The Riigikogu decided with 62 votes in favour (1 abstention) to authorise the candidate for Prime Minister Andrus Ansip to form the Government.

Mr. Ansip stated in his report regarding the bases of forming a government that the government of the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union, Social Democrats and Reform Party which assumes office after receiving the support of the Riigikogu is ready to consolidate our present social and economic success and to improve it rapidly. “The Government which is applying for the authority from the Riigikogu today, has a clear target and clear objectives for the future of Estonia. The Government’s is day to day concerned with the economic safety of families, bigger pensions, salaries of working people, promotion of rural life and the Estonian language.  Estonia needs a government like that. This is a minimum programme for every Estonian government,” Mr. Ansip explained. “The government which today applies for the authority from you has set more labour-intensive and long-lasting goals,” the candidate for the Prime Minister said. In addition to the care for the families’ welfare, bigger pensions, salaries of employees, promotion of rural life and the Estonian language, we want to take Estonia closer to the day when we could say that Estonia belongs to the most prosperous states of Europe, stands united and its citizens care for one another and are happy. It is not a simple task, he stressed.

The verbatim record of the Riigikogu sitting (in Estonian) can be found at: https://www.riigikogu.ee/?op=steno

The Riigikogu Press Service