Kaljulaid to work at University of Tartu Narva College while in town
During her temporary relocations to Narva this autumn, President Kersti Kaljulaid will be working out of the University of Tartu Narva College and staying at Elektra Guesthouse.
Kaljulaid will be accompanied by a couple dozen Office of the President employees who are needed to perform the duties of the president. She and her team will be given use of a meeting room and a few offices at Narva College.
According to Director of the Office of the President Tiit Riisalo, the most important meetings and initial daily schedule have already been planned. For example, meetings have been scheduled with a number of Ida-Viru County local government leaders, local entrepreneurs as well as civic associations. Kaljulaid will also visit local Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) as well as Estonian Defence League offices.
The president's regular job functions will in no way be affected by the relocation, Riisalo said. While in Narva, Kaljulaid will even accept letters of credentials from some arriving ambassadors, while other ambassadors will pay her their farewell visit there. While no foreign politicians are currently planning on visiting Narva, Riisalo noted that embassies have expressed great interest in the northeastern border city.
The Estonian president will be spending a total of one month, broken up into three separate stays, living and working in Narva: 28 August-6 September, 12-16 November, and 26 November-1 December.
"It unfortunately isn't feasible for the head of state to spend a month straight in Narva," Riisalo explained. "[She has] an entire slew of international commitments outside of Estonia as well as obligations in Tallinn."
He added, however, that the idea behind the president's extended stays in Narva is to increase cohesion between Estonia and Ida-Viru County.
Riisalo also confirmed that Kaljulaid's weeks in Narva are within the budget of the Office of the President.
Editor: Aili Vahtla