Agenda Profile: Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart

As Minister of Health, he/she stresses the sustainability of healthcare financing, quality, and prevention as three pillars central to long-term development; he/she criticizes the Reform Party's tax policy as being too narrow a solution and emphasizes that taxes do not solve health problems for the state budget alone. He/she asserts that the priority must be strengthening healthcare and securing funding within the current economic climate; ultimately aiming to implement lasting development through the Estonia 2035 strategy. The framing is policy-based and value-oriented, focusing on the long-term well-being and fiscal efficiency of the healthcare system.

Demonstrates a strong grasp of healthcare financing, hospital network reorganization, and prevention topics. It references the conclusions of the National Audit Office audit and presents a concrete three-pillar model (financing, quality, prevention). The text mentions data-driven arguments (e.g., speculation regarding €25 million in tax revenue and the nuances of school lunch/nutrition) and points to the disparity in dental care benefits and the funding issues facing Tallinn Hospital. This reflects a comprehensive understanding of strategic healthcare management and long-term planning.

The tone is critical and highly argumentative, employing rhetorical questions and specific examples (such as the 1-euro school lunch subsidy or referencing an Excel spreadsheet). It emphasizes facts and quantitative evidence. The style blends emotional emphasis with a respectful, formal register, utilizing direct citations of communications and clear calls to action.

Confirms frequent participation in the Riigikogu and speeches delivered within a single day (interpreted as 19.03.2024), and refers to planned discussions on healthcare funding scheduled for March/April. It describes discussions that have already taken place, including debates involving the Ministry of Social Affairs and inter-party discussions; emphasizing regular political communication and inter-parliamentary debates.

The core arguments target the Reform Party and their tax policy, viewing it as a detached solution to healthcare problems. The criticism accuses them of "sidestepping" tax responsibilities and failing to control the government's healthcare policy. The statement is intensely critical, demanding the prioritization of healthcare and comprehensive measures in school-based and preventative work. It emphasizes that taxes cannot substitute for the fundamental requirements of healthcare.

He intends to cooperate with colleagues and small business owners, but maintains a sermonizingly critical stance, setting boundaries based on mutual consensus when necessary. He points to the Social Democrat ministers and the potential for collaboration, but stresses that the objective is to implement shared goals and priorities in healthcare; he expresses a wish to join the discussion (get to the table) and find solutions together.

At the national level, the focus is on the long-term development of healthcare and the implementation of the national budget and strategies. It mentions examples related to Tallinn (Tallinn Hospital, the impact of European funding) as local context, but the overall emphasis is placed on the national level.

It continues to stress the importance of the economic environment in securing healthcare funding, emphasizing that tax revenues are higher when the economy is performing well. It expresses a critical view of using tax policy as a direct instrument for healthcare funding and underscores the need to avoid arbitrary numerical schemes and the mystification of budget allocations (e.g., 25 million euros in tax revenue). The speaker wishes to halt the "suffocation of the economic environment" and calls for investments that ensure sustainable financing.

The focus is on the health of children and youth: nutrition (including support for school lunches and VAT on fruits and vegetables), physical activity habits, and prevention. It notes the disparity in dental care benefits and suggests that long-term health risks could be mitigated through a robust healthcare network and proactive prevention measures. It stresses that health must be a core commitment, not merely an issue resolved via financial payments; the emphasis is on the accessibility and equality of sustainable services.

The main priorities include establishing a sustainable financing model, streamlining the hospital network, and implementing legislative measures related to prevention. It also provides for the application of lessons learned from the National Audit Office audit and the reinforcement of the implementation of the Estonia 2035 strategy. It emphasizes the agreed component of goal implementation and the necessity of having the courage and resolve to enact legislative measures for public health.