The more conservative partner in Estonia's coalition government, IRL, has said that it will not support the recent Reform Party draft to add a QR code to the nation's flag.

"We've always been a firm supporter of the e-Estonia movement and efforts to build the nation's reputation as a hotbed of IT innovation, but this is simply taking matters too far," the party said in a statement, in which it also referred to the flag's nearly 130-year-old history.

The draft, which would amend the National Symbols Act of 1992, was submitted to Parliament last month and is expected to be voted on this autumn.

The bill's authors, a mixed group of Reform Party MPs, said at the time that Estonia needed to further push international awareness of its high-tech connections, and should not fall behind Finland, whose government is discussing adding a red Angry Birds symbol to its own flag.

The smartphone readable symbol would link to a government website that outlines Estonia's strengths as a target for potential international investment, particularly in the IT and handicraft spheres.



NB: POSTED APRIL 1.

