Reform Party expects new defense minister next week

Reform Party Secretary General Kristo Enn Vaga told ERR that the name of Estonia’s next defense minister should be known next week. The party will discuss the candidates at its board meeting on Wednesday.

“The new defense minister cannot take office before the Riigikogu, Estonia’s parliament, has convened, and parliament convenes next week. Different candidates are currently being considered within the party,” Vaga said.

He said the first serious discussion would take place at Wednesday’s board meeting. “By the end of the week or the beginning of the new week, it will be clear who the next defense minister candidate would be,” Vaga said.

Prime Minister Kristen Michal spoke last week with Martin Herem, the former commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, about the post. Vaga said Herem had been contacted but had not received an official offer.

“The selection process is currently under way. We are looking at defense and security policy experts both within and outside the party to restore credibility in the defense field and work to ensure that Estonia is as well protected as possible,” Vaga said.

He described Herem as one of Estonia’s most trusted defense experts and said he would be a worthy candidate.

Vaga said the new defense minister could also be chosen from among the government’s current ministers, but the party was primarily looking for a strong candidate from outside the government.

Pevkur may not join defense committee

Reform Party parliamentary group leader Õnne Pillak said Hanno Pevkur, who is returning to the Riigikogu, may not join the parliament’s National Defence Committee. He could instead work on another committee, such as the Constitutional Affairs Committee or the Legal Affairs Committee.

“His last position was defense minister, but that does not mean he will definitely go to the National Defence Committee because of that. We will discuss these matters next week,” Pillak said.

Pevkur said last week that, under the coalition agreement, the chairmanship of the National Defence Committee belongs to Eesti 200. “We certainly will not reopen the coalition agreement because of this change. We will see. I have not yet discussed it with the parliamentary group’s leadership,” he said.

The previous chair of the National Defence Committee, Kalev Stoicescu, left Eesti 200 at the beginning of August and joined Parempoolsed. Eesti 200 therefore recalled him as committee chair. Toomas Uibo of Eesti 200 replaced Stoicescu as a committee member, but the committee has not yet elected a new chair.

Pevkur announced last Wednesday on the Aktuaalne kaamera programme that he would resign as defense minister. He had held the post since 2022.