Host Johannes Vedru asked whether Terras planned to work toward increasing the rural population, noting that statistics show population growth is concentrated in Harju and Tartu counties.

"As a representative of a liberal party, I believe people have the right to live where they want," Terras responded.

"What the state can do is recognize that it's also in the country's interest for people to live in different regions, including rural areas. But in my view, it's fairly straightforward. At the heart of it all are jobs. If you can put food on the table for yourself and your children, then you can live nearby," he added.

"There are two things we can do. On one hand, we can bring investments to rural areas to create jobs. There are examples of places where a town has gradually formed around a large industrial operation. The other thing we can do is develop an integrated nationwide public transport system, so that travel is fast and getting to your destination is as easy as possible from anywhere. This makes it possible to live in the countryside while working, for example, in a place where those jobs are. In my view, those two measures are the most important areas to focus on," Terras said.

"But it all comes down to whether a person sees that they can put food on the table for themselves and their children while living in the countryside. If the state can help make that possible, I think that would be very welcome," Terras said.

Terras: I've made it a priority to cut red tape

Terras said that reducing bureaucracy in agriculture is also a key priority for him.

"Cutting back on bureaucracy is a very important issue for me. The question is that the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy gives us opportunities — it provides resources — but it also comes with obligations. As we take on those obligations, we have to make sure we're not adopting more than necessary. That audit is already underway. We're reviewing all the transpositions of EU directives, and wherever it's legally possible to roll things back, we will. This process will take some time, as it requires thorough legal review," Terras said.

"Another important issue is defending our interests in Europe. I've already begun discussions on this. We'll soon be meeting in Latvia with the agriculture ministers from the Baltic states to establish joint positions and we'll also be engaging with the Nordic ministers. When it comes to these directives, it's difficult to flat-out say 'no, we won't do this,' because that could impact potential investments here. It's about finding a balance. What's more important is identifying situations where reporting requirements aren't driven by actual substantive regulations but instead are due to misunderstandings or unnecessarily complex procedures. Those are areas with real room for improvement and I've made it a personal mission to make as much progress as possible there," Terras said.

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