Speaker switches off Sooäär’s microphone

Imre Sooäär gave a speech before being sworn in. Photo: Tairo Lutter

Recent Ministry of Foreign Affairs business diplomacy bureau adviser Imre Sooäär said after a week of mulling it over on Monday that he will join the Riigikogu as the alternate member of Center MP Kalev Kallo who was convicted of corruption offenses and had to leave the parliament.

Sooäär gave a speech before being sworn in, emphasizing that he is looking at the toughest call he has ever had to make. His initiative of giving a speech before taking the MP’s oath of office was also wrought with difficulty and culminated in President of the Riigikogu Henn Põlluaas switching off his microphone.

“I did not recognize the Riigikogu,” Sooäär, who last served as an MP four years ago, told the “Otse Postimehest” webcast Monday evening. “I have never seen an MP physically silenced in the middle of a statement.”

Sooäär told the parliament that a purely rational decision would have seen him continue as a career diplomat. “However, the coin has a flip side – the people who have voted for me. How could I look them in the eye if I shirked this responsibility during a difficult time for Estonia?” he asked. Sooäär took 349 votes at the recent Riigikogu elections for his worst result yet.

“I come among you as a conciliator, not a judge or appraiser. Not to demolish but to build,” Sooäär promised MPs before being sworn in.

Critical of the referendum

He said after taking his oath of office that he does not support the marriage referendum bill in its current phrasing. Specifically, Sooäär criticized the situation where saying “yes” to the referendum question, “Does marriage have to remain a union between a man and a woman in Estonia?” would have legal consequences, while saying “no” would change nothing. Hoping to amend the draft resolution after its first reading, Sooäär said the coalition could count on his vote in that case. But should the Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) refuse? “If they do not agree, I can also vote against the bill,” Sooäär said. The MP emphasized that Estonia is facing far more serious problems today than a factious referendum.

Sooäär’s speech was met with calls of “enough” from the floor, while President of the Riigikogu Henn Põlluaas (EKRE) had to remind him to keep it brief on several occasions. The situation culminated in the speaker switching off Sooäär’s microphone for a time. Riigikogu rules and procedures allow it if a presentation or speech lasts longer than it should, deviates from the agenda or when the chairman of the sitting is not heeded.

EKRE MP Mart Helme said that Sooäär’s conduct was inappropriate. “He was not yet a member of the Riigikogu and lacked the right to give a speech from the rostrum like that,” Helme told journalists. He said that Sooäär should have asked the speaker for a chance to speak after he was sworn in. Sooäär’s fellow Center Party member Viktor Vassiljev said he had nothing against the speech but did not approve of the breach of procedure.

Will not join the party

Even though Sooäär does not plan to join the Center Party, the MP said he would cooperate with the centrists. “I will keep my independence in order not to have to go against my conscience,” Sooäär explained. He also had a message for the opposition. “There is no sense in hoping I will become a tool of the opposition for dismantling the coalition.”

Imre Sooäär joining the parliament was preceded by speculation of what it would mean for the marriage referendum vote next week. Because four coalition MPs have said they do not support the referendum bill, it can only count on 52 votes in a situation where EKRE leader Martin Helme has said that the bill failing to secure 51 votes would leave Estonia with a minority government.