President’s office director cuts 13 jobs in two years

Krista Zibo, director of Estonia’s Office of the President, has eliminated 13 positions over the past two years, ERR reported. Two protocol advisers will leave on Friday, less than a month before incoming President Ülle Madise takes office. Zibo recently received a permanent employment contract.

Zibo became director of the Office of the President nearly two years ago at the proposal of President Alar Karis. She previously worked at the State Chancellery.

The latest layoffs affect protocol advisers Pille Heinsoo and Sigrid Herodes. Herodes told ERR that employees were told the dismissals were the result of a structural change, but that the office’s duties had instead been redistributed.

“They told us it was a structural change,” Herodes said, adding that she would like to know the precise reason for the layoffs. She said it remained unclear what would happen to her position and agreed that eliminating 13 jobs in two years was a significant number.

ERR sought answers from Zibo, but the Office of the President said she could respond only through its communications department. Mariann Sudakov, head of the department, relayed Zibo’s written comments.

Zibo said the office had changed its work organisation in line with the needs of the president’s work.

“In recent years, changes have been made both in support functions and among the head of state’s advisers. Duties have been redistributed, roles changed and responsibilities consolidated,” Zibo said. She added that the personnel changes were part of this process and resulted from changes in job duties and the need to use the office’s limited resources more efficiently.

Layoffs also took place at the State Chancellery

One of the best-known people Zibo had dismissed from the Office of the President was Toomas Sildam, who was then the president’s internal adviser. The dismissal took place in February 2025, about five months after Zibo became director. At the time, the office said the internal department would take over Sildam’s duties.

Zibo had also faced layoffs-related issues while working at the State Chancellery. In 2019, ERR reported that the chancellery had dismissed protocol chief Ülle-Marika Põldma, who had held the position for more than 10 years. Zibo, then head of support activities at the chancellery, said Põldma had been dismissed because of a reorganisation of the work.

It was reportedly due to failed cooperation, but the State Chancellery did not officially confirm that explanation. As in the current situation at the Office of the President, the chancellery did not hire a new protocol chief at the time.

Director receives permanent contract and bonus

The staffing changes are not the only developments at the office before the new president takes office. Zibo held the director’s position for nearly two years under a fixed-term contract, following her transfer from the State Chancellery. Since July 1, she has held a permanent position.

Zibo also received a 10,500-euro bonus for good work results.