Kallas proposes coalition talks to Centre again
Kaja Kallas, chairwoman of the Riigikogu election-winning Reform Party, published in her blog a letter sent to the runner-up Centre Party in which she asked the party to reconsider the possibility of cooperating with Reform in forming a government coalition.
"We have followed the Centre Party's negotiations with Isamaa and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) for the formation of a coalition," Ms Kallas wrote in her letter to the Centre Party. "We continue to believe that with the Reform Party, the Centre Party could be a participant in a coalition that would represent the interests of the people and state of Estonia in a more broad-based, balanced and forward-looking matter. As a meeting of your party's extended board will take place this weekend, where these issues will also likely be discussed, we are sending you the principles that our cooperation could be based on.
"Our government would protect democracy and a state based on the rule of law," she described. "Our government would respect freedom of speech and journalism. Our government would unconditionally respect the rights and freedoms of all people living in Estonia. Our government would keep Estonia's security firmly protected, and would irrefutably continue the development of allied relations in the EU and NATO.
"Our government would highly value the passionate work done by doctors, education professionals, employees of law enforcement authorities, journalists. and other good people of Estonia," she continued. "We would decisively stand against political rhetoric that disparages various groups of society and causes fear in the society. Our government would be able to deal with serious future challenges facing Estonia, such as increasing the competitiveness of the economy, research funding, improving the availability of medical care, an education system that takes into consideration future needs, the labour market, environmental protection and circular economy."
A Reform-Centre coalition government would improve the availability of Estonian language learning as well as deal with bringing the country's Estonian- and Russian-speaking populations closer together, Ms Kallas wrote. In addition, this kind of government would protect the savings of the Estonian people and not break up the pension system that has been built up over the years.
"Our government would keep the state's finances in order," she described. "Our government would be based on mutual respect. We would form a government on equal bases in terms of both the cost of election promises as well as the distribution of government responsibility."
These principles, she added, have been presented in good faith.
"We ask you to discuss the offer and consider launching negotiations for the formation of a government coalition with the Reform Party," Ms Kallas concluded, adding that she looked forward to a reply.
The Reform Party earned 34 seats in the 101-seat Riigikogu in the 3 March general election. Combined with the Centre Party's 26 seats, a potential Reform-Centre coalition would command a 60-seat majority in the Riigikogu.
Editor: Aili Vahtla