NordenBladet —
The Riigikogu rejected the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to lower the VAT on food to 5 per cent” (492 OE), submitted by the Estonian Centre Party Group. The Draft proposed lowering the VAT on food to five percent, as it is becoming increasingly expensive, in order to make food and consumer goods more affordable to people with lower incomes and help them cope. The presenters explained that Estonia was one of the few EU Member States that did not apply reduced VAT rates to food.
During the debate, Lauri Laats from the Centre Party Group and Helle-Moonika Helme from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Parliamentary Group took the floor.
At the final vote, 15 members of the Riigikogu supported the Draft Resolution. A majority vote, i.e. at least 51 votes, would have been needed for the Resolution to pass.
The first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act (453 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, was deferred from the agenda due to the absence of the presenter. The purpose of the Bill is to include Easter Monday among public holidays and to give additional days of rest for national days or public holidays that fall on a weekend.
Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Formation of the Riigikogu committee of investigation to investigate the facts relating to the Rail Baltic project” (460 OE), submitted by the Centre Party Group, was adjourned due to the end of the working hours. The purpose of the Draft is to form a parliamentary committee of investigation to check whether the Rail Baltic project conforms to the agreement ratified in 2017, to determine the actual total budget and implementation schedule, the options for financing from external funds, and the volume of cost-sharing. The Committee would also determine whether the possible risks have been taken into account with due diligence in the management and implementation of the project and investigate why the coordination of the project between the Baltic states has failed so far.
Anti Poolamets from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart from the Centre Party Group took the floor during the debate. Jaak Aab made a speech on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Group.
The Constitutional Committee moved to reject the Bill but there was no time to put the motion to vote due to the end of the working hours. The proceeding of the Bill will continue next week.
Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)
Video recording of the speech is available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: Riigikogu rejected one Bill
Source: Parliament of Estonia