This is the first time Michal has commented on the situation in Tallinn.

"I understand our Tallinn branch's decision that if you want to seek a mandate, you have to do it through elections. Whatever form cooperation [with the Center Party] might have taken, there would have been talk of a secret deal. Now that talk is vanishing into thin air," Michal said, speaking at the government's weekly press conference.

He added that the Reform Party will support the no-confidence motion against Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE) at the next city council meeting. He said this means Reform will go into opposition, and the capital will continue to be governed until the elections by a minority coalition of the Social Democrats, Isamaa, and Eesti 200.

The prime minister said this party has never ruled out cooperation with Center in Tallinn, nor is it likely to do so after the elections. He added that neither the Social Democrats, Isamaa, nor EKRE have ruled it out, only Eesti 200.

Michal, who led Reform's Tallinn faction for 11 years, said he knows very well how the party is structured and how decisions are made at the local level.

"Of course I follow what's happening, I listen to people and give advice when needed. I think this [Sõõrumaa's decision] was a good decision. So that Urmas's bid for mayor wouldn't be tainted by talk of a secret deal," he told the media.

Suggestions that he played a decisive role in the collapse of the coalition have been promoted by political opponents, the chairman said. He reiterated that the crisis arose solely because the Reform Party wanted to abolish kindergarten fees.

"If I had been in the coalition or the mayor, I would have negotiated the abolition of kindergarten fees with our partners. If that had been resolved, there wouldn't have been a power crisis," Michal said.

Asked by an "Aktuaalne kaamera" journalist whether he felt ashamed about the situation — as several Reform Party politicians have told the media — Michal replied that things could have been done better.

"When you are the largest party in a coalition, you need to be clearer in your communication, about the goals behind abolishing kindergarten fees and how they would be funded," he said.

"But it is also the mayor's responsibility to hold the coalition together," Michal added, redirecting the criticism to Ossinovski and recalling that when disagreements in the national coalition grew too large, SDE were expelled from the government.

Ossinovski: Reform could return to the capital's ruling coalition

Tallinn Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski said that Reform has brought the chaos in the capital on itself, but the situation could also be resolved if the party took responsibility and rejoined the city's governing coalition.

"The Reform Party's plan failed within the Reform Party, and I think it would be appropriate to consider returning to the negotiating table and governing responsibly until October 19, and then seek a new mandate from the voters," Ossinovski said Thursday on Vikerraadio's "Uudis+" program, commenting on Urmas Sõõrumaa's recent decision to withdraw his bid for mayor.

If the Reform Party agrees to remain in the current coalition, Ossinovski said they will not be given any preconditions or ultimatums.

"It's still possible to move forward with reducing kindergarten fees," Ossinovski said. He did not rule out the possibility that it could ultimately lead to eliminating the fees by finding additional funding.

If the party does not return to the coalition, Ossinovski ruled out the possibility of opening negotiations with the Center Party instead.

"We will not do that with the Center Party or any other party currently in opposition. We want this coalition to function until the elections. Overall, our cooperation worked, and we have many ongoing initiatives, especially regarding the transition to Estonian-language education."

When asked whether he had personally contacted Michal to try to resolve the crisis, Ossinovski said he had not succeeded.

"I made an attempt at the beginning of June, but the prime minister did not find time to meet with me. Shortly afterward, I read on ERR the prime minister's remarks claiming I was not doing my job well," the mayor recalled.

Ossinovski suggested that, in future, Reform find "less erratic" ways to improve their poll ratings.

Asked whether he regrets having left the coalition with the Center Party a year ago, Ossinovski replied that it was a values-based decision in light of the conviction in the Porto Franco case.

"After the 2021 local elections, the Reform Party had already started pressuring us to leave the coalition. And at the end of 2023, I was offered the mayor's position. But our decision was based on objective considerations, specifically, the court ruling in the Porto Franco case," Ossinovski said.

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