Estonia apologized to its biggest trading partner after a nationalist official from the Baltic country’s ruling coalition insulted Finland’s new prime minister.
Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid called her counterpart in Helsinki following weekend comments by Estonian Minister of the Interior and EKRE chairman Mart Helme calling Sanna Marin, who recently became the world’s youngest premier, a “cashier” — a reference to a previous job she held.
Helme said “other street activists and uneducated people have also become government members” in Finland, adding that Sanna’s government wanted to “desperately liquidate Finland.”
He also blamed the media for misinterpreting him and said that he would apologize only through a message from the prime minister.
The U-turn is the latest embarrassment for EU, euro and NATO member Estonia since the populist EKRE joined the government in April.
Helme and his son, who serves as minister of finance, have said that they want to keep their country racially pure and has used white-supremacist gestures.
The coalition has repeatedly flirted with breakup and again averted a collapse on Monday.
Kaljulaid told the Postimees newspaper that she asked Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas to consider replacing Helme.
Ratas’ government is “undermining the constitutional order” and represents a “national security risk,” she was cited as saying.
Ratas has so far refused to do that.
It is unclear whether Helme’s remarks would do any lasting damage to ties with Finland, with which Estonia shares strong cultural and linguistic links and where about 100,000 of its citizens live and work.
Marin brushed off Helme’s insult, saying she was proud of Finland.
“Here a poor family’s child can get an education and go places in life,” she said on Twitter. “A store clerk can become a prime minister. Finland would not manage without blue-collar workers. I highly appreciate the work every employee, tradesman and entrepreneur does!”
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