President Rüütel says Estonia shouldn't change

The presidential candidate of People’s Union and Centre Parties, current president Arnold Rüütel, made his election platform public this Tuesday. Mr. Rüütel said the nation’s “persistence” and “preserving the state” would be his goals should he become president again. He said no change of course was necessary for the Republic. Except for that little tax issue.

Rüütel says that the Estonian tax system should be developed so that social inequality, on the one hand, will not increase and motivation for business-minded people would be preserved, on the other hand. Essentially, Mr. Rüütel (and especially his coalition party backers) would like to see the flat tax abolished and replaced with a progressive structure. In addition to calling for a tax system which would decrease social inequality and motivate businessmen, Estonia’s Grand Panjandrum also called for tax rates which “guarantee effective development.”