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Hussar sees the Act on shaping next year’s state budget as a key piece of legislation for the whole Estonia. “The government’s proposals this year are aimed at steering the budget towards better balance. The people also expect steps to boost the economy; many of these steps will be based on decisions made in this hall, and we, as MPs, will critically assess the goals”. He added that no one wanted the parliament to blankly block all the procedures; instead, what were expected were results, meaningful debates, and considered decisions.
On the topic of the state budget, the President asked the MPs to consider what kind of role models they planned to be and could they tighten their own belts even more. “The imperative need to balance the revenues and expenses of the Republic of Estonia leads us to the question: what is our own contribution to dramatically cutting the costs? And one of the very few options left to us by the law is deciding about the expense allowance. Every sergeant or schoolteacher knows that teaching is successful only when you can lead by example,” he said.
Legal acts that govern our daily lives must be clear
Hussar pointed out that one of the many tasks of the parliament was to ensure that the legal acts governing the life in Estonia were effective and clear. “Several legal acts are in definite need of unbiased review and further elaboration today. Times have simply moved on and legal texts can also fall behind,” he said.
The President of the Riigikogu referred to the President of the Republic Election Act, which needed to be updated to streamline and refine the election process and make it more inclusive for the public. “Another one waiting for its turn is the Political Parties Act, which has remained on the back burner for years; we need to answer the question whether a political party that has been repeatedly convicted of a criminal offence should lose its allocation from the state budget.” Hussar added that we also needed to solve the issue of the citizens of the aggressor state in the war against Ukraine having the right to vote at local elections.
Hussar invited the MPs to discuss amendments to the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act, including clarifications on the work of the committees but also the breaks for debate taken before voting. “We should consider giving the chair of the sitting a certain disciplinary power. Not necessarily as extensive as in the European Parliament where the chair can remove a member from the sitting for repeated disruptions, but definitely something stronger than today. No voter has given to any MP the mandate to bring a noise machine to the Riigikogu plenary hall,” he declared.
Everyone must contribute to security
Hussar’s opening speech also touched on Estonia’s security as the corner stone of our independence. Hussar described how the Ukrainian nation was fighting a war of liberation against Russia for the third year running, not fighting for their own freedom alone but standing on the frontline of the democratic free world. He evoked how the parliaments of the free world have played a critical role in this fight. “The same goes for the Riigikogu, which has made nine statements in support of Ukraine and its people during this war, as well as the pioneering decision to hand over Russia’s frozen assets to Ukraine as compensation for war damages,” he remarked.
It goes without saying that Ukraine’s war for freedom compels us to focus on our own national defence. “We are facing the task of ensuring Estonia’s primary defence and victory-oriented strategy. All of us, every member of the Riigikogu, must explain to our allies that the war against Russia cannot be won without turning the fire power against Russia. And it is clear that every one of us must accept that burden and allocate funding to the national defence,“ said the President of the Riigikogu.
Full text of the speech by the President of the Riigikogu
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: Hussar: We need to be aware of the burden of responsibility laid on us by the Constitution
Source: Parliament of Estonia