Savisaar accuses Ilves in hypocritical criticism

Photo: Toomas Huik

Yesterday, Centre Party chairman and Mayor of Tallinn Edgar Savisaar sent an open letter to President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the latter having criticised party events financed from city coffers. In his letter, Mr Savisaar stressed that similar events have been organised by both Mr Ilves and Prime Minister Andrus Ansip.

«Ilves and Ansip have criticised Tallinn city government for organising a party to celebrate the three years’ work at Ülemiste traffic crossing facility. The opening ceremony has been labelled an antic and, in media, emotions have been whipped into a frenzy,» wrote Mr Savisaar. «Surely, the right wing parties would like that the president and media, their supporters, would harp on the opening of a crossing in Tallinn till the election day.»

In his letter, Mr Savisaar also recalled Estonia’s «welcome euro» celebration of 2011, underlining that to that background, the opening ceremony at Ülemiste was nothing unique. «Of course, we did not have 11.2 million Estonian kroons at our disposal, as the president and prime minister had,» wrote Mayor of Tallinn.

Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi (Reform Party) refuted accusations by Mr Savisaar, claiming the actual costs of celebrating the euro were only 350,000 kroons, by which Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) was supported in its preparation of the New Year programme.