Estonian parlt committee chair to summon PM to committee sitting

Urmas Reinsalu. Photo: Sander Ilvest

Chairman of the Riigikogu state budget control select committee Urmas Reinsalu is summoning Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to the committee`s sitting on Monday for explanations after Kallas claimed on the «Aktuaalne kaamera» news program that in the past it may have been customary to bargain with money when it comes to the promulgation of laws.

«Yesterday [Thursday -- ed.], the prime minister made a very serious accusation on 'Aktuaalne kaamera' that in the past it may have been customary to bargain with money when it comes to the promulgation of laws, but now it is not acceptable. The prime minister must take responsibility for her words and give an explanation,» Reinsalu wrote on Facebook.

«Who has tried to bargain with laws in this way before? Has this bargaining been effective and for which laws? From whom did she get this information? Such statements discrediting the past functioning of the state cannot simply be left in the air,» he added.

«Secondly, the prime minister indicated that she has some evidence about what happened. According to her, she found out about the incident around Midsummer, that is weeks after the alleged conversation with the minister of finance. What did she do with this information? I consider it important that, in light of these statements, the prime minister should come to the state budget control select committee on Monday and give explanations,» Reinsalu said, referring to conversations between Finance Minister Mart Vorklaev, ministry secretary general Merike Saks and the president`s internal affairs adviser Toomas Sildam.