(5 Mar 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tallinn - 5 March 2023
1. Various of people registering for Estonian parliamentary elections
2. Mid of people voting
3. Various of man casting ballot
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Katlin Kivisaar, Estonian resident:
"Right now, I think everything is good as it is, the people who are taking the decisions. So I hope it will stay as it is."
5. Various of people registering and voting
6. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Oskar Vanem, Estonian resident:
"Everything depends on if a new party is elected to the government. Many are waiting for it. One fraction can't govern eternally like (Russian President Vladimir) Putin does in Moscow. We need changes."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tallinn - 1 March 2023
7. Various of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas voting via internet on laptop
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Kaja Kallas, Estonian Prime Minister: ++AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING++
"The direction where Estonia is going: we are supporting open, friendly, Western-minded, NATO and European country, where as the other coalition is definitely more inward-looking, not helping Ukrainians."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tallinn - 5 March 2023
9. Various of head of the Estonian Conservative Party (EKRE) Martin Helme voting
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Helme, Head of the Estonian Conservative Party (EKRE):
"We've never questioned support for Ukraine, we've never questioned Estonian membership in NATO. That's just crazy talk. But what we have been very critical of the government because they have not accessed the risk to Estonia and to Estonian security and defence. We have basically given away all our heavy weaponry to Ukraine and the replacement comes within 2 or 3 years. Now that is, basically, that is an invitation of aggression."
11. Man casting ballot
STORYLINE:
Polling stations opened in Estonia on Sunday for a general election that the centre-right Reform Party of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, one of Europe’s most outspoken supporters of Ukraine, is a favourite to win.
She faces a challenge from the populist opposition EKRE party that is seeking to limit the Baltic nation's exposure to the Ukraine crisis and is blaming the government for citizens' economic misery.
Over 900,000 people are eligible to cast ballots Sunday to pick representatives to Estonia’s 101-seat Parliament, or Riigikogu, from a range of nine political parties.
Nearly half of the eligible voters have already voted in advance. Many Estonians prefer to vote electronically, casting votes from their computers.
National security in the wake of neighbouring Russia's assault of Ukraine and social-economic issues, particularly the rising cost of living, have been the main themes of the election.
Kallas, 45, has emerged in the past year of war as one of Europe’s most outspoken supporters of Ukraine.
Holding the country’s top post since 2021, she’s seeking a second term, with her standing enhanced by her international appeals to impose sanctions on Moscow.
Five parties are currently represented at the Parliament.
Kallas’ Reform Party heads the current three-party coalition government with the small conservative Fatherland party and the Social Democrats.
Polls indicate Kallas’ center-right liberal Reform Party is likely to win more votes than any other party.
Her main challenger is Martin Helme, head of the nationalist far-right EKRE party, which faults Kallas for the country’s inflation rate of 18.6% — one of the EU’s highest — and accuses her of undermining Estonia’s defences by giving weapons to Ukraine.
"Basically, that is an invitation of aggression."
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