Estonia’s new government is formally appointed. Its first priority is to improve state finances

Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — Estonia’s president has formally appointed a new government after lawmakers in the Baltic country gave the green light to Prime Minister-designate Kristen Michal’s three-party coalition Cabinet. The Cabinet will focus on improving Estonia’s ailing state finances, by raising income tax, value added tax and the excise tax on on alcohol, tobacco and gasoline. Michal is a seasoned politician but a first-time prime minister from the ruling center-right Reform Party who earlier served as climate, justice and economics minister. He was tapped to become Estonia’s new prime minister in late June just days after his predecessor Kaja Kallas was chosen the European Union’s new foreign policy chief — a post she will take up later this year.