Keldo: Serious discussion needed with SDE on how to continue in government
Estonian Minister of the Economy and Industry Erkki Keldo (Reform) said that there is a need for a serious discussion with the Social Democratic Party (SDE) on whether they see the coalition agreement in the same way as the Reform Party. According to Keldo, there are already too many obstacles preventing the implementation of previously agreed initiatives.
In light of the Reform Party's increasingly vocal criticism of the Social Democratic Party (SDE), ERR asked Keldo whether this indicates Reform is preparing to throw the SDE out of the governing coalition.
"It seems to me that the wheels have been put in motion at the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture. Soon they will be able to come up with new bureaucratic or bureaucratizing measures more often than once a week. It's quite difficult. At the moment, (SDE leader Lauri) Läänemets is not here. But we will have to have a serious discussion," said Keldo.
"Seven months ago we agreed that our priority is security, and on that front, we have no major disagreements. What remains to be agreed on is to look at this additional funding model over the longer term. How much will come from Europe, what will come from loans and what will not. But we did agree that we would all work together on reducing bureaucracy and making the business environment more competitive. That was our second priority, and is something that was said with one voice by representatives of all parties. But what's inside a cutlet or how repackage donated food and so on, this is not what we agreed on," Keldo said.
"We certainly need to discuss whether we have the same understanding regarding it means to make the business environment more competitive. In the Ministry of the Economy, we are looking at making the Employment Contracts Act more flexible, regarding the issue of foreign labor. Regarding savings, there are the possible additional savings measures from the Unemployment Insurance Fund's employment program. Unfortunately, there are already too many of these things for which we have not been able to do what we agreed," Keldo added.
Asked whether, if the disagreements persist, Reform will start looking for a new coalition partner, Keldo said it was still too early to ask such questions.
"That is certainly not for me to say. It's down to the party leaders and, if necessary, the executive committees to discuss what the perspectives and possibilities are. It has to be understood whether there is a common desire to do the things we agreed on just seven months ago," Keldo added.
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Michael Cole
