Urve Tiidus to try team play

Photo: Toomas Huik

Culture minister replacement has no new people in back pocket.

Urve Tiidus, I watched your fist interviews as minister of culture. Above all, you emphasised your desire to restore trust and peace. Is that the principal thing?

At the moment, yes, especially after these complex events for which also the minister [Rein Lang] resigned.

But how can that be achieved?

A very serious question. (Thinks for a long while.) I have realised that in order to clarify complex situations it is most important to desire to clarify these, have the will to do it. Thence, the next steps.

Dialogue, I would even say polylogue (a talk between several people – edit), is important, as well as the desire to conform, for meetings, for discussions, information exchange, as well as attentive listening. Sounds awkward, perhaps, but for improving the atmosphere.

You are the new culture minister, but how much «space» do you have, at the ministry? By this, I mean: the budget is basically ready and, a couple of days ago, culture policy directions were approved till 2020. I do not mean you should go organise a revolution at the ministry, but you are going to a place very «ready» ...

On the surface, that may be the way it looks.

Yesterday, I managed to shake hands with most of the folks at the ministry, exchange a few words. And there’s a lot of work to do.

That all is ready as if – I don’t see it that way at all. There are many new people at the ministry, many new ideas and many processes underway. Definitely, I have not come here to change things in a day. That would not be prudent.

Before you said «yes» to the task, with whom did you discuss the decision?

With very many people. Some came on their own, to give advice, saying on my, do you really dare go there the place being so complicated. And of course there were the people who know the area well; they said what they thought and shared what I might be facing.

What, then, might you be facing? Were there any warnings?

No, no. Just these same ministry things. For instance, they talked about the budget, which, by the way, means serious growth next year for culture, including salary fund growth. Among ministers, there is, I would not want to call it a fight but there is the competition; even so, culture has quite a good budget for next year. 

Nothing terrible, at the ministry, really. There are all kinds of work-related discussions; a big subject being the next EU budget framework, for instance. Money matters are important, like it or not; and, also, restoring the peace as we said.

I think that Sirp will get a good editor-in-chief and the council will make the right choice in that regard. I heartily hope that people will be running for editor-in-chief of Sirp.

As you already mentioned the Foundation Kultuurileht council, let me ask point blank: should chairman Urmas Klaas be fired? That would be up to you to decide.

I’ll tell you one thing: I will definitely not be in a hurry with all kinds of personnel issues. Give me time to delve into the work.

More generally speaking, in my earlier jobs like while mayor of Kuressaare, I have assumed the attitude that I’m a team player and will manage with all kinds of people; I have no new people in my back pocket.

Should Foundation Kultuurileht council include representatives of artistic associations? This being what they have demanded – true: details still remain unclear, perhaps. Should the council be composed of artistic associations’ representatives alone? Or should they form the majority? They do have the agreement, in principle, and promise, by Rein Lang?

Regarding the details, should the majority come from artistic associations or all of them, or a minority... Today, it is too early for me to answer that.

But this I can say that it comes without saying for representative elected by artistic association being included in the council of Foundation Kultuurileht. How exactly that should happen, how exactly to organise it... Let me be honest, I don’t have the details clear yet.

Have you already agreed upon a meeting with the artistic associations?

No, not yet, it has just not been possible physically yet. The whole day has been so stuffed with activities; I just haven’t had the time.

Did you read, in the last Sirp, what Jaak Allik wrote on culture policy, basically criticising the Reform Party style of «hooking [culture] off the state», adopting the foundations-based management approach?

Sure I read it. This is Jaak Allik’s opinion and it is interesting, as such, to read what he thinks. But to start to discuss these, it would take a long time; and, here, I would not like to take a grand stand in a few sentences.