The commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, General Martin Herem, decided to leave his post early.
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Herem informed Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and President Alar Karis of his decision. General Martin Herem’s last day of work will most likely be June 30. Herem’s mandate ran until December 2025, so he will leave a year and a half early.
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“My decision is balanced and based on what is best from the point of view of Estonia’s military defense. Today’s threat assessments give reason to believe that aggression against Estonia will not happen in the next year or two, that is, during my term of office. Therefore, today is the time change a commander who can prepare the defense forces for a threat,” Herem said.
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Herem has been Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces since 5 December 2018. The term of office is five years, but the government has the right to extend it by two years at the proposal of the Minister of Defense and taking into account the position of the parliamentary commission on state defense. In October 2022, the government approved the proposal of the Minister of Defense to extend Herem’s term of office for another two years, until December 2025.
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Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that he will now talk with possible candidates for the post of commander, listen to the opinion of the parliamentary commission on state defense, and then go to the government with the name of the candidate, so that by February 24 he will already be approved by the government
