Läänemets says opposition can shape parliamentary agenda

Estonian Social Democratic Party leader Lauri Läänemets said the opposition would continue working together and could influence which bills reach the parliamentary agenda, ERR reported.

Speaking in a live interview with ERR’s Aktuaalne kaamera news programme, Läänemets said opposition parties could agree on issues important to Estonia despite their ideological differences. He cited the proposed formation of an investigation committee on national defence, which he said the governing coalition wanted to block or delay.

“There will certainly be more occasions when the opposition makes decisions and votes together,” Läänemets said. He added that the coalition should recognise that parliamentary ideas were no longer simply the ideas of the Reform Party.

Läänemets said opposition parties could decide whether bills were placed on the agenda, depending on whether proposed amendments were accepted. They could also agree to bring some bills forward more quickly, he said, while stressing that the opposition would remain constructive because the state still had to function.

Asked about a letter containing 15 questions sent to the prime minister, including questions about Datasel and ARCA, Läänemets said the main issue concerned the Reform Party’s alleged links through Jaanus Rahumägi, Hanno Pevkur and Kristen Michal.

He said Rahumägi had acted as an intermediary for a company involved in a state decision to buy 90 million euros’ worth of ammunition. The company had promised to build production facilities in Estonia, Läänemets said, but he questioned why it had been preferred over other large international companies.

“Ultimately, we want to know whether all these financing decisions will at some point also lead to the financing of the Reform Party,” Läänemets said.

The opposition prevented parliament from approving its weekly agenda on Monday because it objected to placing the formation of the national defence investigation committee at the end of the agenda.