Government still lacks work plan after six months in office
Although Prime Minister Kristen Michal's (Reform) government has been in office for six months, an official work plan has not yet been agreed upon. He said the action program would be approved shortly.
Put simply, the government's work plan is an agreement among cabinet members about who does what and by when. It can also help the public see if the coalition is fulfilling its promises.
For example, on the government's website, it is possible to see that Prime Minister Kaja Kallas' (Reform) last government had 517 tasks listed in its four-year work plan. The Government Office kept track of how many of those tasks had been completed.
But the new government has yet to officially agree on responsibilities and the division of tasks.
Michal said the new plan should be ready in a week or two.
"At the end of last year, ministers were still coordinating their input. The reason we've been discussing this at length is that I requested a reorganization of the plan so that the government doesn't act like a mailbox, with minor issues constantly landing on the government's daily agenda. Instead, the government should focus on major matters, such as security and economic issues. This means responsibilities within the government and among ministers will also be reallocated accordingly," the prime minister explained.
The Government Office's Strategy Director Mari-Liis Sööt said the government has modified the work plan format and decided to reorganize tasks differently.
"The idea is to focus on what is truly important, as not every detail needs to be brought before the government. Some tasks, such as drawing up an action plan, are responsibilities that lie with individual ministers. The government should mainly address issues that require government decisions and political discussions," she explained.
Until the new work plan is adopted, the old action program remains in effect. However, this does not necessarily mean that everything listed in it reflects the current reality.
For instance, the climate law — which has not yet been approved by the government — should have already been passed by the Riigikogu and come into force according to the existing plan.
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Editor: Helen Wright
