No. 42

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What Divides Us, What Unites Us

It is very welcome that the present government included preparing the strategy “Estonia 2035” into its action programme, so that Estonia will finally have a longer-term plan. This plan will need to reach far longer than one election cycle, and ideally it should form an umbrella strategy for national strategies with a shorter time perspective and narrower topics.

We have enough of narrower and shorter strategies; reportedly, we have around 50 different policy documents that cover 17 policy fields and have different time frames. In her article, Tea Danilov describes the most important development strategies of recent times and their results. I recommend reading it. As well as other articles that discuss the different aspects of the strategy “Estonia 2035”.

If you read the discussion panel of politicians, you will see that the representatives of political parties approach the strategy “Estonia 2035” with moderate optimism. Some assess the process, while others assess its conformity to the Constitution, and still others see the correct focuses of specific topics, but the general attitude is positive. Of course, the strategy contains no staggering surprises. It cannot. We know where we are with our regional policy troubles, security issues, ageing population and other problems. Using data and analyses, the strategy paints a realistic picture of different sectors, and sets the direction for the future. The fact that the Government Office prepared the document in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance gives reason to expect that the objectives are linked to resources. If you want to be critical, you can pick on specific indicators by asking whether the numerical targets of the strategy are not too high and unobtainable? However, on the other hand, what is the point of setting the bar at the height you jumped the day before yesterday?

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Riigikogu Toimetised has been published for 20 years. It is a good age for a journal. Up to the present, it has had five editors, who recall their fights on the front of words and deeds in the history section at the end of this issue.

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