Martin Helme: EKRE's rhetoric to change in government
According to Martin Helme, deputy chairman of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), his party's rhetoric was very sharp while it was a member of the opposition, but it would be very difficult to continue with such rhetoric as a member of the government.
"It is completely clear that in a situation in which authority is exercised, your opportunity for implementing your agenda is completely different from that when you are in the opposition," Mr Helme said in a longer interview with daily Eesti Päevaleht (EPL, link in Estonian). "Which means that you have to opt for a different tactic."
According to the deputy chairman, every party, including EKRE, has to take advantage of the opportunity to implement its programme in the government, which is why it was decided to join complicated coalition talks instead of remain comfortably in the opposition.
"This talk about us that we are an opposition party that simply wants to make noise and is incapable of agreeing on anything with anyone and never wants to do anything, but rather just wants to camp out comfortably in the opposition in the Riigikogu — this is a fun myth propagated by our dear competition that they, the idiots, have themselves ended up believing," Mr Helme said.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
