Due to recent budget cuts, the Tax and Customs Board, the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Social Insurance Board and the courts have all opted to close some of their regional branches. Estonian Minister of Rural Affairs and Agriculture Piret Hartman (SDE) believes these kinds of decisions should not be decided by the heads of the agencies, but instead by politicians.

"If we look at the existing coalition agreement, one of the objectives was to reduce social and regional inequalities. At the moment, this pledge somehow tends to be neglected," Hartman said. "And that is why we have now brought this issue to the government: let us then decide what principles we will follow."

Recently, the Council for Administrative Courts decided to close the Põlva courthouse and one of the courthouses in Pärnu. The potential closure of court houses in Rapla and Jõhvi, as well as others, is also still being considered. Minister of Justice Liisa-Ly Pakosta (Eesti 200) said courts have to be able to decide for themselves how to cope with the reduced budget.

"Politicians need to keep their hands off the judiciary. It can't be this way, where politicians start deciding how the courts work and where exactly the courts are located," Pakosta said. "This is not an issue for political interference. We really don't want to move away from the rule of law in any way."

However, under Estonian law, it is down to the minister to decide whether to close or open a courthouse. There is even a special for that purpose. Hartman thinks Pakosta ought to negotiate with the courts.

"On this issue, she is really making a regional policy decision," Hartman said. "The minister should provide basic guidelines as to how these cuts will be made at the moment. Of course, it is possible to pass on that responsibility, throw up your hands and say, 'I didn't decide that,' but I think this is an issue on which the minister ought to have a role."

Hartman calls for coordination

Hartman suggested that the government ought to establish rules of procedure, whereby if a government department wants to close a regional unit, it should coordinate its actions with the minister of regional minister.

"The original proposal was that the government should make the decision regarding such fundamental changes. But at the moment we have come to the suggestion that the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture could do it," Hartman said.

"You can't make such decisions from an only educational or social policy point of view," she added. "In fact, all of these decisions have an impact on local life and there has to be some consideration of that impact and how this will affect regional development."

Eesti 200 leader and Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas, does not believe such a move is necessary. Kallas said that the concerns of all ministers could be discussed in the cabinet or coalition council.

"I don't see the need to start changing any regulations with the mindset that regulations will make things better. We have all these discussions among the cabinets, all the time, even today," Kallas said.

Michal: People would rather have good digital services

Kallas believes Hartman could also speak more about what is being done well in terms of regional policy.

"You can talk about how everything is going badly and how in Kiviõli they are closing down the Unemployment Insurance Fund office, where one or two people work and where local people themselves even prefer not to visit in person. On the other hand, you don't talk about what has been positive in terms of regional policy recently. We have a lot of examples of jobs being lost," Kallas said.

Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Erkki Keldo (Reform), stressed that most people prefer using online services over going to an office. Improving the possibilities for remote working is an issue worth discussing, he said.

"However, in general, we have to return to the original idea, which is also where we started with this government. The state needs to become more efficient for the taxpayer so that services are negatively affected as little as possible," Keldo said.

Keldo was joined at the press conference by his party colleague, Prime Minister Kristen Michal.

"At the end of the day, whether you need a post office or a tax office somewhere, or whether you need really good access online and quality services quickly –  I would tend to say it's the latter," Michal said.

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