Social Democrats: Kindergarten should be free all over Estonia
The Social Democratic Party (SDE) has submitted a proposed amendment to the supplementary state budget to eliminate kindergarten fees in all Estonian local governments — even as a dispute has erupted within the capital's ruling coalition, sparked by the Center Party and Reform Party pushing for the same.
"If politicians from the prime minister's party support free early childhood education in Tallinn, then it's high time to bring that principle to the national level and offer support to all local governments," said SDE MP and Tallinn City Council member Andre Hanimägi.
"All the moreso given that incomes are highest in Tallinn, but fees are lower there than in other local governments," he added.
The Social Democrats' proposed amendment calls for the allocation of €22 million to cover four months.
"That's enough to eliminate kindergarten fees through the end of 2025," Hanimägi noted. "However, for kindergarten to remain free in the future, the government will have to submit a budget to the Riigikogu this fall codifying the principle of free kindergarten going forward as well."
On Monday, both the Center Party and the Reform Party issued press releases, within a short time of one another, regarding proposed amendments to Tallinn's supplementary budget that would eliminate kindergarten fees in the capital.
This drew criticism from both Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE) and deputy mayors Karl Sander Kase (Isamaa) and Aleksei Jašin (Eesti 200).
Last week, Tallinn's 2025 supplementary budget passed its first reading in the Tallinn City Council.
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Editor: Mari Peegel, Aili Vahtla
