The first days of the year have brought, in addition to the news of tax increases, the announcement that several members of our party’s Riigikogu faction have decided to leave the party. These people are not just members and ex-ministers, but also comrades we relied on. And who promised their voters to stand for the values of the Central Party. The disappointment is all the deeper – every departure brings damage to the party and reduces our strength in the faction. However, despite this, we will continue to keep our principles, values and goals and stand up for them even in a smaller position in the Riigikogu. And above all, standing up for the interests of our voters.
The Center Party has seen a wave of departures several times during difficult times. We remember these departures painfully, but we have moved on. Tanel Kiik has also left the party before, in 2009, and joined SDE. And the party has moved on and become even stronger.
Right now, Estonia needs a strong opposition that stands up for people’s livelihood. It is the Center Party that has been the strongest party in difficult times, which is able to work without ministerial positions, without benefits, in the name of having control over the government’s activities. We cannot go to support the Reform Party government in today’s decisions. But that’s what leavers do. And the moments are not far away when the same mouths that spoke about the inappropriateness of the state budget will speak about its appropriateness; when irreconcilable opponents of the car tax become those who understand its need. And although today’s government is repugnant to an ever-increasing part of the Estonian people, their new entrants report that the continuation of a prime minister who has repeatedly lied is a personal decision of the prime minister. As if people don’t matter here.
But the common value of our political party has always been the Estonian people, who create and ensure the future of our country. In this way, the quality of every statesmanlike politician must be to understand and make decisions according to what is most useful and better for our country and its future. Not putting their own personal interests or ambitions ahead of those of the voters or the people.
In difficult times, those who prioritize their own career leave the party; those with a worldview remain. Sometimes the last ones can also be the losers. But here we have to ask what is victory and what is loss?
Therefore, we will continue to work for the values and beliefs of the party, calling on the members of the party to maintain a calm mind and work as a united strong political force in the parliament. We will continue to stand together for a better future for Estonia.
with respect
- Mihhail Kõlvart, chairman of the Estonian Center Party, mayor of Tallinn
- Lauri Laats, vice-chairman of the Estonian Center Party, member of the Riigikogu
- Yana Toom, vice-chairman of the Estonian Center Party, member of the European Parliament
- Jaan Toots, vice-chairman of the Estonian Center Party, mayor of Narva
- Vladimir Svet, vice-chairman of the Estonian Center Party, deputy mayor of Tallinn
- Andrei Korobeinik, member of the board of the Estonian Center Party, member of the Riigikogu
- Vadim Belobrovtsev, member of the board of the Estonian Center Party, member of the Riigikogu
- Mihkel Undrest, member of the board of the Estonian Center Party
- Marika Tuus-Laul, member of the board of the Estonian Center Party
- Anneli Ott, Secretary General of the Estonian Center Party
- Arno Kirsimägi, chairman of the Võrumaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Alar Nääme, chairman of the Valgamaa region of the Estonian Central Party
- Endel Uppin, chairman of the Valga department of the Estonian Central Party
- Uuno Laul, member of the board of the Valgamaa region of the Estonian Central Party
- Mait Meensalu, chairman of the Räpina department of the Estonian Center Party
- Maiken Meensalu, member of the board of the Räpina department of the Estonian Center Party
- Olev Raju, member of the Tartu regional board of the Estonian Center Party
- Markus Meier, member of the Tartu regional board of the Estonian Center Party
- Andro Roos, member of the Tartu regional board of the Estonian Center Party
- Andrus Tamm, member of the board of the Narva region of the Estonian Center Party
- Tarmo Tammiste, chairman of the Narva region of the Estonian Center Party
- Julia Prokoptšuk, chairman of the Läänemaa region of the Estonian Central Party
- Margus Narusing, board member of the Räpina department of the Estonian Center Party
- Riho Luht, assistant village head of Räpina
- Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, Member of the Riigikogu
- Inge Hirmo, member of the board of the Räpina department of the Estonian Center Party
- Heimar Lenk, member of the Põlvamaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Helle Virt, member of the Põlvamaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Vladimir Arhipov, chairman of the Harjumaa region of the Estonian Center Party, mayor of Maardu
- Annika Vaikla, chairman of the Viimsi branch of the Estonian Center Party, assistant mayor of Viimsi
- Toomas Paur, Estonian Center Party council member
- Gleeri Paur, Estonian Center Party council member
- Andres Visnapuu, member of the board of the Võrumaa region of the Estonian Center Party, member of the council of the Estonian Center Party
- Anti Saarepuu, member of the board of the Võrumaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Taavi Tuvike, member of the board of the Võrumaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Jüri Saar, member of the board of the Võrumaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Alla Traagel, member of the board of the Võrumaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Aleksei Jevgrafov, member of the Riigikogu
- Viljar Kavant, member of the board of the Võrumaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Andres Jaadla, chairman of the Rakvere branch of the Estonian Center Party
- Margit Truu, member of the board of the Rakvere branch of the Estonian Center Party
- Urmas Tamm, member of the board of the Rakvere branch of the Estonian Center Party
- Oleg Bõkov, member of the board of the Rakvere branch of the Estonian Center Party
- Jaan Nummert, member of the board of the Rakvere branch of the Estonian Center Party
- Ghch Troska, member of the board of the Rakvere branch of the Estonian Center Party
- Toomas Väinaste, chairman of the Lääne Virumaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Betina Beškina, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn
- Jaanus Riibe, chairman of Kristiine district, elder of Kristiine district
- Julianna Jurchenko, chairman of Lasnamäe district, elder of Lasnamäe district
- Monika Haukanõmm, Chairman of the Central District, Elder of the Central District
- Kaido Saarniit, member of the board of the Pirita district of the Estonian Center Party, elder of the Pirita district
- Aivar Riisalu, elder of Mustamäe district
- Oleg Siljanov, member of the Haaberst district board of the Estonian Center Party, elder of the Haaberst district
- Manuela Pihlap, member of the board of the North Tallinn region of the Estonian Center Party, elder of the North Tallinn district
- Dmitri Dmitrijev, chairman of Lüganus parish council
- Kalle Klandorf, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Eha Võrk, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Irina Antonjuk, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Miroslav Berezovski, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Andrei Birov, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Dmitri Budõlin, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Maria Doroš, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Elena Glebova, Tallinn City Council member, Tondiraba Sports Center manager
- Igor Jermakov, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Nikolai Korb, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Arkadi Popov, member of the Tallinn City Council, chairman of the board of the Lääne Tallinn Central Hospital
- Deniss Presnetsov, member of Tallinn City Council, director of Tallinn Läänemere High School
- Sergei Ptšjolkin, member of the Tallinn City Council, director of Tondiraba Hobby School
- Vladimir Rusnak, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Aleksandr Tsaplõgin, member of the Riigikogu
- Aleksandr Zdankevič, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Eduard Toman, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Viktor Vassiljev, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Ruslana Veber, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Karine Oganesjan, former chairman of the Central Party Youth Council, head of the Tallinn Mayor’s Office
- Enno Tamm, chairman of the Pirita region
- Marek Jürgenson, Deputy Chairman of the Tallinn City Council
- Juhan Hindov, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Andres Kollist, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Helve Särgava, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Igor Gräzin, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Urmo Saareoja, member of the Tallinn City Council, head of SA Tallinna Luuluväljäk
- Peeter Järvelaid, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Vahur Kõlvart, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Kalev Kallo, founding member of the Estonian Center Party
- Märt Sults, member of Tallinn city council, director of Tallinn Art School
- German Levenets, member of the Estonian Central Party, general secretary of the Central Party Youth Council
- Mark Jefimov, member of the Estonian Central Party council, vice-chairman of the Estonian Central Party Youth Council
- Jaan Meerits, chairman of the Haljala branch of the Estonian Center Party, member of the board
- Jaan Nummert, member of the board of the Lääne-Viru region of the Estonian Center Party
- Allan Jaakus, Chairman of the Kadrina Department of the Estonian Center Party
- Maidu Aimse, chairman of the Väike Maarja department of the Estonian Central Party
- Ivo Lehesoo, Chairman of Rakvere Valla Department of the Estonian Center Party
- Riho Kutsar, chairman of the Viru Nigula department of the Estonian Center Party
- Maksim Butsenkov, chairman of the Tapa department of the Estonian Central Party
- Miroslav Berezovski, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Kairet Remmak-Grassmann, member of the Tallinn City Council
- Erik Keskküla, Haljala branch of the Estonian Center Party
- Merike Liiv, member of the board of the Saaremaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Mart Mäeker, member of the board of the Saaremaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Boris Lehtjärv, member of the board of the Saaremaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Ene Vahter, member of the board of the Saaremaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Kristjan Koppel, member of the board of the Saaremaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Katrin Pihlas, member of the board of the Saaremaa region of the Estonian Center Party
- Erki Savisaar, member of the Estonian Center Party
