Reform-Eesti 200 coalition pact nearing completion

The coalition agreement between the Reform and Eesti 200 parties is nearly complete, with the coalition council set to discuss the document Monday.
The Reform-Eesti 200 coalition took office in March and issued a shortened framework agreement. Talks to finalize the full version have continued since.
The agreement still needs approval from both party boards.
Eesti 200 chair and Education Minister Kristina Kallas told Aktuaalne kaamera that some pension system details remain unresolved.

"We need to make decisions on the sustainability of the pension system, particularly concerning the second pillar, as the current pension system is not sustainable without it," Kallas said.
Higher education funding has also been a complex issue, Kallas added. "With higher education, we actually need to increase the number of places on bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs, and we have agreed in the coalition that over the next 10 years, the number of doctoral study places will grow significantly. Estonia needs highly educated workers."
Reform Party Energy and Environment Minister Andres Sutt said the agreement includes long-term goals, including nuclear energy development and forest and nature protection policies.
"I think it is good that we have taken the time to discuss things thoroughly among ourselves, so that we understand them the same way. Then it's also easier to start moving forward," Sutt said.

Siim Pohlak, vice chair of the opposition Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), said that based on what is publicly known, the agreement does not address key issues like restarting the economy or curbing inflation.
"If you look at the tax aspect alone, this is Kaja Kallas's continuation government, bearing the same mentality, and unfortunately I don't see things improving, even with this new coalition agreement," Pohlak said.
Eesti 200 has stated support for making the second pension pillar mandatory, while the Reform Party favors keeping participation voluntary. The second pillar refers to employer-employee pension contributions, and membership had been mandatory for most wage earners from 2010 until reforms put in place in 2020 which allowed people to opt out.
The new coalition agreement was needed after Reform and Eesti 200 ejected the Social Democrats (SDE) from office in March. This is the second administration led by Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) and the fifth consecutive coalition to include the Reform Party.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Andrew Whyte
Source: 'Aktuaalne kaamera'