Head of Estonian president`s office: Kadriorg does not bargain with laws

Peep Jahilo, director of the Office of the President. Photo: Jaan Vanaaseme/Postimees

Peep Jahilo, head of the Office of the Estonian President, said in an announcement on Monday that he feels it is his duty to respond to allegations in the media suggesting that a member of staff of the president`s office had tied the promulgation of laws by the head of state to resolving the office's budgetary issues.

«This is not true. Kadriorg does not bargain with laws. There is only one reason for either promulgating bills passed by the Riigikogu or sending them back to parliament, and that is their constitutionality. There can be no other reason, nor is there one,» he noted.

Jahilo emphasized that the promulgation of laws is solely within the competence of the president and no one else, including officials of the president`s office, can make those decisions on behalf of the head of state.

«This spring, there was a temporal coincidence between our office`s query to the minister of finance about the possibility of obtaining additional funds for the president`s activities, including for foreign relations, and the passage of several laws in parliament,» Jahilo said.

«In light of general budget cuts, the minister of finance informed that the president`s office would not receive additional funds. The president promulgated the laws passed by the parliament, as they were in line with the Constitution. In many cases, he didn`t even use the 14-day decision-making period provided by the law, meaning, for instance, government laws and amendments to tax laws came into force within the stipulated time,» he said.

«Officials of the president`s office have asserted that none of them presented anyone from the government with a choice that if the office does not get additional funding, then the head of state will not promulgate some laws. All members of the president`s team know exactly on what grounds the head of state promulgates laws. Again, an issue that does not concern the Constitution, such as the office`s budget, cannot be and has never been the basis for decision-making,» Jahilo explained.

«However, I have emphasized to officials of the president`s office who interact daily with politicians that there should be no exaggerated playfulness or use of irony as a rhetorical device in their communication, as it could ultimately be interpreted in various, even misleading ways. I consider it of utmost importance that the president and his office maintain a professional and trusting cooperation with other constitutional institutions. There's one Estonian state, which we serve,» he said.