New Nordic Country - Reform Party’s idea for Estonia's new vision
12.01.2015, 11:20Estonia must become a New Nordic Country, ie a world leader in terms of personal and economic freedoms, a country with a Nordic standard of living and level of safety, while being socially and technologically more dynamic and flexible than the "old" Nordic countries, Prime Minister Taavi Roivas said at the Reform Party convention on Saturday.
"Our vision of Estonia – a New Nordic Country – is a state well protected, economically successful, ensuring equal opportunities, valuing the family and championing European values. New Nordic Country is the big narrative for Estonia – a better protected, richer and growing nation," Roivas said.
"We have quite good prerequisites to make it – already now Estonia is in the absolute top globally in many areas," Roivas said, naming good education levels of the population, good business climate and low public debt as prerequisites for economic growth.
Roivas said it is the standard of living that still sets Estonia apart from the Nordic countries. Bridging the gap there requires effort, but is possible.
"We won't be satisfied before the standard of living in Estonia is at least equal with Finland's. The work of our people is not worth less," he said.
It’s not social democracy, we are innovating - Ligi
Former Finance Minister and Reform Party’s deputy chairman Jürgen Ligi denied claims that the new vision of the Reform Party tries to link its liberal economics with social democratic values.
“We want to be innovative. There are plenty of negative aspects also in Nordic countries. They have their own problems, Finland, for instance, has now reached a crisis in its development,” he said.
Ligi said that Estonia should not try to copy the whole Nordic social and economic policy.
“For instance, we are not going to restrict wage growth by progressive taxation, as others do,” he added.
I wish more parties would think about Estonia’s future vision - analyst
Political analyst and head of Praxis thinktank Annika Uudelepp says that political parties should dedicate more space in their election campaigns to issues such as Estonia’s future vision.
Uudelepp said that Reform Party was the first one that opened the issue today when Prime Minister Taavi Roivas said at the party’s convention that Estonia must become a New Nordic Country.