CEO of Tallinn public transport company leaves Reform Party
Recently appointed Tallinna Linnatranspordi AS (TLT) CEO Deniss Boroditš announced that he is leaving the Reform Party. The step follows fellow party members' lasting criticism of Boroditš' taking over the city's public transport company, appointed by the capital's Centre Party-led local government.
Boroditš announced his leaving the party on social media on Wednesday evening. He left the Riigikogu earlier this year to take on the job of running Tallinn's public transport company.
Following his appointment, he faced harsh criticism, eg. by fellow Reform Party member and chairman of the party's group on the Tallinn City Council, Kristen Michal. The general tone of the criticism against Boroditš has been that if he is happy to work with a local government still struggling with various corruption cases, but still refusing to reform itself from the ground up, there is no place for him in the Reform Party.
"I've always followed the principle in my life that you should put your heart into everything you do," Boroditš wrote on social media. "I followed this principle as well in the years that I belonged to the Reform Party. I have the party my best, and the party gave me the chance to prove myself in the Riigikogu," he added.
He also said that he appreciated the opportunity to build up Reform's organisation in Ida-Viru County. But now he has come to the decision to leave the party, he said.
Boroditš explained that following his selection as CEO of the city's public transport company, he didn't expect his party's reaction to be as painful as it shaped up to be.
"I understand that even the most balanced and transparent politicians have difficulties understanding that business is above political preferences, but that the rules and logic of the economy apply here," Boroditš wrote. "As I don't want to be the reason for any more tensions in the party, and as running a company with almost 2,000 employees will keep me too busy to waste time on party intrigues, I'll leave the Reform Party."
Boroditš also said that he is planning to continue as a member of the City Council, but will resign immediately if there should be any interference with his job as CEO of Tallinna Linnatranspordi AS.
The Reform Party previously planned to discuss Boroditš' trustworthiness in a meeting of the leadership of its Tallinn branch on 29 August. Boroditš joined the party in late 2013 after having been a Centre Party member for eight years.
Editor: Dario Cavegn
