Coalition fails to agree on Monday

Mart Võrklaev. Photo: Tairo Lutter

The Reform Party and Center Party did not manage to reach a compromise on additional energy prices compensation measures in the coalition council on Monday. Talks are set to continue on Tuesday afternoon.

Asked whether the Reform Party refused to accept Center’s demand for new measures, Center leader Jüri Ratas said: “I don’t know whether we can say they refused to budge, while there is no agreement today.”

“I suppose the parties disagree on the volume and extent of measures, as well as who they should reach, both in terms of private and business consumers,” Ratas explained, stressing that rapid solutions are needed as the window of helping households and companies is closing.

Reform Party whip Mart Võrklaev said that the talks did not fail and that Center asked for a continuance to consider Reform's counter-proposal. He said that the main point of contention is whether the taxpayer should also pay for the energy bills of high-income households.

Võrklaev said that Reform offered a compensation scheme for middle class households whose electricity or heating bills have exploded despite moderate consumption. “We made a counter-proposal to expand the scheme to compensate all private consumers up to a certain consumption level,” the whip explained.

“If someone wants to consume more energy, it is their choice and means they have to pay for it themselves. The state does not have to pay those bills. A potential additional measure would be aimed at a certain target group,” Võrklaev said.

Both partners agreed that businesses also need additional support measures. “We share a concern for bills piling up and agree that a scheme to alleviate businesses’ liquidity problems is needed, also that the power transmission fee should be abolished for companies,” Võrklaev said.

Center whip Jaanus Karilaid said that his party’s proposal would see all consumers compensated for 50 percent of bills. The Reform Party neither agreed nor excluded it from consideration.

Karilaid said that the main question for Reform is whether additional measures are needed in the first place. “They would like to have more data on the seriousness of the situation in society and the extent to which existing schemes are having an effect to gauge the need for additional measures. Center has been convinced of the necessity of said measures for some time,” Karilaid said.

“Clear and rapid messages are needed in the crisis. We believe the supplementary budget and the new aid package would serve entrepreneurs and private consumers,” he said, adding that the parties’ capacity to make progress should become clear on Tuesday.