Ossinovski made his remarks in an interview with "Aktuaalne kaamera" which follows.

What do you think about the voting results? They weren't exactly as planned.

It definitely did not go as planned. Naturally, a couple of weeks ago, when we brought the existing coalition back together, the agreement was that several important bills, including the abolition of the kindergarten fees, would get approved at the council today, but it turned out they were not.

On the one hand, it's quite noteworthy to see how the Center Party, who just a month ago were demanding that the kindergarten fees be abolished immediately, sensed the chance to get back at the Reform Party — and probably also to pull the rug out from under the rest of the coalition — and ended up voting against it. On the other hand, Eesti 200 also had the chance to honor that agreement, certainly not to support the bill, but rather to allow it to pass, yet they too decided to act in another way.

Isn't it naïve to think that the Centre Party, being in opposition, would still have voted in favor? Should the coalition perhaps have asked more support from Eesti 200?

I get a sense that over the last month, the pre-election period has really affected the parties quite crazily. Such long-term calculations and a sense of responsibility have been replaced by a short-term desire to improve one's position before the elections. At first, it was the Reform Party that tried to do that. Now we see that the Center Party is also doing it, hoping to gain some voter support, and Eesti 200 has clearly sensed that their position on the kindergarten fees might be appealing to part of the public; so they're ready to think about running Tallinn as a secondary matter just for the sake of that.

In that light, things are going pretty well for the Social Democrats?

I think what has happened in the governance of Tallinn cannot make anyone happy, and it certainly does not make me happy. Nevertheless, I, my party, and the other parties took responsibility a year ago to govern this city, and of course to govern it until the elections. I think this responsibility must still be carried with dignity until the end, and then the voter will give their fair judgment. Naturally in politics it's always possible to pull off some short-term tricks and hope these will bring a bump in the ratings, but I don't see that as right in any sense.

Deputy Mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere decided to resign. Does that make you feel any calmer?

It was a surprise for me that colleague Pere submitted his resignation. Doubtless it was a measured step on his part, and ultimately both he and the Reform Party decide who their representatives in the city government are, but otherwise, I think naturally. In the end, the present situation has not become any more stable, and in the coming days, we'll need to discuss with our partners how to move forward from here.

What happens next with power in Tallinn? The Reform Party is talking about leaving the coalition.

Well, today isn't over yet. The council meeting is still ongoing, and on very important issues, decisions have still been passed by the same coalition. We were one vote short of that decision (abolishing the kindergarten fees – ed.), so theoretically it's still possible to move forward and adopt that specific decision on the next attempt. But where does the attention of the different parties turn now? Events are unfolding by the hour, and I can't say that at the moment. I can say that the Social Democrats will stand by the agreements we've made, and we certainly won't run away from the responsibility of governing.

Tallinn Deputy Mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere (Reform) announced his resignation on Monday evening after Tallinn City Council voted 37–37—three votes short of a majority—against abolishing kindergarten fees in the capital. Governing coalition party Eesti 200 joined opposition parties EKRE and Center in rejecting Reform's proposal to drop the approximately €50 fee for all children.

The issue was at the heart of a coalition split in Tallinn which came to a head last month; the Center Party had issued a press release the same morning as the Reform Party, both stating support for abolishing the fee.

The local elections are in October.

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