Uudised

President Takes Conciliator Role in Crisis of Confidence

laine uudised-laine
14. Nov 2012

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has intervened amidst escalating political tensions, calling on officials and activists from all sides to meet for discussion.

Ilves' words came on the heels of an online petition, initiated earlier today by 17 public figures, demanding transparency, an election system that better reflects the voters' will and an end to monopoly parties in Parliament.

"The rules of the game in a democratic society are simple: nobody has the right to hijack democracy under any pretext,“ Ilves said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Just as the government cannot speak on behalf of the public and the nation as a whole, nor can the government's critics declare themselves the representatives of the entire NGO sector, be their intentions however just and noble.“

Yesterday marked the ruling Reform Party's 18th birthday, which was met with a protest in Tartu and a call from a prominent political analyst for the government to step down due to a loss of confidence.

Ilves said change wouldn't come overnight. "We will not get there through insults and tangles. We need mutual respect. Let's end the fighting,“ he said.

http://news.err.ee/politics/0dedf91d-95c5-463b-9e3b-0a2719750390