the current crisis was when Katri Raik chose not to present a list of candidates that could have offered a Western, reform-oriented alternative to the Byzantine political culture loyal to centralized power," she noted.

According to Perling, Parempoolsed have encouraged their party members living in Narva to step up. "Now is the time to work in Narva and to actively recruit right-leaning individuals in Narva who respect Estonia's legal and cultural framework and who have the capacity to drive real change. These individuals should join our ranks, build a strong list and run in Narva with a clear and strong message," Perling stated.

Estonian society settles for fraud and lies too easily

Finally, the host asked Lavly Perling what she finds most troubling and most uplifting about Estonian society.

"Sometimes it saddens me how easily society tolerates deceit and lies, how uncritical it can be and how it often fails to condemn dishonesty. Transparency and truthfulness should be non-negotiable. The same goes for statesmanship –putting the interests of the country above one's own. It's disheartening when these values seem to lose importance. But elections are just around the corner and voters will once again have their say," Perling said.

"What brings me joy is that we truly have the most amazing country in the world, and we've been able to preserve it. I believe we have enough wisdom to continue protecting it, building it and governing it in a way that ensures our children inherit an Estonia they can be as proud of as we've had the privilege to be," Perling concluded.

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