More than half of Estonian citizens are unhappy with the way Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has handled the coronavirus crisis, compared with 38 percent who are satisfied, a new study has found.
The survey was carried out by the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues and pollster Norstat and involved 500 people.
The coronavirus infection rate has been growing rapidly in Estonia since February and on March 8 the government agreed to establish restrictions similar to those enforced in spring 2020 during the emergency situation.
After the rules came into effect, the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues surveyed people s level of satisfaction with activities by the former and current prime ministers.
The opposition Social Democratic Party (SDE) may vote against Martin Helme (EKRE) as one of two deputy Riigikogu speakers in a vote due next week, despite the party saying it agrees with the basis on which Helme is being put forward, ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) reported Friday evening.
Opposition Social Democratic Party (SDE) say they may support former prime minister Jüri Ratas (Center) at Thursday's vote on the next Riigikogu speaker and deputy speakers.
0 >From left, Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda, Latvian prime minister Krišjanis Karinš and former Estonian prime minister Jüri Ratas at an EU meeting last July. Source: EU press office
A dispute between the European Parliament and Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which threatened progress on the Rail Baltica project, has been resolved.
The dispute had seen the three Baltic States threaten to block the approval of ta €750-billion EU package aimed at mitigating the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, unless money was forthcoming for the planned high speed rail link, which will run through the three Baltic States, with its northern terminal in Tallinn, cutting transport times between those countries and continental Europe.
The former prime minister and foreign minister say that another emergency situation should be called amid rising coronavirus rates.
Appearing on ERR News broadcast Otse uudistemajast on the anniversary of the declaration of last year s emergency situation (Estonian: Eriolukord - a constitutionally-defined term), Jüri Ratas (Center) and Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) said that repeating the measure would both send a signal to society and strengthen governance, placing greater responsibility on Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform). An emergency is not the key to riches, but it is an important tool in sending a message to society Jüri Ratas, who, as prime minister this time last year, was head of the emergency situation by default, told interviewer Toomas Sildam.