OREANDA-NEWS.  October 12, 2012. Prime Minister Andrus Ansip stressed in his report to the Riigikogu on Estonia's European Union policy that it is easier to achieve the objectives set out in the constitution in a more cooperative Europe.

“Estonia should be amongst the leaders of intensified European cooperation in order to make sure that our national interests are pursued,” said Ansip.

The Prime Minister welcomed the debate on European issues launched in Estonia. He said that the discussions are timely, because Europe is undergoing several major changes.

“The period of changes is the time when challenging choices in international relations have to be made, particularly in small countries,” said Ansip. “These choices cannot be and must not be made secretly, behind the citizens' back.”

In the Prime Minister’s words we have to choose whether to go along with a Europe that enhances cooperation or stay behind. He said that although much has been done, that we have to take into account that the current crisis will not be the last one and that both the Eurozone and the European Union in a broader sense have to be well prepared for this.

In the Prime Minister’s opinion it is necessary to develop cooperation in four areas: banking, fiscal, economic and political union. Estonia has to develop its position in all these areas.

The Prime Minister stated that enhanced cooperation would undoubtedly enable Estonia to defend its positions and influence developments.

“Otherwise we would be left only with one choice: either to drag along or lag behind,” he added. “If we are left out, we will have to put up with a less protected and poorer Estonia in the long run – economically and politically.”

The Prime Minister claimed that, even to date, Estonia has in monetary terms gained many times more from the cooperation than it has contributed to it. He also stated that democratic control over European decisions presumes much more diverse mechanisms and higher separation and distribution of powers than is customary to a nation state. This requires a good balance between institutions with different responsibilities.

“This principle is also at the core of the term 'federation', i.e. union,” said Ansip. “This does not mean centralised power, rather the opposite – a distribution of the power between different levels.”

Andrus Ansip said that nationwide, it would be rational and sensible to strengthen the legitimisation of Estonia’s European Union policy and the practices supporting it. In summing up his report, the Prime Minister called on the Riigikogu to consider revising its Rules of Procedure Act and Internal Rules Act so that the Riigikogu’s control over the implementation of Estonia’s European Union policy would be greater.

“Personally, I am always willing to explain the decisions adopted by the European Council before the plenary assembly, should the Riigikogu wish,” Prime Minister Ansip stated.