Bill on additional days of rest passed the first reading in the Riigikogu

NordenBladet —

At today’s sitting of the Riigikogu, the Bill under which the working day following a national day or public holiday falling on a day of rest will be an additional day of rest passed the first reading.

Under the Bill on Amendments to the Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act (514 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Party Faction, no additional day of rest will be given for public holidays that always fall on a Sunday. This means that, according to the Bill, Easter Sunday and Pentecost Sunday will not be compensated with a day off.

The explanatory memorandum notes that Estonia has ten public holidays accompanied by a day off, and the European Union countries’ average is 12. As for the neighbouring countries, Finland has 13 and Latvia has 12 moveable holidays.

A Bill was dropped from the proceedings

The Bill on Amendments to the Income Tax Act (503 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Party Faction and Member of the Riigikogu Raimond Kaljulaid, provided that the rate of the income exempt from tax would be increased to the minimum wage level.

According to the Bill, from 1 July, the rate of the income exempt from tax would have been 654 euro per month and from then onwards 7848 euro per year. The increase of the rate of the income exempt from tax was intended to improve the livelihood of the low wage earners, increase their motivation to work and reduce the burden on the social system.

During the debate, Lauri Läänemets took the floor on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Faction and Aivar Sõerd on behalf of the Reform Party Faction.

The lead committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 48 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 28 voted against. Thus, the motion was supported and the Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

The video recording of the sitting will be available on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Source: Parliament of Estonia