President Lennart Meri this afternoon had a meeting with Prime Minister Mart Laar in Kadriorg, who forwarded to the President the request to release the Minister of Internal Affairs Jüri Mõis from office in connection with his having been elected the Mayor of Tallinn.

The President and the Prime Minister agree that local government and state institutions must strictly abide by the law in all the activities. As the opposition has, in connection with the election of Jüri Mõis to he post of the Mayor, expressed their doubts about the legality of this decision, an unequivocal evaluation is necessary in this matter, both the President and the Prime Minister estimated.

President Meri turned to Orm Valtson, the Harju County Governor, to get an evaluation to the election of the Mayor of Tallinn. According to the Estonian legislation, it is the duty of the Harju County Governor to check the legality of the decisions of the Tallinn City Council.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, November 5, 1999

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