Estonia’s tiny Jewish community voices concern over an unprecedented move to include a far-right party in the next government of the Baltic EU state.
Outgoing center-left prime minister Juri Ratas launched coalition talks last week with the far-right EKRE party after its support surged in a recent general election.
The move by Ratas, which has been roundly criticized even from within his own party, is aimed at preventing the winning liberal Reform from forming a government.
EKRE leader Mart Helme has publicly expressed xenophobic, sexist and homophobic views, and the members of his party have included people convicted of violent crimes and Nazi sympathizers.
“Many statements of this party (EKRE) are antagonistic toward national minorities and aim at dividing society into insiders and outsiders. This can only cause frustration and regret,” the Jewish Community of Estonia says in a statement.
The community also deplores as “unacceptable” a rare incident of anti-Semitism against Estonia’s chief Rabbi Shmuel Kot, who was verbally assaulted on Saturday in central Tallinn as he was on his way to the synagogue with his children.
Police on Monday detained a 27-year-old man for hurling racial abuse at Kot.
— AFP
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