Prime minister condemns the employers' manifesto
07.09.2010, 09:29Prime minister Andrus Ansip used strong words in describing his opinion about the recommendations of the Employers' Confederation on which way the Estonian state should be developed. Employers suspect that the PM is opposing the document because of the upcoming elections, writes Äripäev.
Commenting the document to Äripäev, Ansip said that he had no interest in discussing this text because it was out-of-place and written in imperative style. "It is tearing up the society. I believe that the authors of the manifesto do not represent the thoughts of the majority of Estonian businessmen," said Ansip.
Ansip's response came as cold shower for the employers. Valdo Kalm, chairman of Eesti Telecom and member of the board of Employers' Confederation, refused to believe that the prime minister had said so. "It must be a mistake. I believe that it was not the prime minister who wrote this answer. I very much hope that he does not think like that," said Kalm. He added that it may have members of the Reform party office who drew up the response.
According to him, the manifesto was drawn up to promote debate in the society. "I have not heard ideas what Estonia should do in five, ten or fifteen years. What are Estonia's strengths that we could realize? Where's the national vision?" said Kalm, adding that the key area that needs reform is education because many sectors like telecom are suffering from lack of workforce.
Liviko's chairman Janek Kalvi said that Ansip simply overreacted. "I think it would much better to keep a constructive line and seek the deeper meaning in our document," he said, adding that the Reform Party that has traditionally preached liberal economics has now become more social.
The employers' manifesto was prepared by the board of the Employers' Confederation and listed the key objectives for the next four years.