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The President of the Republic is touring the County of Jõgeva25.03.2002
The President of the Republic and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel are touring the County of Jõgeva today.
At a meeting with leaders of local governments of the county, the need to promote local enterprise was broached. The Head of State took interest in which kind of administrative reform the local government leaders thought was expedient. Exchanging views on this topic, it turned out that they attached major importance to co-operation between local governments in different fields and this co-operation, in their opinion, also would make evident if merging of municipalities was practical. The Chairman of the Jõgeva County's Local Government Association, the Municipality Head of Jõgeva, Toivo Ilves, pointed out that if the state imposed duties on local governments, it also had to secure the revenue base to perform those duties. However, the revenue base of nine municipalities out of the thirteen municipalities of Jõgeva County has been cut this year.
The municipality leaders and mayors of the Jõgeva County also deemed it necessary, that more precise and exhaustive information be given about the European Union to enable the people to form an opinion on the justification for the accession. Thereafter, the President and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel visited Kiigemetsa school at Siimusti, where mentally handicapped children from across Estonia are learning.
During discussions at the Werol Factories Ltd. and at the Plant Breeding Institute of Jõgeva, the President highlighted the importance of the achievements of the Estonian agricultural science and production. "The Estonian farmers are capable of both feeding our people and exporting their products. The most important thing is that such a situation like there was after the Northern War - the Estonians having to ask others for food would not recur. Speaking about agricultural quotas: there is certainly plenty of scope for bargaining," the President said.
The President of the Republic will end his tour of Jõgeva County today and spend the next day in Tartu.
Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, March 25, 2002
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