Estonia, Good for Business, Transport

Free rides on county bus line became available from July 1. Data for August shows that the number of passengers on such routes has grown by 33 percent across Estonia on average, which indicates very big demand, Aas said.

"In August there were 71% more boardings in East-Viru county and 61% more boardings in Jogeva county than a year ago -- these numbers speak for themselves," Aas was quoted by spokespeople as saying. "Also the growth of 56% in Viljandi county and 46 percent in Valga county are impressive. The critics of free public transport claimed that these people do not exist, but they were wrong." 

According to Aas, free public transport facilitates labor mobility and is a well targeted regional subsidy measure.

"The people who travel by bus mostly are lower-paid people, the young and the elderly. A person going to work in a county center 30 kilometers from where they live will gain 700-800 euros during a year," he said. 

Aas said that free public transport is still in the phase of transition and the real benefits will be seen when density of the route network is increased from the beginning of next year.

Aas dismissed the criticism of free public transport by the leader of the Reform Party, Kaja Kallas, as not grounded.

"This is a talk of someone who thinks that everybody in Estonia lives like her and the people she knows," Aas said. "Thousands of more people have started to use public transport, which demonstrates that it is necessary. Rural areas and small towns have only seen things taken away from them for years, so it's fair to also give something back."