Budget, Estonia, Financial Services, Legislation

"The first things that lie immediately ahead for me when I become the Minister of Finance are processing the 2015 state budget in the Riigikogu, as fast as possible implementation of European Union Structural Funds and the necessary steps for that and bringing instant loans regulation into the government," said Lauri. She added that next week, also European Finance Ministers' meeting in Brussels takes place.

Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas said that that Maris Lauri does not need to be introduced much to Estonian people since as Swedbank's Chief Economist, she has spoken on economic issues for years. Since this spring, she has been the Prime Minister's economic advisor, being involved in the country's leadership, including compiling the budget.

Lauri joined the Reform Party last week, but officially announced it this morning. Lauri said that she believes that "it is highly likely that the Reform Party shapes Estonia's future after the upcoming parliamentary elections too."

Lauri has worked as economic analyst in Eesti Pank, Tallinna Pank, Hansabank and Swedbank, been lecturer in universities and supervised graduate theses.

Lauri is a member of the council of Enterprise Estonia. From April 2014, she is Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas's economic advisor. Lauri has a research master's degree in economics from the University of Tartu.

Estonian Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi (Reform Party) made a posting offending Education Minister Jevgeni Ossinovski (Social Democratic Party) in the social media last week, saying among other things, that Ossinovski is "the son of an immigrant from a pink party". He apologised later for his choice of words but to avoid escalation of the conflict between the two coalition parties into a government crisis just months before the next parliamentary elections, he presented his resignation to Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas on Sunday.