In U-turn, foreign minister Paet quits to become MEP

Photo: Toomas Tatar / Postimees

Having publicly declined to take a seat at European Parliament just a week ago, Reform Party vice chairman Urmas Paet has still decided to exit post of Estonian foreign minister and leave for Brussels.

Commenting on the decision, Reform Party chairman and Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas said it would have been easier for the government and the party to have the experienced minister to continue, but humanly he understands Mr Paet’s choice.

«Urmas Paet has been a very strong foreign minister and, with his experience, has been of benefit to management of the ministry and to the work of the government. During this week, Reform Party’s board will be discussing proposition by Prime Minister to nominate a candidate for foreign minister,» he said via governmental communication bureau.

Earlier, the current environmental minister Keit Pentus-Rosimannus has been mentioned as a possible foreign minister. For the time being, foreign trade minister Anne Sulling will be acting as foreign minister in the government.

Explaining his decision to day, Mr Paet said he has been in Estonia’s government for the past 11.5 years, and 9.5 of that as foreign minister. «During that time, Estonia’s foreign political position has been strengthened. This has been the case both in NATO and the European Union, we have gotten into OECD, have been elected into UN Human Rights Council etc. We have lots of friends in the world and that’s important for any country,» he said.

At that, working at the same job for 9.5 years is indeed a long time, he continued. «I have still arrived at the conclusion that [I] need new challenges. Thus, I’m ready to go work in European Parliament, to in this way help the developments of Estonia and Europe,» said Mr Paet.

He promised to be a part of Estonia’s social life, to help Reform Party in preparing its programme for the upcoming Riigikogu elections, and will in every way be supporting the Reform Party team at these soon coming elections.

A mere week ago Mr Paet announced he desired to continue as foreign minister and is giving up his mandate in European Parliament. «Considering the tense situation in Europe and in its immediate neighbourhood, I currently deem it more expedient and right to continue defending Estonia’s interests as foreign minister and [thus] I waive going into European Parliament,» Mr Paet said last Monday.

A week ago, Mr Paet stated he would be continuing working for an Estonia more integrated a tolerant, and for the international position for Estonia to be as strong and secure as possible.

Mr Paet got the option to become a MEP as Andrus Ansip, who harvested a record vote tally of 45,037 at this summer’s EU elections, was nominated European Commission vice president for single digital market. At said elections, Mr Paet got 8,655 votes.

With Mr Paet not going, the next in line was Riigikogu member Igor Gräzin with 975 votes in May who had earlier already confirmed his willingness to go to European Parliament.

Today, Mr Gräzin told Postimees that on Friday National Electoral Committee notified him Mr Paet had opted out. «The [national electoral] committee told me Mr Paet had waived [his seat] and told me that if I have not declined during 10 days I have accepted the mandate. Not a lazy boy, I said I need not the ten days, I’m saying yes right away,» said Mr Gräzin and added both he and Mr Paet had thus completed their moves.

This afternoon, National Electoral Committee is deliberating Mr Ansip’s replacement. «National Electoral Committee must take a decision; now, the issue is if they do that according to law of will they consider some outside-of-law factors. For me, this is rather abrupt news,» added Mr Gräzin.