The governing coalition offers to compromise withthe opposition.
Prime Minister Mart Siimann met today at Toompea with the politicalleaders and ministers of the governing coalition in order to come up witha compromise solution to the budget conflict with the opposition.
The coalition considers it possible to rearrange budgetary items insuch a way that 100 million crowns will be found to raise the salariesof municipal school teachers and other workers in educational, social andcultural institutions. According to the coalition's plans, in additionto the 17.8 % salary increase to municipal school teachers, about 3.5%increase will be given to employees of technical and other higher educationalinstitutions, private and vocational schools, museums, and theater andmusical organizations.
The salary increases will be funded by cuts in gasoline tax compensation,the warranty fund, ministries' expenditures, the initiative developmentprograms and allocations to the political parties. Supplementary fundingis planned from the sale of state property, which includes the buildingon Rahukohtu Street that had been slated to become offices for the StateChancellor and the Prime Minister.
The governing coalition will discuss the proposals with the oppositionthis evening at 19 o'clock.