Session Profile: Mart Helme

The focus is heavily on national security, defining it more broadly than mere defense spending by emphasizing demographic and internal security aspects. The politician strongly opposes the mass importation of foreign labor and the opening of borders, viewing this as an existential threat to the Estonian nation-state. He calls for the hermetic sealing of the eastern border and the restoration of a militarized border guard, criticizing the government for ignoring security threats. Furthermore, he questions the competence and independence of government ministers (Pakosta, the Minister of the Interior), citing their background and potential security risks.

The speaker demonstrates authority in the fields of Russian affairs, the activities of security agencies, and diplomacy, referencing his previous books and experience as an ambassador in Moscow. He utilizes knowledge concerning recruitment, manipulation, and security aspects, particularly in relation to the background of the Minister of the Interior. He also refers to the Ministry of the Interior’s calculations regarding a worst-case scenario concerning the number of immigrants.

The tone is extremely combative, accusatory, and highly emotional, employing harsh language (e.g., "repulsive," "you are destroying the Estonian nation-state"). He supports his positions by drawing on both personal experiences (such as being a former ambassador in Moscow and having written books) and terrifying scenarios (knife attacks, ethnic conflicts). The style is direct and confrontational, leveling accusations against opponents of demagoguery, short-sightedness, and pandering to lobbyists.

The data is limited to a single appearance during a Q&A session, where multiple questions and remarks were presented. He refers to his previous work as an ambassador in Moscow and the books he has written ("The Prologue of the Bronze Night," "Under the Stars of the Kremlin") to demonstrate his expertise on the topic of Russia.

The criticism is directed against the Reform Party government and specific ministers (Kristen Michal, Minister of Justice Pakosta, and the Minister of the Interior). The attacks are intense and personal, questioning the ministers' fitness for office and independence, particularly regarding their Moscow background and ties to security agencies. The critic accuses the government of leveling accusations of being pro-Kremlin while simultaneously destroying the Estonian nation-state through irresponsible immigration policy.

There is a complete lack of any indication of cooperation or willingness to compromise; the style is purely oppositional and aggressive, focusing on exposing the incompetence of the government's policies and its ministers.

The focus is both national and international, addressing the preservation of the Estonian nation-state, the Estonian-Russian border, and immigration from Central Asia. He/She notes that immigrants are concentrating in urban centers, which points to concern about the internal security of these urban areas and the potential for them to become hotbeds of ethnic conflict.

Economic considerations (labor needs) are secondary to the nation-state and security. He/She opposes lobbyists’ demands to open borders and emphasizes the necessity of training specialists domestically and creating better salary and working conditions for them in Estonia, instead of importing foreign labor.

The central theme is social and demographic security, standing in strong opposition to mass immigration, which is considered a threat to the Estonian language and the very existence of the nation. Emphasis is placed on the danger to internal security stemming from the influx of unintegrated foreign cultures, predicting the emergence of ethnic and religious conflicts (knife attacks, axe attacks).

He calls for concrete political and legislative steps to completely seal the eastern border and restore a militarized border guard. He is a strong opponent of the government's plans to increase the quota for importing foreign labor, viewing this as the destruction of the nation-state.