Kristiina Ojuland, 43, served as foreign minister of Estonia from 2002 to 2004. The Baltic state joined both the European Union and NATO during her term in office.
In the run-up to the European elections, what issues are being debated in Estonia? Are they primarily national or European in nature?
For Estonian voters, the main issues in the campaigns for the upcoming elections are the European Union's common energy policy, the common foreign and security policy, financial and fiscal policy as well as environmental policy.
In terms of a common foreign and security policy, we feel it is very important that Europe speaks with one voice. The EU is split over the most important international issues -- it did not have a common position regarding the Iraq war, for example -- and that is not in its interests. Our main goal should be to mutually understand each other and our problems, so that we see, for example, Spain's problems as our problems and vice versa.
It is also very much in the EU's and Estonia's interests to have a common policy on Russia. We believe the EU should speak with one voice on human rights in Russia, the rule of law, the mistreatment of the opposition and freedom of the media. Russia should not get special treatment from the EU; our position on basic values such as human rights and the rule of law should not be compromised because of economic issues, even if we appreciate that Russia is a major market for the EU and for Estonia.
In terms of a common energy policy, we would like to see the EU's 27 member states sitting down and discussing where the bloc will buy energy, at what prices and under what conditions. We can't go on living the way we have been -- just look at what happened to Slovakia in January during the gas dispute with Russia. The EU is becoming increasingly dependent on energy imports, so this is a very serious issue -- perhaps even more serious than foreign policy.
A key issue in European politics is market ideology. Is there a debate in Estonia about whether the market ideology of Brussels needs amendments?
Kristiina Ojuland
Estonia is one of those countries which has reaped a great profit from the market economy and democracy after liberation from the communist occupation of the Soviet Union. For example, the GDP per capita has increased several times to exceed that of Russia, and we have been moving towards the average EU living standard.
Naturally, the current global economic and financial crisis does not leave Estonia unaffected; however, Estonia's position is very strong thanks to our policies in recent years, and we do not need to go asking the IMF for money. That may be why support for the free market approach is higher in Estonia than in other EU countries. We have seen the planned economy at first hand and we don't want it back.
Another key issue in many countries is euroskepticism. Has support for the EU changed in Estonia?
Support for the EU is very high and has been rising constantly since accession in 2004. Today more than 80 percent of the Estonian population supports membership and current developments. Estonians have seen concrete benefits from joining the EU in their daily life, and most Estonians support a stronger EU.
How would voters in Estonia like the EU to develop? Is there support for the Lisbon Treaty? A more powerful European Central Bank? What are the limits for unification?
The Lisbon Treaty is not really controversial. If you asked the ordinary Estonian on the street, he or she would probably not know very much about it. But if you asked if they support more European integration, they would probably say yes.
Estonia wants to adopt the euro in 2011 and therefore we also support a stronger central bank. Of course, people are a bit sad to be giving up the kroon, but we have to be very pragmatic.
However, there are limits to European unification. It is important to preserve the ethnic identity of the indigenous nations of Europe and the EU as a union of independent states. Only states can delegate their sovereignty to Brussels.
Also, we do not support the harmonization of tax rates. We support efforts to transform the EU into the most competitive economic zone in the world but we do not believe that the introduction of the so-called Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base could improve the EU's competitiveness.
Interview conducted by Malte Göbel and David Gordon Smith.
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