Lauri Läänemets, chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDE), said on ERR's "Otse uudistemajast" webcast that he does not consider [Minister of Defense] Hanno Pevkur (Reform), who has faced heavy criticism recently, to be incompetent. However, he pointed out that the issue lies in the fact that the defense minister's word does not carry more weight than that of the prime minister on national defense matters. According to Läänemets, the prime minister prioritizes low taxes and budget constraints over defense spending.

"I'm not going to criticize how Pevkur has managed his role. He is competent in substance, but when it comes to standing up for his field, that has been lacking. The key issue now is ensuring that the military advice from the commander of the Defense Forces is implemented within the specified timeframe and to the full extent. While the government announced on Tuesday that defense spending would rise above 5 percent of GDP, following the advice given, it should increase to 6-7 percent. In other words, the announced increase falls short of what the defense chief recommended," Läänemets explained.

Reinsalu emphasized that it is crucial to distinguish between what is important and what is not, and that the military advice of the defense chief must be implemented without delay. He recalled that last fall, he had proposed initiating a discussion within the European Union about redirecting EU investment funds toward defense. At the time, he was ridiculed for the idea and the government responded that its priorities lay elsewhere, such as green investments. However, according to Reinsalu, the same people who criticized him back then are now making similar arguments.

"As for Defense Minister Pevkur, he is a sympathetic and empathetic person. But last summer, even members of the Reform Party itself were calling for his replacement. This highlights Kristen Michal's failure as a leader — he was too uncomfortable removing a political rival from the government," Reinsalu said.

Reinsalu argued that Pevkur's words and actions have not aligned and accused him of trying to hide behind high-ranking officials and military personnel during a press conference this week. He also criticized Pevkur for the departure of key figures from the Defense Forces, the Defense League and the Ministry of Defense during his tenure.

The Isamaa leader also recalled an incident in the summer of 2023 when ERR reported that the government had rejected the procurement of anti-drone capabilities.

Reinsalu said he had sent an inquiry to the defense minister asking why the decision was made to forgo the purchase. Pevkur responded by classifying the reply as secret, although, according to Reinsalu, there was nothing confidential in the response. Pevkur argued that Estonia lacked the funds for such capabilities and added that "it is not incorrect to say that drones move slowly and can be spotted with the naked eye."

Reinsalu claimed that this response reflects the level of leadership within the ministry.

Läänemets said he had not been aware of Pevkur's stance on the issue and noted that, as interior minister, he had actually proposed building a drone barrier along Estonia's eastern border.

Läänemets recalled that when the defense chief presented his military advice in September last year, the Social Democrats called for the necessary investments to be made. However, the Reform Party, led by Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi, sent a clear message that there was no money for it.

"The Reform Party saw no way to allocate the necessary funds. The fact that these investments were postponed for a year is a major issue. They should have been made much earlier. But this didn't fit into the Reform Party's dogma of low taxes and balanced budgets, which they have governed by for the past 20 years. It comes down to courage — whether you have the courage to abandon your previous positions and do what is necessary for the country," Läänemets stated.

Reinsalu agreed that Estonia has lost both time and money due to indecision.

"If all European countries start purchasing ammunition at the same time, weapon systems will become more expensive due to shortages. Indecision has a real financial cost. Michal is now attacking me, claiming that I am questioning Estonia's national defense principles. On the contrary, I am asking whether the government is prepared to do everything necessary to defend Estonia. We are putting pressure on the government to govern better," Reinsalu vowed.

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