Advisers to Estonian President Jüri Madise Describe Their New Roles
Estonia's new president, Jülle Madise, took office on Monday, and two of her advisers, Vladimir Svet and Harris Puusepp, explained their duties. Both said the job offer came as a surprise.
Jülle Madise took office as President of Estonia on Monday, 12 October, and is starting work with a newly assembled team. The Russian-language programme "Horizont", produced by Estonia's public broadcaster ERR, spoke with two of her advisers about what their jobs involve.
Madise was elected head of state on 2 September in the first round of the presidential election. She then began putting her team together.
The team
Paavo Nõgene heads the President's Office. Vladimir Svet is the adviser on domestic policy, Liis Lipre-Jarma on foreign policy, Harris Puusepp on communications, and Rainer Saks on security. Taimar Peterkop advises on the national defence council, Piret Arukaevu organises the office's work, Hent Kalmo and Ida Ulita Vooglaid handle legal matters, and Jaak Prints is the culture adviser. The aim is to agree on an economic adviser in early November.
What the advisers say
Puusepp said the team is built around the president's own wishes. In his words, an adviser's job is not to sit and wait for the president to ask for advice; it is daily work that includes both consulting the president and working independently with the team.
Svet recalled that the president phoned him just five minutes before a theatre performance in Viljandi began and asked whether he would join her team. Puusepp said the offer was unexpected, since he had only a fleeting prior acquaintance with her.
Svet explained that the domestic policy adviser maintains the link between the president and politicians, including parliamentary parties. Puusepp said the communications role centres on working with the media and preparing messages for the public.
Madise herself was once legal adviser to President Toomas Hendrik Ilves. Svet noted that this makes choosing a legal adviser tricky. He reminded listeners that the president's main legal function is to check that laws comply with the Constitution and to veto those that do not.
