Estonia's special care funding falls 5 times short of sector's expectations
The government plans to allocate far less state funding to specialized care in the coming years than the sector sought. The Estonian Chamber of Disabled People says even that amount is welcome.
ERR reported this summer that the Ministry of Social Affairs was seeking an additional €200 million for specialized care over the next four years in state budget talks. The money would create new places in specialized care facilities and raise staff salaries.
Ministry Secretary-General Maarjo Mändmaa said a month ago that Social Affairs Minister Karmen Joller (Reform) had requested an additional €20 million for next year, for example.
The government has now agreed on the state budget and sent it to the Riigikogu. Although the ministry requested an additional €200 million, the government decided to add a much smaller amount to the sector over the next four years: up to €37 million.
In fact, the €37 million is intended for the social affairs and health sectors as a whole, not just specialized care. It is also meant, for example, to expand clinical training capacity for nurses, increase residency training capacity and fund various digital developments in healthcare.
Joller said it is now up to the Riigikogu to decide how much of the €37 million will go specifically to specialized care and how much will go to other areas of social affairs or healthcare.
"There are many different needs in my area of responsibility, not just specialized care. We have many needs and I want to discuss them with the other parties as well. Since the coalition will not pass this budget on its own, I think the opposition should also have a chance to say which areas it considers priorities for funding," Joller said.
Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) said the state budget is in deficit and specialized care was one of the few areas to which the government decided to allocate additional money.
"Our budget is in deficit and if we want to reduce the debt burden in the future by running a smaller deficit, somewhat less money will be available for different sectors. [...] Many sectors received no additional money at all and instead faced cuts, so this was one of the few that actually received more," Michal said.
Maarja Krais-Leosk, head of the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People, said the planned amount for specialized care was certainly less than hoped for, but the allocation of up to €37 million was still welcome.
"I don't think it would be right to start shaking our fists or slinging mud over this now. I believe the figures also reflect the efforts of various politicians," she said.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski
