Basic Principles of the Programme

we believe in people and their ability to make their own choices;

we see people as a part of society that needs individual self-realization as well as the support and recognition of their fellow human beings;

we proceed from the idea of societal cohesion and strive to have everyone contribute to the development of a civil society;

we understand and represent the interests and aspirations of all the members of society;

we rely on Estonian culture and European Christian traditions;

we value patriotism and the patriotic upbringing of young people;

we feel that a democratic system of government based on personal freedom and responsibility is the only possible alternative;

we are in favor of a market economy, free enterprise, and an entrepreneurial society;

we honor independence based on the legal continuity of the Estonian Republic;

we are open to all people who share our ideas and values.

Our basic values

The future

Estonia’s future is children. We need more children for the Estonian people and culture to survive. Our policies must help those people who wish to have children. For this, first, a stable and secure social environment must be created.

Estonia’s future is families. We will create a sense of security among families, which will allow for children to be raised into capable people. The family is the best environment for raising children and the best support for elderly people.

Estonia’s future is education. Educated people and educated nations will be able to cope in the rapidly changing world. Estonia must train independent and creative people who are capable of cooperation. Estonia’s success is based on a strong information society and innovative economy.

Estonia’s future is freedom. Today we live in one of the freest countries in the world, where everyone has the opportunity for self-realization. Free initiative has been the basis of Estonia’s current success. We want to preserve this great advantage.

Estonia’s future is a long-term view. We only support those political decisions that are based on an analysis of long-term effects. The only moral decisions are those that improve not only our own lives, but also those of our children and grandchildren.

Nationality and culture

Estonia is an open nation-state, which ensures the survival of the Estonian people, language, and culture. Our policies are directed at the development of Estonian culture, the broadening of the use of the Estonian language, and the growth of the nation.

Estonia is a country, where no obstacles are created for any people or culture. We support the aspirations of all peoples for self-determination, and especially assist our kindred peoples in their endeavors to maintain and protect their cultures. In Estonia, every ethnic group has the right to its culture, while also honoring the Estonian language as the state language.

Estonian culture is part of world culture. We especially want to develop the part of our culture that is capable of arousing attention in the world and introducing the best aspects of Estonia.

Freedom

Our ideal is a free people in a free country. We defend the right of Estonian people, nation, and state to make their own choices.

We stand for personal freedom and the rule of law. We honor the inviolability of people, homes, and property, and protect people from the arbitrariness of the state and officials.

We defend freedom of speech and thought. The right of people to have opinions and publicly express them must not be restricted in any way. We think that freedom of political self-determination is important. People’s compulsory politicization through the distribution of positions or public funds is unwarranted.

We stand for economic freedom. Enterprise creates new value for the society, creates jobs, opportunities, and wealth for us all. We support an open economy, the equal treatment of capital regardless of its origins, a stable economic environment, as well as low and proportional taxes.

We stand for the freedom of the Estonian state. Effective professional diplomacy ensures the protection of Estonian interests in Europe and the world. At the same time, we will invest in the strengthening of defense capabilities and increasing the people’s willingness to defend themselves.

Honest governance

The state is created for the people, not the people for the state. Government must be honest, transparent, and thrifty.

The state should be productive and effective. Laws are to be fulfilled and the state must be able to ensure the fulfillment of laws. The state and local government should fulfill only those assignments that cannot be handled by the private sector and civil initiative. Let’s reduce the cost and size of the government sector.

We will harshly punish abuses of public power and corruption.

Consideration

We believe in people, their ability to cope by themselves, and to make decisions. However, we know that not everyone always succeeds at this. Society must help those who are in trouble or left behind.

The greatest assistance must be provided to children and families with children because this is humane and beneficial for society. Assistance must also be provided to those who due to illness, disability, or old age are not able to manage on their own. Assistance must also be provided for those who have suffered temporary setbacks and have lost their jobs or homes.

The best social policy is a work policy. We will act in the name of helping as many people as possible to find jobs, and thereby to contribute to the development of society and manage with dignity.

Conservation

A pure and rich nature is our priceless wealth. The preservation of nature and natural resources is not self-evident today, but one must actively work towards this.

We must maintain clean water, clean air, and fertile soil. Instead of irreplaceable natural resources—primarily fossil fuels—renewable energy sources must be gradually adopted.

Sustainable development is a way of thinking, not just a collection of measures. We are working toward conservationist thinking becoming accepted in homes and businesses. We favor innovative technologies that produce less pollution and wastes.

Political choices in specific spheres

Children, families and the elderly

More children. Our paramount objective is the survival of the Estonian people. The birth of children is most important to us, because without children a people has no future.

Having and raising children ensures a full life, as well as raises the social status and sense of security for parents. The state must vigorously support this. Families must be able to comfortably combine work and home, if they wish. Social guarantees must be planned so they do not endanger the competitiveness of parents on the job market. Governmental decisions must be evaluated by their effect on the demographic situation.

The family is the basis of society. The family is sacred. The family is the best environment for raising children and the best support for the elderly.

Upbringing must be appreciated. Families and schools need help and support from the society for solving questions of upbringing. Violence among children and family violence requires a response. We value upbringing that encourages appreciation and love of one’s homeland.

Local government should help those who are weaker. All children who have been deprived of parental care must have the same opportunities as those growing up in families, including the acquisition of education.

Our objective is cohesion between generations because our culture is transmitted through the family. We will ensure a good developmental environment for every Estonian child. We plan the following steps:

1. We will establish a minimum income tax exemption starting with the first child.

2. After the third child and every child thereafter, we will raise child support to 2,000 EEK per month.

3. Every child must be guaranteed an opportunity for free participation in a hobby activity.

4. We will have the state cover the costs for study materials, school lunches, and school transport for all basic school pupils (grades 1 - 9).

5. We will establish a state fund to guarantee children’s subsistence. Payments will be made from this fund to single parents, if the other divorced partner does not pay the child support assigned by the court. If some parents do not fulfill their obligations, we will not let the children suffer.

6. We will support family counseling centers and all measures to reduce abortions. We will support mother-child shelters.

7. We will support the service of support persons for those who need them.

8. We will change the indexing of pensions so that the elderly will receive a fair share of economic growth, and not have to wait for the promises of politicians regarding special pension increases.

Education

We see Estonia as a knowledge- and innovation-based civil society, where a social system and economy based on the free choice and creativity of people will ensure the continued development of our people’s culture and language and an increase in the quality of life. An educational system that develops steadily and is available to everyone is the foundation of such a social system.

Today, the acquisition of an education is a natural and indispensable condition for living a full life in society. The society must take care of creating opportunities for acquiring education. The party believes that the basis for organizing educational life is to create opportunities for self-development for everyone. By prioritizing the need for constantly updating the educational system as well as the principles of teaching and upbringing, we can ensure the stable development of the educational system.

Today’s society needs independent and creative people with good cooperative skills. Therefore, we will endeavor to have the Estonian educational system create conditions for the best possible development and implementation of people’s talents.

1. We think that well-considered curriculum reforms are important. Our objective is a curriculum that takes into account the needs of a child’s development and the rapidly changing world of today. We support a significantly more topical and flexible curriculum and one that is less voluminous.

2. We will continue the decentralization of the management of the educational system, by nationally developing and controlling the quality of the education being offered. We trust teachers and will give them the freedom to do their work creatively and from the heart.

3. We will finance schools based on a flexible model for capitation fees, making adjustments so that all the schools that are necessary for the integrity of the school network can continue to operate. We will ensure stable financing for smaller local primary and basic schools. The flexible model for capitation fees also includes pupil’s hobbies. In addition to the necessary resources for maintaining schools, the model for capitation fees also includes a necessary capital component.

4. We will create educational capital, so that every young person can choose his or her own educational path, and be able to cover living and study expenses at higher education or vocational schools. Parents can accumulate educational capital if they wish, to which the state will add matching funds.

5. We will increase teachers’ salaries. We support the fixing of a minimum wage with an Estonia-wide agreement. By 2011, we wish to raise the minimum wage for beginning teachers to the average wage level in Estonia. To achieve this, we will increase salary resources by 15% per year.

6. In 2007, we will start the transition to Estonian-language instruction in Russian-language upper secondary schools, whereas in the course of the transition, the quality of the education offered to students will not suffer. The transition must be supported by a voluminous national program, which ensures the necessary teachers and resources.

Research and innovation policies

Research activities have three equally important assignments in society: to create a successful economic environment through innovative ideas, to create a new generation of intellectuals through research-based higher education, and to create a cultural environment intrinsic to the society. From the standpoint of Estonian development, we believe it is very important that our educational, research, and development policies be directed at supporting successful, innovative, and fast-growing companies. At the same time, it is important to support quality education through research-based university instruction and the establishment of a knowledge-based worldview at all levels, starting with the culture of governance and ending with people’s value systems and attitudes. Turning attention to all these functions, we foresee the implementation of the following measures:

1. We will focus on a support scheme for starting businesses—we will offer financing at the pre-risk-capital stage for the start-up of technological companies, for conducting research and development activities, and carrying out market research.

2. We support the creation and development of leading centers. We will use the opportunities of the 2007—2013 financial perspective and European structural resources in order to develop the top research centers at the Tallinn University of Technology and Tartu University to a standard that would be comparable to that of the research-educational centers in the vicinity (Helsinki, Stockholm, Uppsala), which are our basic competitors as well as employers of scientists in the common European Research Space.

3. We will create the Estonian Development Fund, in order to promote the development of innovative ideas and the linking of constant monitoring of developments to the formation of the development visions of top decision makers.

4. We will create a program that will offer financing to PhD students who start to deal with offering projects to businesses. Universities or businesses who discover an interested student or company may also apply for financing.

5. Once a year, we will organize an innovation festival, where solutions, financiers, and the public can meet; we will execute annual innovation surveys and research; and we will conduct an annual competition for an innovation prize.

6. We will remunerate self-employed inventors for 50% of the costs for registering a first-time patent, while specifying the upper limit of the compensation. We will support the expenses related to the early development of new inventions (research and development supports) with grants.

7. We will initiate a program for the scientific education of young people, which will make studying by means of technological solutions a basic part of education. We will financially support the creation of the position for patent agent at every research and educational institutions that has technological research potential, with the goal of affording students and young scientists the use of their services free. The state will ensure that legal and other aid is made available to inventing students and young scientists for conducting licensing negotiations and drawing up contracts.

Language and culture

Culture and erudition are the bases of European Estonia’s identity. The Estonian language is that which binds the Estonians together most strongly. As a small nation, we have to make an effort in the name of survival and the development of our own culture, and have the state contribute to this effort.

1. We will set high standards for the use of the Estonian language in educational and research work. We will assure that applied research into the Estonian language and its organization will receive adequate and continual funding.

2. We will continue the development and implementation of information technology possibilities for the Estonian language.

3. We remain committed to the current principles of language policy. The affairs of national and local governments in Estonia are conducted in Estonian. We will broaden the competence of the Language Inspectorate, so that the use of Estonian is guaranteed to correspond to the provisions of the Language Act.

4. We will increase the pace of introducing Estonian culture in the world. Top cultural events and international festivals must take place in Estonia in as many spheres as possible.

5. The development of a top culture depends on background factors—children, young people, and the condition of the national culture. We will ensure state support for children’s hobby activities. We will strengthen the countrywide network of music and art schools. We will significantly increase support for the publication of children’s literature and the production of feature and animated films intended for children.

6. We will triple state support for libraries. This means that it will be possible to buy at least one library book per resident each year. We will also increase state support for school libraries.

7. We will create a state center for the development of a creative economy, because products and services related to culture are one of the most important introducers of Estonia to the world and make an important contribution to our economy. Long-term development programs ensure stability and they will gain recognition for the Estonian trademark in the cultural world.

8. We will organize, protect, and unite the memory network, which is stored in libraries, museums, archives, and elsewhere, into an integrated system. We will continue policies that are aimed at returning Estonian cultural valuables to the homeland. We attach importance to historical preservation and the activity of researchers of native places. We will also work out requirements that will guarantee the continuity of cultural memory in the computerizing world.

9. A guarantee for the development of national culture and a democratic system of government is a strong public broadcasting service. The financing of the broadcasting service must take long-term development plans and investments necessary for technical development into consideration. We will not lose any time with the transition to digital technology.

10. We will continue the construction of major cultural buildings.

Economy

Only strong and sustainable economic growth will guarantee Estonia achieving a living standard comparable to rich European countries. The task of the state in the economy is to ensure a stable economic environment for conducting business and honest competition in the market. Entrepreneurs’ property and consumer rights must be protected. People’ entrepreneurial spirit should not be inhibited with useless bureaucratic restrictions and a high tax burden.

1. We will provide more support for small businesses, by giving them a larger share of enterprise supports. We will not include the total volume of supports. To encourage enterprise, the establishment of new first businesses must be free. The state fees charged for making entries in the Commercial Register and Land Register will be reduced to a level that corresponds with the expenses of maintaining the register.

2. We will depoliticize the supervisory boards of state enterprises and terminate the supervisory board membership of parliamentary politicians.

3. We support an open electricity market. We will prepare to open 35% of the electricity market starting in 2009 and the entire market in 2012. We will participate in the creation of a uniform Baltic and Northern Europe electricity market. We will guarantee all participants equal access to all networks in the electricity market. An important precondition for the operation of the electricity market is the creation of an independent system operator.

4. Fuel and energy policies must look to the future, by guaranteeing our security and certainty of supply. We believe it is important to develop production of electrical power that is dispersed across the territory of Estonia and distributed among various power generators, such as wind, bio-fuels, gas, coal, peat, oil shale, and shale oil. We will promote the co-production of electrical power and heat and the use of renewable energy, including placing greater importance on the potential for hydropower.

5. We will make public procurements transparent. For the promotion of competition and prevention of fraud, we support the disclosure of public procurement documents from the bidding to the signing of the contract.

6. We will relieve state institutions from the responsibility for building administration. For the administration of state real estate, we support rent-based solutions, in which the institutions do not generally own real estate, but rent, with the capital expenses recognized in the rent price paid by the institution and the rent expenses financed by operating expenses or the price of services. We do not support a state investment program or any other political distribution of investment resources.

7. We recognize that Estonia is a maritime country, which needs a clear maritime policy. This must be protective of our maritime environment; shipping that is intelligently organized will help to strengthen the country’s economy. We will take steps to raise our fishing industry from its nadir.

Budget and taxes

Estonia must continue its conservative budgetary policy, which is based on a balanced state budget. We do not believe it is right to increase the state’s debt burden, when our population is decreasing, because this is unfair to future generations. We believe that the state must collect reserves in good times, and not senselessly swell budgetary expenses. Estonian tax policies must promote the creation of new values and increased wealth for the Estonian people by earning, saving, and investing.

1. A company income tax rate that is as low as possible ensures that the Estonian economic environment will remain attractive. The tax environment for Estonian business must also be attractive after 2009. Therefore, we will support a company income tax model that will attract as much foreign investment as possible and promote the creation of companies in Estonia.

2. Social taxes must not increase. We will also initiate the creation of an insurance-based system for health insurance.

3. We will maintain a balanced state budget and not take any loans. We will continue the conservative financial policies that have guaranteed Estonia’s success. The overall tax burden will not increase.

4. We will avoid tax differentiations and abatements. Individual exceptions may be possible in prioritized fields of activity.

5. We will exempt financial investments of up to 50,000 EEK per year by private individuals from income tax. In this way, we will stimulate earned revenues being invested in enterprise, and the growth of small business.

Security

The point of departure for our security policy is the belief that even minor violations of the law should be considered important. Appropriate and fast reactions to small infringements can prevent crimes that are more serious. The rapid elimination of the consequences of vandalism has a preventive effect since that which is already broken will continue to be vandalized.

We place great importance on the actual prevention of crimes and effective maintenance of order and do not acknowledge leniency in the punishment of repeat offenders. Punishment policies must be based on the principle that hardened criminals must be isolated from society. Lawbreakers, who can be brought back to a law-abiding life, must be punished flexibly, by using shock imprisonment, good works, and probation instead of the usual punishment. Prison is primarily a punishment facility, but if the prisoner wants to improve, then instruction must be offered on how to cope in society.

We believe that the police have an important role to play in maintaining order and helping or serving the population. People should be encouraged to turn toward the police. An important part of police work is to explain to residents how to better protect themselves and their property from criminal assault. We will support the growth of civil initiatives for the protection of property and homes and an operative victim assistance system.

In the next few years, the state must primarily turn its attention to the crimes that cause the most damage to society:

organized crime, primarily narcotics trafficking – we regard key people in the narcotics business to be equivalent to hired killers, whose crimes need to be severely punished with up to life sentences. Narcotics will remain illegal; we do not support their legalization in any form.

corruption – corruption destroys trust toward the state and the entire society pays for it. Corruption can only be reduced by the co-effect of many measures – by increasing the transparency of procedures and the efficiency of supervision, and increasing the financial resources appropriated for the discovery of corruption, and increasing the number of prosecutors and investigators focused on the investigation of corruption crimes.

youth delinquency and family violence – family violence and youth delinquency are often a hotbed for more serious crime. Victims of family violence must be protected by the state.

We will concentrate on the battle with the causes of crime, for which:

1. We will prove criminal institutions with all the resources necessary for combating organized crime. Currently, the prosecutor has been made responsible for processing criminal cases. Now, we must increase the financial provisions made for police, primarily increasing investigative capability by ensuring the necessary technical resources.

2. We will implement the confiscation of property from criminals convicted of organized crime or corruption. Those who have been convicted of serious crimes must themselves prove that their property has been legally obtained. We also think it is necessary to concentrate on the having sufficient prosecutors and investigators to trace criminal income.

3. We will ensure strict supervision of detainees. Long-term prisoners that are alienated from the society will remain under the supervision of probation officer after being freed. For the effective isolation of detainees from society, a sufficient number of cell-type prisons are needed.

4. We will contribute significantly to narcotics prevention. We will notably increase the state’s allocation for narcotics prevention and appoint the Ministry of Justice to be in charge of a uniform narcotics policy.

5. Crime prevention will primarily be directed at young people. Young people cannot be kept away from crime, or narcotics and alcohol dependency, by admonishments only. Schools need to be drug-free and this should be a priority for the police. We will help young people who have insufficient parental supervision to find meaningful activities. We will recognize the most successful anti-narcotics schools.

6. The backbone of maintaining order is police patrols and neighborhood watches. We will increase street patrols, primarily where there is the greatest risk of violations of public order and people’s freedom of movement. We support widespread neighborhood watches. We will significantly reduce crimes in public places, by using video surveillance equipment and street lighting.

Well-being

We believe that people want to cope by themselves and to ensure their future. It must be more beneficial to work than to be dependent. If a person is in trouble, he or she must get help. The use of social supports must be flexible. Local governments must take people in trouble under their special care.
Our goal is to have largest possible number of people manage on their own. To achieve this:

1. In addition to the payment of subsistence supports, we will provide local governments with other possibilities for assistance.

2. To provide disabled people with better access to work, we will implement transportation supports for those who cannot use ordinary public transportation.

Health

It is most important to maintain and strengthen health, and only after that, to treat illnesses. The health insurance system must motivate people to take care of their health. The state’s alcohol policy must serve the health of the nation.

We will set a goal of increasing the average life span and the enjoyment of a full life. To achieve this:

1. We believe it is necessary to continue current health programs and to create additional programs to prevent injuries and cancer, and to promote mental health.

2. We will work out an integrated alcohol policy and change the society’s attitudes.

3. We will start the introduction of insurance-based elements in health insurance.

4. We will guarantee primary health care to everyone, regardless of the existence of health insurance.

Sports

In order to live a full and healthy life, one must participate in sports activities and enjoy moving at every age. To achieve this:

1. We will introduce a nationwide sports development plan, which will provide a complete overview of both short- and long-term priorities and needs.

2. We will contribute to the development of ambulatory hobbies, by supporting the establishment of amateur athletics structures. Every basic and secondary school must have a gym and sports field that satisfies its needs. We will appropriate more supports for organizing children’s and young people’s sports camps. For the development of university sports, we will create an earmarked financing model. We will find opportunities to help people with special needs participate in sports.

3. Competitions and major international sports events must be divided into categories, according to which the systematic support of these events will take place. We will support the development of a sports unit in the defense forces, where young people who have shown good sports results will be gathered in order to ensure their further development. We will develop a stimulating system, so that clubs and sports associations would be more interested in organizing amateur sports events.

4. We will help voluntary activists, sports managers, and sports leaders to organize training; we believe that the development and the practice of modern sports science is important.

Environment

Our environmental policy is based on the understanding that if we do not guarantee a beneficial environment in Estonia to future generations, we may lose a large number of our achievements. In a world where the shortage of resources is continuously becoming a more serious problem, Estonia must be among the leading nations with a green bent. Estonia must be guided by the principle that the amount of resources used by the state must not exceed the regeneration limit.

In addition to monetary success, one must inevitably consider fitting into the environmental space. To achieve this:

1. We support the conservation of energy and the use of alternative power. We prefer ecological fuels. We will restore abatements for alternative energy.

2. Clean drinking water is a human right.

3. Every household must become part of a waste management system. As much waste as possible must be sorted and recycled.

4. New oil shale mines must be established according to a national development plan. In the use of natural resources, business interests must be subordinated to national and regional interests.

5. We support the transition to organic farming, which is environmentally friendly on the one hand, and on the other, ensures a competitive advantage for Estonia.

Regional development and agriculture

In regional policy, we strive for the development of strong and attractive local centers and the expansion of various job opportunities throughout Estonia. To achieve this:

1. When using European Union monies, we will also insure Estonian co-financing in regions with a lower income base.

2. We will increase the financing of local road repair from the state budget. We will allocate 15% of the money received from fuel excise tax for this.

3. We will reduce the digital gap between cities and rural areas. We will provide stable and quality data communications services for residents throughout Estonia.

4. We support the development of non-agricultural enterprise in the countryside. The diversification of rural life requires consulting and financial support for the development of various niche markets.

5. We will introduce a local food program, which will provide healthy food for the local market and we will assist small farmers and those who cultivate organic farms.

6. We will pay more attention to the development of rural culture. The support of the village movement and civil initiatives in the countryside must be a cornerstone of the state’s rural policy. We will increase the financing of initiatives in this direction.

7. We support a very complete rural policy. Unreformed state land, for which the state has no long-range plans, must be transferred to the local government, with the provision that it may be given into use or sold only by competition and not by decision.

Democracy, parliamentarianism, citizens’ rights

The principles for implementing statehood are democracy, parliamentarianism, the protection of basic rights, and the rule of law. In the execution of state power, we strive for the implementation of clearly defined goals in an economical manner that is suitable for a small country. People must be able to tend to business conveniently and safely.

We consider democracy and a multitude of opinions to be important. We support the greatest possible participation of people in elections and influencing policy. We consider attempts to forcibly politicize people and to subordinate decision making into the service of interest groups to be unwarranted. We support strong representative democracy.

We place great importance on the development of the principle of an open nation-state, by considering the right to national self-determination of all Estonian residents. We support the maintenance of the culture values of all the nationalities living in Estonia and the solidarity of the society. The discussion on achieving increased solidarity of the Estonian society must continue.

1. We think it is important that parliamentarianism develops. Crucial decisions must be made by the Riigikogu, not by administrative authorities. We will curb bureaucracy and overregulation.

2. Democratic processes must be constantly developed and analyzed. We support the possibility of e-voting. We will broaden the opportunity to conduct one’s affairs and participate electronically, by taking into account the needs resulting from the information society and globalization. It must be convenient for people to deal with government institutions.

3. Being a citizen is a right and a responsibility, which must be learned. Civil initiatives must be supported and respected. Civics is an important part of school education and lifelong study. We agree with the current principles of citizenship policy.

4. The state must maintain control over immigration. Immigration policy must be conservative, while considering the needs of the Estonian economy in the case of professional specialists. We believe that the acceleration of the integration process is essential, by also paying attention to new immigrants.

5. We do not support the centralization of state power. Public assignments should be transferred to non-profit organizations and local governments under specific rules. We do not support the increase of the ratio of the governmental sector in the national income and employment, but are searching for other ways of making public services more efficient. We support the opportunity for private individuals to donate part of the income tax to non-profit organizations. The financing of the third sector must be comprehensible and favorable to cooperation. We support the involvement of excluded societal groups in society, but we do not find a quota system to be equitable in a representative democracy.

6. We are constantly developing people’s basic rights and freedoms. It is especially important to preserve freedom of speech and people’s right to a private life, including the protection of information related to one’s private life. In the field of the protection of basic rights, officials should be trained and people should be guaranteed legal aid that actually works.

7. We will implement a state program for the integration of Russian-language schools into the Estonian educational system, which includes teacher training, curriculum development, and the organization of schools. We therefore think it is important to preserve the quality of education. We support national language immersion at all educational levels, starting in kindergarten.

8. We will offer free language instruction to non-Estonians at least at the elementary level.

9. The examinations necessary for acquiring citizenship will be brought into conformity, by conducting them simultaneously and in the state language.

10. We will appropriate resources for starting up an Estonian Television Russian-language channel. We will provide all people the opportunity to obtain necessary information in a comprehensible language.

European policies

The greatest challenge for the European Union is global competition. We can best accept this challenge by removing internal borders, and being open and united. It is in Estonia’s interests to work toward common security, foreign, and energy policies. A strong Europe will also make Estonia strong.

1. We support the total disappearance of internal European economic borders and restrictions on competition, while at the same time, strengthening tax competition, the abolition of restrictions in the labor market, and other measures that will help to develop a strong and open European Union and create new development opportunities for Estonia’s economy.

2. Estonia’s national interests can be quickly moved in the direction of creating and implementing workable common policies, primarily regarding foreign and security policies as well as energy policies.

3. We support the rights and opportunities of Estonian citizens to receive the portion of monetary allocations directed to Estonia that are designated for them. Not a single euro can remain uncollected due to the inactivity of the Estonian government. Small business owners and local governments often have trouble filling out the applications, which is why we will help them at the government level.

4. Estonia’s success in the European Union depends on our active participation in Europe’s discussions and actions. The more Estonians that work at high places in European institutions, the better it is for Estonia. It is extremely important to achieve strong positions in our European-wide political family—the European People's Party.

5. The last enlargement of the European Union has made Europe safer, more dynamic, and more focused on competition. Therefore, we support the continued enlargement of the European Union, with open doors for Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, among others. At the same time, we see a need to reform the efficiency of European Union institutions before the next enlargement.

Foreign policy

The mission of Estonian foreign policy in the world must be based on a balance between freedom and responsibility, and the knowledge that the stronger ones are obligated to protect weaker ones, the responsibility of free peoples is to protect those whose aspirations for freedom are being oppressed.

Our objective is to create the ability and opportunity for Estonia to participate in making decisions regarding the future of the world and itself in the fast-changing world. Our goal is to create a reputation for Estonia as an active and serious country in global communications.

1. In the creation and implementation of foreign policy, we will proceed from Estonia’s national interests, which include guarantees for the security of the state and the citizens, and increasing the recognition and involvement of Estonia in the world and global competition, in order to create better opportunities for our entrepreneurs. The effective operation of the European Union and foreign and security policies that protect the common interest of the Member States is in Estonia’s national interests.

2. Based on the basic principles of Estonian security policy, we believe that the further intensification of good relations with the United States to be strategically important. Estonia will continue its active policy for strengthening the strategic partnership between the European Union and the United States, supported by the idea of signing a Trans-Atlantic Partnership Agreement. To achieve a more integrated strategic partnership, we will continue active diplomatic activities to achieve visa-free relations with the United States and Canada.

3. Rich and dynamic BaltoScandia, which unites the Baltic States and the Nordic countries, has all the preconditions to become an important 'magnet center' in the world economy. We want Estonia, which is part of the Baltic States as well as the Nordic countries, to become an active initiator of this cooperation. Estonia must active deal with strengthening cooperation between the Baltic countries. We will continue efforts to bring Estonian-Russian relations out of its low point, by relying on specific and practical initiatives.

4. In order to achieve our goals, we must broaden Estonian foreign policy and diplomatic capabilities in different regions of the world, primarily the Near East, Southeast Asia, and Africa. We will create new, or strengthen existing, embassies, and we will endeavor to learn more about the Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Arab worlds, through language instruction, on-site training, and increased expertise.

5. Estonia must actively defend democratic values in the world, to call attention to violations of human rights, and to support democratic movement in various parts of the world. Estonia must continue to pay a leading role in bring forth and condemning the crimes of Communism, by assisting in the creation of an international center to investigate the crimes of Communism, by publishing research on the topic, and by financing films and exhibitions.

6. To protect Estonia’s interests in the world, the capability of the foreign services requires constant improvement, which in turn presumes a significant increase in financing for the creation and implementation of foreign policy. We will increase the capability of Foreign Ministry analysts and support foreign policy and security policy brain trusts becoming recognized international research centers. The public media must receive sufficient support from the state to open correspondence points with the world’s most important centers.

National defense

The basis of Estonia’s national defense is the will and skill of the people to defend its nation. The most important assignments of national defense include defending the nation as well as developing and strengthening the will to defend, the skill to defend and defense structures.

Our goal is to ensure the survival and security of the Estonian state and people. We will achieve this by constantly developing and preserving our military capability, as well as by actively participating in international defensive cooperation, primarily through NATO as a strong defense organization.

1. In order to guarantee the survival and security of our people and state, Estonia must continue to build a reserve army based on general military obligation, thereby guaranteeing quality instruction and modern equipment. At the same time, we must concentrate on the rationalization of the management of the national defense system, and the systematic planning and use of resources.

2. The main guarantor of our security is Estonia’s membership in NATO. Therefore, it is in Estonia’s interest to strengthen NATO as a defense organization. We will participate in the creation of NATO rapid deployment forces and international missions, and in the near future, by placing the greatest importance on the success of the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

3. We will work out the necessary legislation and procedures for the implementation of the valid Peacetime National Defense Act. According to this law, the Minister of Defense, who bears substantive political responsibility, must organize the activities of the defense forces.

4. The National Defense League, as a voluntary national defense organization has an important role in the national defense system. We will increase investments to strengthen and develop the Defense League. In developing the Defense League, heightened attention must be paid to its role in the general national defense system, and to the instruction and discipline of members. Membership in the Defense League must become an expression of an idealistic worldview.

5. An important part of Estonia’s security is the comprehensive preparation of the population, and especially young people, regarding national defense as well as nationalist and ethical upbringing, which will preserve the will to defend the nation. Estonia’s national defense is part of our independence.