Motion of no confidence against Reinsalu coming on Wednesday or Thursday
After meeting with Justice Minister Urmas Reinsalu on Tuesday the Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE) decided to join a motion of no confidence against him. With their backing, the Reform Party now expects to have at least 49 votes against Reinsalu, and is hoping for the three independents as well as potential dissenters in the coalition parties.
The chairman of the party's parliamentary group, Martin Helme, told ERR on Tuesday morning that EKRE is a party that stands for traditional family values. "We find that men should defend women, not beat them. We find the Social Democrats should be ashamed of themselves and from now on simply shut up where this issue is concerned," Helme said, referring to the Social Democrats' announcement on Monday evening that they won't participate in a vote to oust Reinsalu.
Opposition expects to hand in motion on Wednesday or Thursday
According to the opposition, they are expecting to get at least 49 votes together, and they are hoping for coalition MPs as well to support the motion. They plan to submit the motion on Wednesday or Thursday this week.
Helme added that though there were several issues where EKRE and Reinsalu's party, the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL) agreed, they couldn't ignore the fact that IRL joined a "left-wing" and "pro-Russian" government.
"They're making plenty of unacceptable concessions," he said, adding that joining the motion against Reinsalu they are "putting pressure" on IRL to get out of the current government.
"In our assessment, the current Estonian government is incapacitated, paralyzed, making decisions regarding the economy and tax that are extremely damaging to Estonia, and working against the interest of the Estonian people," Helme said.
EKRE wants to get rid of the current coalition as soon as possible, and in that sense the announced vote of no confidence to EKRE is directed against all of the government, not just Urmas Reinsalu, he added.
The text of the motion against Reinsalu, according to Helme, is currently being worked on by the Reform Party, the Free Party, and EKRE.
Editor: Dario Cavegn