The budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been tight in recent years.
Just half a year ago, Margus Tsahkna said that there is a lack of funds and it is difficult to manage them. He did not want to reduce the number of embassies.
Now Tsahkna stated that the state will provide additional funding to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the coming years. He mentioned that without this money, embassies would be forced to close.
How much money the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will receive will become clear this week. The additional funding is good, but the ministry still needs to implement cost-saving measures.
The press representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that if the ministry receives more money than the cuts, the budget will increase.
Tsahkna mentioned that the ministry has already made significant cuts. For example, the number of positions in the main building was reduced. Now they continue to fulfill old goals and strengthen the foreign service.
Although additional funding is coming, real estate remains a major issue. Tsahkna said that the main building needs renovation, but a solution will not come next year.
Another major problem is embassies and representations. For years, rental premises have been used, which is an expensive solution for the state. Tsahkna stated that the real estate issue cannot be resolved next year. However, efforts will be made to improve the situation of representations.