Session Profile: Andrei Korobeinik
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
2025-02-18
Political Position
The political position centers on strong support for implementing a bank tax, viewing it as a political choice for filling the budget and reducing social inequality. The speaker sharply criticizes the government's economic policy, which, in their estimation, has led to a three-year recession and is being managed based on "faith" rather than performance metrics. Key issues also include opposition to the car tax and the necessity of lowering VAT on food, emphasizing that the Centre Party is fulfilling its programmatic promises.
23 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates expertise in banking taxation and economic policy, utilizing specific data on banks' profit margins (e.g., 70%+) and potential tax revenue. For comparison, they highlight the experiences of other EU countries (particularly Lithuania and Latvia) in taxing credit institutions and emphasize the effect of income tax on job creation. Furthermore, they are familiar with the figures concerning subsistence benefits and car tax collection.
23 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is sharply aggressive and critical, employing sarcasm (for instance, when describing the behavior of the Social Democrats) and powerful metaphors ("faith," "poodles"). The speaker relies on logical arguments and data, but weaves these together with emotional appeals, highlighting the suffering of the Estonian people and the severity of the economic downturn. He uses illustrative analogies (the cafe becoming a warehouse, Khrushchev and corn) to explain the failure of the Reform Party's policies.
23 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker refers to previous discussions held with the Prime Minister and colleagues, as well as participation in the session of the Constitutional Committee. He emphasizes the Centre Party's consistency in raising the issue of the bank tax over the last two years. He also mentions the topic of snap elections.
23 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The primary opponents are the Reform Party, the Social Democrats (SDE), and Eesti 200, all of whom face accusations regarding Estonia's economic decline and rising inequality. The criticism is harsh, targeting both political incompetence (the Reform Party, which is allegedly causing damage twice as great as Putin’s) and the hypocrisy and betrayal of voters (SDE and Eesti 200). Specifically, the Social Democrats are accused of talking a good game but consistently voting in line with the coalition.
23 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The speaker emphasizes the Center Party's commitment to fulfilling its promises and maintaining consistency, contrasting this with the inaction of its coalition partners. A willingness to cooperate is lacking because the coalition’s current policy is diametrically opposed to the Center Party’s objectives. He/She also criticizes former party colleagues who have joined the SDE, suggesting that they have lost their political competence.
23 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The regional focus is strong, highlighting the issues faced by rural areas and smaller towns (such as Valga, Pärnumaa, and Narva). The speaker criticizes the government's lack of a coherent regional policy, which is evident in the closure of rural schools and state institutions (like courthouses and unemployment office branches), as well as the implementation of a car tax that severely impacts people living in the countryside. They also point out that free public transport has been eliminated everywhere except in Tallinn.
23 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
The speaker supports the redistribution of income, demanding the taxation of banks' windfall profits (a bank tax) and the lowering of consumption taxes (VAT on food) to support the poor. He/She sharply criticizes the coalition's "orgy" of tax hikes and its economic policy, which has caused record inflation and increased inequality between the rich and the poor. He/She emphasizes that the banks earned their profits regardless of the circumstances, not due to efficiency.
23 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The socio-political focus is on combating social inequality and poverty, emphasizing the necessity of supporting pensioners, large families, and rural residents. He/She sharply criticizes the state for taking what little the poorest have left during the crisis and supports increasing the subsistence benefit.
23 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The main legislative focus is supporting the draft resolution on establishing a bank tax, which is considered a programmatic commitment of the Center Party. Additionally, priorities include lowering the VAT on food and opposing the car tax, emphasizing that these draft bills are part of the party's long-term plan, not mere publicity stunts.
23 Speeches Analyzed