As ministers pack bags, sixteen advisers follow suit

Photo: SCANPIX.

While IRL ministers leaving the government have a Riigikogu seat ready and waiting, their advisers and assistants are guaranteed no soft landing; rather, these need to join army of unemployed political personnel. With six IRL ministers, 16 political advisers and assistants with monthly pay of €1,000–2,500 lose jobs.

While education and research minister has just one political adviser, the rest of IRL ministers have three of these; regional minister even four, adding the administrative reform project manager. A political adviser job is, for young politicians, a chance to build up one’s political career. Still, there are some «evergreens» among them – like Aivo Vaske, currently busy helping regional minister Siim-Valmar Kiisler, has held a similar position next to Juhan Parts with the latter still Auditor General, as well as during the brief stunt by Tõnis Palts as finance minister. Now, the man has been helping Mr Kiisler to kick-start administrative reform.

Another public service long-timer is Kalle Liebert, adviser to Helir-Valdor Seeder, the minister of agriculture.

Among the rest, we find two that have managed to fly high, politically, as mayors outside of Tallinn. Mihkel Kübar, adviser of defence minister Urmas Reinsalu, has served as mayor and vice mayor in Jõgeva. Andres Kaarmann, the sole adviser to education minister Jaak Aaviksoo, was mayor of Loksa for a short period of time.  

Most of the ministerial advisors are active in youth organisation of the party; having run for and landed in local councils. Economy minister Juhan Parts’ adviser Madis Kübar has succeeded to rise to the party’s management Andres Luus, adviser to agriculture minister Helir-Valdor Seeder, sits in court of honour of the party.

Probably, unemployment will also hit Sulev Valner, after travelling thousands of kilometres all across Estonia, in a year, pulling the administrative reform as member of regional minister team – neither Reform Party nor soc dems not having shown a slightest interest in continuing the administrative reform started by Mr Kiisler. What’s more: in all probability, the new government will not even have a regional minister.

The advisers to go

IRL ministers’ advisers and assistants to leave office along with ministers

Advisers to defence minister Urmas Reinsalu:

•    Mihkel Kübar

•    Rauno Veri

•    Kati Kuusk

Adviser to education and research minister Jaak Aaviksoo:

•    Andres Kaarmann

Advisers to economy and communication minister Juhan Parts:

•    Madis Kübar

•    Jüri Raatma

Assistant to minister:

•    Sille Ader

Advisers to agriculture minister Helir-Valdor Seeder:

•    Kalle Liebert

•    Andres Luus

Assistant to Minister:

•    Gert Elmaste

Advisers to internal affairs minister Ken-Marti Vaher:

•    Mariko Jõeorg

•    Kert Karus

Assistant to minister:

•    Anneli Egel

Advisers to regional minister Siim-Valmar Kiisler:

•    Aivo Vaske

•    Taavi Linnamäe

•    Rasmus Pedanik

Local government reform project manager:

•    Sulev Valner

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Changes in Riigikogu

IRL ministers back to Riigikogu

•    Urmas Reinsalu (5,055)

•    Juhan Parts (6,608)

•    Jaak Aaviksoo (3,484)

•    Ken-Marti Vaher (5,412)

•    Helir-Valdor Seeder (4,479)

•    Siim-Valmar Kiisler (1,388)

To leave Riigikogu

•    Andres Jalak (880)

•    Siim Kabrits (980)

•    Kaja Kreisman (506)

•    Mart Nutt (1,968)

•    Juku-Kalle Raid (1,097)

•    Ülo Tulik (996)