Security situation was discussed at Question Time of the Riigikogu

NordenBladet —

At today’s Question Time, members of the Riigikogu asked Prime Minister Kaja Kallas about Estonia’s readiness for a potential hybrid attack.

In his question, Member of the Riigikogu Rene Kokk referred to the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border. He wanted to know how Estonia was prepared for a similar hybrid attack and if additional procurements were planned for the protection of borders.

The Prime Minister admitted that the security situation was dangerous and tense, but she assured that there was no direct threat to the borders of Estonia. She remarked that, taking into account the changed security situation, the Government had decided to hold an additional reservist training exercise and to put up temporary border barriers without delay in places where the border fence has not been constructed. “Starting today, the reservists will be called up, and in eight days, the Defence Forces will erect the barriers there,” she said. Kallas added that the Government was also looking for solutions for speeding up the construction of the whole border.

The Prime Minister pointed out that lots of work had been done to get financing from the European funds for the construction of the external borders of Europe. “The European Commission has been strongly against it,” Kallas said. “Today, I am happy to note that, for example, President of the European Council Charles Michel has already said that financing for the construction of the border fences should also come from the budget of the European Union,” she added.

Kallas also emphasised that Europe should demonstrate unity in the ongoing security crisis. “Poland, Lithuania and Latvia are doing what is their duty: they are protecting the border of Europe. We should never go along with, I would say, the provocations calling for softer attitude. I think that the right attitude so far has been forceful and strong, and dictator Lukashenka did not expect that,” the Head of Government said.

Member of the Riigikogu Helir-Valdor Seeder wanted to know if in the Prime Minister considered it necessary to amend also the national legislation so that it would be possible to deal flexibly with the possible illegal immigrants. Kallas replied that the Minister of the Interior was reviewing the relevant legislation, and remarked that the Riigikogu could also initiate bills for solving these issues.

The Prime Minister also replied to Kalle Grünthal’s question about managing the coronavirus crisis, Kert Kingo’s question about the rule of law and Mart Helme’s question about the migration crisis.

Minister of Culture Tiit Terik replied to Helle-Moonika Helme’s question about the incidents in the area of administration of the Ministry of Culture, and to Viktoria Ladõnskaja-Kubits’s question about investments in the field of culture.

Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology Andres Sutt replied to Priit Sibul’s question about subsidies to businesses and employment, and to Merry Aart’s question about the time schedule for consolidation of information technology.

The verbatim record of Question Time (in Estonian)

Video recordings of the sittings of the Riigikogu can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/riigikogu.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Source: Parliament of Estonia