A Bill amending the Farm Animals Breeding Act passed the first reading in the Riigikogu

At today’s sitting of the Riigikogu, a Bill specifying the Farm Animals Breeding Act passed the first reading. It will make clearer the provisions relating to breeding programmes in order to avoid the possibility of narrow interpretation of the Act.

A narrower interpretation of the Act may give rise to the misconception that a breeding programme can be approved even if it does contain the required objectives and activities but provides descriptions that are not in accordance with the set requirements. The provisions proposed in the Bill on Amendments to the Farm Animals Breeding Act (624 SE), initiated by the Government, will help better understand that, when describing the content of a breeding programme, the relevant requirements must also be taken into account and, in the event of a violation of the requirements, it is possible to refuse to approve a breeding programme.

The amendments are of a technical nature and no new requirements will be placed on breed societies.

Another Bill passed the first reading

The Bill on Amendments to the Local Government Organisation Act (587 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction, is intended to give municipal councils an opportunity to organise binding referendums and to allow local residents to initiate referendums on public initiative.

According to the Bill, a municipal council or at least ten percent of the electorate of a municipal council will be able initiate a local referendum, and the result of a referendum will be binding if at least 40 per cent of the eligible residents of the municipality take part in the referendum.

Affairs of the state and issues in the case of which the result of the referendum may be in conflict with the law cannot be put to local referendums. According to the Bill, the municipal council will establish the organisational conditions for a referendum.

During the debate, Mart Helme took the floor on behalf of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction, Toomas Jürgenstein on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Faction and Mihhail Lotman on behalf of Faction Isamaa.

The first reading of a Bill was adjourned

The Bill on Amendments to the Aliens Act (561 SE), initiated by Faction Isamaa, will create a legal basis for the revocation of the residence permits of public supporters of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, and the issue of new residence permits and visas to them will be precluded.

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