In a letter to Interior Minister Igor Taro (Eesti 200), Tallinn Deputy Mayor Riina Solman (Isamaa) said that funding should better reflect the actual workload, complexity of cases and costs of carrying out state-mandated duties.

Kristi Kail, head of the Tallinn Vital Statistics Office, said the office's workload has grown as cases involving foreign nationals have increased and procedures have become more complex.

The current funding model, she continued, is register entry-based, leaving work unpaid when cases do not ultimately result in a new entry.

She cited marriage applications involving foreign citizens as one example, as difficulties obtaining the required paperwork from abroad can disrupt couples' plans to get legally married no matter how much effort local officials have already put into a case.

Kail added that digital services have not eliminated the need for more personal assistance either, as some residents require guidance navigating online systems or help with more complicated cases.

Solman said many applications and requests require advice, paperwork checks and even legal assistance, going well beyond simply entering information into a register.

"People call needing explanations and advice," the deputy mayor said. "These cases also require legal assessments and document reviews, which means our officials are providing significantly more advisory services than before."

She said the office's current budget is based on a funding model dating back to 2018 and no longer reflects actual costs, including fixed expenses, information system use, appeals and other administrative work.

'This also impacts social services and healthcare'

Solman stressed that the issue affects more than municipal budgets, as reliable population register data and functioning public services are matters of national importance. Underfunding now, she warned, could also end up costing more down the road.

"The state should be funding its own services," the deputy mayor said. "This isn't just about the Vital Statistics Office; it also impacts social services and healthcare. Public services are increasingly falling behind, while the responsibilities placed on local governments are no longer adequately funded."

The city has not yet said how much additional funding it would seek, saying it first wants to discuss the issue with the ministry.

Solman added that the ruling coalition hopes to avoid raising fees for Tallinn residents, as it essentially considers these to be state services.

The City of Tallinn has proposed a funding model combining fixed base funding with a workload-based component.

According to Solman's letter to the interior minister, the first would cover service readiness and fixed costs, while the second would account for case volumes, complexity, advisory work and efforts to maintain accurate register data.

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