"Thursday, Aug. 15 was one of the darkest days in Estonian politics in recent decades," Saar said according to a party press release. "We were witnesses to events which jeopardized the functioning of the rule of law and the democratic public order. The people of Estonia have done nothing to deserve this kind of government and especially ministers Martin and Mart Helme. The least that government leader Jüri Ratas could do right now is go to the president with applications for the dismissal of the Helmes from office."

According to Saar, week after week, the prime minister reiterates that Estonia is and will remain a state based on the rule of law.

"Now the prime minister has to demonstrate how he will resolve a situation in which the finance and interior ministers of a government under his leadership disregard the principles of the rule of law," the opposition party chairman said. "The final straw was pressuring a civil servant to resign by overstepping one's delegated powers, falsifying documents and ignoring the government. The Social Democrats see no possibility for Martin and Mart Helme to remain in government. With each passing day that the Helmes remain in government, Estonia strays further from the rule of law."

Should the prime minister not possess enough statesmanship to dismiss the two ministers, he continued, the Social Democrats will initiate the no-confidence process.

"We will give Ratas until Aug. 21," Saar said. "After that, the SDE parliamentary group will begin collecting MP signatures for the submission of a motion of no confidence. Estonia deserves a normal government. We cannot be the disgrace of Europe."

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