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The opposition Conservative People s Party (EKRE) has entered into Riigikogu proceedings 700 proposals to amend to block the bill to approve the European recovery plan. Rumor has it EKRE have blocked the approval of the EU recovery fund that stands to bring Estonia ca €1 billion by putting forward around 700 empty amendment proposals, Minister of Finance Keit Pentus-Rosimannus wrote on social media. This speaks of two things. Firstly – EKRE members ultimate cynicism in trying to stop EU crisis aid that the Estonian economy has been looking forward to. Secondly – complete harmony with the goal recently voiced by EKRE leaders to try and take Estonia out of the European Union. Of course, we will not allow them to paint Estonia into a corner, Pentus-Rosimannus added.
The body tasked with monitoring party finances has asked a Tallinn deputy mayor about a campaigning debt of â¬9,000, arising from the European parliamentary elections in May 2019.
The Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee (ERJK) says that Vadim Belobrovtsev (Center), one of six deputy mayors in the city government, had as of September last year delayed payment on invoices issued by a consulting firm for 17 months. Depending on the details, this may constitute an illegal donation, the ERJK says.
The ERJK says that the length of time the debt had been in place attracted its attention. Such long-term debts are not common in economic activities, which is why the Commission had grounds to check whether there was a possible violation of the Political Parties Act, which consists in the use of creditor s money on favorable terms.
Blocking a party punished in criminal procedure from participating in elections would likely not be possible in the democratic world. But the least we could do would be to strip political parties that have accepted illegal donations of state budget support, Marek Reinaas writes.
Parties grappling with accusations of corruption forming the new government has once again brought to the surface the topic of party financing. The question of how to lessen parties appetite for dirty money.
On the one hand, it is a justified question to say the least – the public is completely fed up with suspicious plastic bags, white sweaters, cash found in dressers belonging to mothers-in-law and Porto Francos.
ERR News republishes the full coalition agreement between the Reform and Center parties upon which the new government is formed. It will last from 2021 until 2023, when new national elections are called.
The aim of the coalition is to continue to resolve the COVID-19 crisis, to keep Estonia forward-looking, and to improve the country in all areas and regions.
This translation was provided to ERR News by the Center Party but it can also be read on the government s website:
OVERVIEW
The Estonian Reform Party and the Estonian Centre Party form a government that will continue to efficiently solve the COVID-19 crisis, maintain the progressive nature of Estonia, and develop the state in all fields and regions.