ESTONIA WILL TURN LEFT, COMMUNICATION EXPERT SAYS

Janek Mäggi, a veteran political columnist and PR-expert, said that Estonia will embrace social democratic ideas in the lead-up to parliament elections in March.

“Absolutely all four major parties have amplified the social democratic ideas. All of them promise more social support and money and even the Reform Party has taken this road,” Mäggi said in a radio program ‘Uudis+’ for Vikerraadio. “There is no escape from a turn to left,” he added.

According to Mäggi, the parties have neglected the economic topics in the upcoming elections. “In my opinion, we are in an extremely dire economic situation. I don’t see any passion when it comes to topics regarding the entrepreneurship. People are better paid in a public sector and to earn same kind of money in a private sector is very difficult. But 20 years ago it was completely opposite,” he said.

Mäggi said that the security concerns have been exaggerated, in light of the Ukraine crisis.

“They say that we can all do a lot to guarantee Estonia’s security – I believe that rather not. Estonia became independent state in times of revolutionary era in the whole of Europe, not because we were some kind of special case.”

Mäggi also criticized the political slogans that the parties have come up with.

He said that neither “Firmly forward” (Reform Party), “For people” (the Social Democrats), “Better tax system” (IRL) or “We do differently” (Center Party) is relevant to him.

Mäggi said that voters will not have much time to analyze the different political ideas and will base their choice on certain politicians whom they wish to be representatives in the parliament.