The government has followed through on its plan to merge the state credit agency, KredEx, with Enterprise Estonia (EAS), a body which concentrates on innovation, trade, foreign investment and the e-state.
The merger was already decided on at the end of April, while the government officially endorsed the move Thursday, BNS reports.
The merger is expected to save over €140,000 in 2021 alone, at a time when the Reform/Center coalition is pursuing an austerity drive.
Reform s IT and foreign trade minister Andres Sutt (pictured) said: We have set the goal of legally merging the two institutions into one by the beginning of next year.
Opposition party Isamaa says defense minister Kalle Laanet (Reform) should face a no-confidence vote at the Riigikogu over defense spending cuts which may lay off over 250 people.
Reform remains the most highly supported political party, followed by the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) and then the Center Party, according to a recent survey. EKRE's support fell slightly on the preceding week.
The Reform Party is playing a delicate game in the run-up to this autumn's presidential elections, in an effort to avoid a repeat performance of fall 2016, when the party found itself excluded from office shortly after Kersti Kaljulaid becoming head of state, panelists on Vikerraadio politics show 'Rahva teenrid' found Saturday afternoon.
Defense minister Kalle Laanet (Reform) has not ruled out as a concept the merger of his ministry with the interior ministry. The move would pool potential crisis response personnel as well as military personnel, he said, and would also lead to efficiency gains.