Free Party backs no confidence motion, EKRE still undecided
Following its Friday ultimatum, the Reform Party expects Minister of Justice Urmas Reinsalu (IRL) to resign on Monday. If he doesn't, the Reform Party will go ahead with its planned motion of no confidence against Reinsalu. The Free Party backs the move, EKRE are planning to meet with Reinsalu first.
The Free Party have decided to support the motion. "We're coming together to express our lack of confidence in Reinsalu's life's work," Free Party Artur Talvik said on Monday.
The Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE) has no position yet, and wants to meet with Reinsalu before deciding how they will proceed. The party was "in no particular hurry" to sign the motion, chairman Mart Helme told ERR on Monday. Though only small, EKRE's parliamentary group with its seven mandates could make the difference in a vote against Reinsalu.
Helme said that they are planning to meet with Reinsalu on Tuesday to talk about Estonia's courts and prosecutors. EKRE have complained that "Russian has basically become a second language in court," and that Estonia's signing the Istanbul Convention forces an attitude towards gender on the country that goes against its culture and norms.
Helme also pointed out that in the case concerning the choice of NO99 and Tiit Ojasoo for the cultural part of the Feb. 24 centennial presidential reception, the main person to be blamed is President Kersti Kaljulaid, along with her office.
The Social Democrats announced that they will discuss the matter of a potential motion against Reinsalu in an extended leadership meeting on Wednesday. Party chairman and Minister of Health and Labour Jevgeni Ossinovski told ERR on Monday that it is their parliamentary group's opinion that the vote will have a great impact on cooperation within the government, which is why the leadership should discuss it.
"We're not in a government crisis. We're not in a comfortable situation, but there's no point exaggerating things either," he added.
Ossinovski also pointed out the difference between people in the party and the party itself. Though there are those who "as humans" would vote against Reinsalu, as a party the Social Democrats don't think the motion is necessary.
Reinsalu's own party, the Pro Patria and Res Publica Liit (IRL), confirmed on Monday that the justice minister continues to have their support.
Editor: Dario Cavegn