On Monday, the Tallinn city government decided to send a draft regulation to the city council. This draft means that from September 1, parents will no longer have to pay kindergarten fees.
Not everyone was in agreement during the session. Eesti 200 and Isamaa did not support this decision. Deputy Mayor for Education Aleksei Jašin said that representatives of municipal and private kindergartens are against the fee. He added that other parties know where to get the missing votes.
Deputy Mayor Kristjan Järvan (Isamaa) said they do not support abolishing the fee because it is unclear where the money for it will come from. He mentioned the need for a city budget strategy.
Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski said that work to fund the fee will continue. He is confident they can manage if there is willingness. The city council will vote on this on July 21.
On Tuesday, an extraordinary session of the city council will take place. The agenda includes a vote of no confidence in the mayor and the election of his replacement. However, the four parties in the ruling coalition will not participate in this vote.
Ossinovski said that the four parties in the ruling coalition are in agreement. He plans to restore the authority of deputy mayors and district elders from the Reform Party.
The Reform Party made a proposal to Ossinovski to return to the coalition. Their condition is the abolition of kindergarten fees. The Reform Party's Tallinn regional board and council decided to continue cooperation in the city government.