Bill concerning anti-personnel mines was dropped from the legislative proceedings

Today the first reading of one Bill was on the agenda of the Riigikogu plenary assembly, and it was dropped from the legislative proceedings.

The Bill on the Denunciation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (726 SE), initiated by members of the Riigikogu Ants Laaneots, Alar Laneman, Leo Kunnas, Kalle Grünthal, Henn Põlluaas, Helle-Moonika Helme, Rene Kokk, Riho Breivel, Merry Aart, Mart Helme, Kert Kingo, Martin Helme, Uno Kaskpeit, Jaak Valge, Paul Puustusmaa, Peeter Ernits, Anti Poolamets, Siim Pohlak, Ruuben Kaalep and Urmas Reitelmann, did not passe the first reading. The aim was that Estonia would exit the Ottawa convention which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and requests their destruction.

The explanatory memorandum to the Bill states that it is no longer in Estonia’s national interests to adhere to the requirements of the Ottawa convention, and it is weakening our defence capability. The explanatory memorandum states that, in the current new situation, Estonia is forced to do everything in its power to strengthen its military national defence. At the same time, Estonia cannot allow that, in the event of war, other countries who have refrained from acceding to the Ottawa convention could use anti-personnel mines in the Estonian territory while Estonia cannot do that.

The explanatory memorandum also points out that, after denunciation of the convention, Estonia will be able to make a unilateral commitment to refrain from selling anti-personnel mines and otherwise transferring them to other countries and to declare that it will not use anti-personnel mines outside its territory.

The Riigikogu ratified the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction in March 2004, a few weeks before Estonia was accepted as a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The Ottawa convention entered into force for the Republic of Estonia on 1 November 2004.

During the debate, Marko Mihkelson (Reform Party), Raimond Kaljulaid (Social Democratic Party), Alar Laneman (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) and Heiki Hepner (Isamaa) took the floor on behalf of their factions.

The Reform Party Faction moved to reject the Bill. 30 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 21 were against. The Bill was dropped from the proceedings.

Source: Parliament of Estonia