Michal made his remarks at prime minister's question time at the Riigikogu Wednesday, at a time when the national broadcaster is facing pushback over the presence of a same-sex couple who appeared with their twin children, birthed by a surrogate, on the "Hommik Anuga" Sunday morning show on Father's Day, November 9.

The prime minister also stressed ERR's right to issue criticisms of the government.

"ERR is independent. The law protects ERR and does not allow anyone, including the government, to interfere in ERR's work and management," Michal said, responding to a question from EKRE chair Martin Helme.

"ERR – the national broadcaster – is not merely an info channel. We have established the national broadcaster on the basis of the National Broadcasting Act precisely to promote those same constitutional objectives – democracy, the protection of free speech, coverage of what is happening across all of Estonia, not only some people's views, joys and concerns, but the whole of Estonia," Michal added.

"The National Broadcasting Act states, among other things, that the purpose of the national broadcaster is to contribute to the growth of social cohesion in Estonian society, to value a family-based social model, and to support the development of democratic governance. And based on what was described above – the Constitution and the broadcasting act – we cannot in any way cancel some families in Estonia, even though I understand that this is your message, that this should be done," he went on.

"Now as to the second claim you made, concerning a person or a role. You say that you do not hold [ERR Supervisory Board Chair] Rein Veidemann in high regard. Well, I hold him in higher regard. I would say that despite the fact that Rein Veidemann said something which, in my view, is not something we can agree with on the basis of constitutional values, I do not think a person should be canceled. I think the ERR board has a set task: To ensure ERR's independence and conformity with constitutional values. That is what I expect from the ERR supervisory board and from its chair. Those words – perhaps later I can, and will have time, to quote them – concerning the values framework and the origin of this very values conflict, have also been written about at length by [Supervisory Board member] Raul Rebane, who describes what the ERR board task is and what that role actually entails," the prime minister continued.

Helme further asked whether the values framework of ERR and the Reform Party is to promote via ERR broadcasts criminal activity against minors. He stated that in Estonia, the purchase of children is prohibited under threat of criminal punishment. "And that child purchase was presented as something beautiful, good and nice on Father's Day, on ERR," Helme added.

In response, the prime minister said: "In Estonia, surrogacy, if that is what you are asking about, is prohibited. The Penal Code has not been violated in this regard for 20 years now. But Estonia is certainly not an isolated state among the others. If our citizens wish to make use of that in countries where it is permitted, then that is each person's own decision and the state does not interfere. Its use in other countries is not punishable in Estonia, as you should already know," the prime minister replied to Helme.

"I understand that your idea is to dismantle ERR, which of course I do not agree with," Michal went on.

MP Varro Vooglaid, who sits with the EKRE faction though is not a member of the party, and also sits on the supervisory board of ERR, said that privatizing ERR, not dismantling it, was what was being talked about.

Vooglaid noted that Michal has himself interfered in ERR's work in stating that the supervisory board chair, ie. Veidemann, should consider whether he is suitable to continue in his position.

"In my view, ERR has full independence to be critical both for and against; they are free in how they operate. And if the chair of the ERR board chooses to contradict, or at least gives such a value-conflict statement – and again, I consider it very important that we separate the person from this debate, I am speaking about the role of the chair now – if the board gives the same message that some fit and some do not fit into this value framework, which is not in accordance with the spirit of the constitution, then I think that must be defended. But that is not because it is critical," the prime minister said in response.

"I think ERR has been quite critical of the government. I think they find – as you too have noticed – that in the back-room conversations they always manage to find [Isamaa chair Urmas] Reinsalu at just that right moment, who answers all the convenient questions. They certainly never find a government member for any positive news item. But that is how it is, and one must live with it. That is ERR's right – editorial independence – to be critical, and that must be protected, it is a constitutional value," the head of government went on.

"What the current debate is really about is whether there are families in Estonia who are unsuitable for the Estonian space. I maintain that there are not. And that is what our debate is actually about. I call on everyone to think about the fact that Estonia needs more tolerance, more understanding of one another, not pushing each other away," Michal summed up.

The day after the Father's Day "Hommik Anuga" broadcast, Helme tabled a motion to close down ERR, saying the segment was an "attack on real fathers" and real families." 

Veidemann later stated the interview was "highly inappropriate in the value space in which we, the majority of Estonians, live," a statement which the prime minister criticized as  "fundamentally unacceptable," questioning Veidemann's suitability to continue in the role.

The ERR Supervisory Board contains a representative from all six parties represented at the Riigikogu, in addition to three non-political experts, and Veidemann as chair. In addition to Veidemann, Vooglaid and Rebane, its members are: Priit Sibul (Isamaa), Marek Reinaas (Eesti 200), Valdo Randpere (Reform), Raimond Kaljulaid (SDE), Vadim Belobrovtsev (Center Party), Sulev Valner (independent expert) and Paavo Nõgene (independent expert). Most large public and state bodies have similar supervisory boards to ensure independence, distinct from the management board, which in ERR's case is headed by Erik Roose.

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