Coalition agreement promising progress with nuclear power plant

Coalition agreement promising progress with nuclear power plant. Photo: Felix Hörhager / DPA / Scanpix

The extended boards of the Reform Party and Estonia 200 approved a coalition agreement, according to which highway funding will receive support from motor vehicle taxes, the healthcare and social network will be organized, and the state will move forward vigorously with the introduction of nuclear energy in Estonia.

Minister of Infrastructure Kuldar Leis emphasized that the underfunding of roads will be alleviated with the new coalition agreement.

«The cuts to road maintenance have been too large in recent years. In the coalition negotiations, we reached an agreement that the revenue from the annual motor vehicle tax will primarily be used to maintain economically important roads. We will continue to build 2+2 sections along 35 kilometers on the Tallinn-Pärnu road and from Mäo to Imavere on the Tallinn-Tartu road. In addition, we plan to place more emphasis on the maintenance and repair of smaller road networks,» the minister added.

Minister of Energy and the Environment Andres Sutt confirmed that the government will continue to develop Estonia's energy supply on the principle that it is secure, the final price is affordable, and production is clean.

«We will keep the oil shale plants operational until new controllable capacities are added,» Sutt said.

According to the minister, the government plans to continue preparations for the introduction of nuclear energy in Estonia.

«This week, we initiated a national designated spatial plan for the selection of a location for the nuclear power plant and the establishment of construction conditions, and we will begin drafting the necessary legislation. A nuclear regulator of the state of Estonia will begin work as early as 2027,» Sutt said.

According to Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller, the Ministry of Social Affairs will focus on the quality, network, and funding of the healthcare and social sectors.

«The social and healthcare sectors are facing major challenges that must be solved with existing resources. We are undertaking a thorough review of the system to find and end duplication, waste and unnecessary bureaucracy. The key word is need-based, both in healthcare and in the social sector,» Joller said.

«We are in a situation where reserves have been used to cover the deficit in the Health Insurance Fund's budget. If we continue in the same way, health services would have to be cut by a tenth in a couple of years, and the impact would be felt by everyone,» the minister added. «However, there are places where significant savings could be found with smart planning.»

According to Joller, pensions will continue to increase through indexation in order to even out the increase in the cost of living for older people.