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According to Hussar, the question we hear more and more often in today’s information society is, “What time is this we are living in?” According to him, it seems to reflect the attitude that never before has the world been so anxious and out of balance. “We live in an age of anxiety disorder, where fears ranging from swine flu to car taxes, from war to online elections, from inflation to electricity prices, form a kind of ‘cluster anxiety’,” he said.
According to Hussar, a chain of fears triggers a flood of information and emotions that makes worries overwhelming but it should not and does not have to be that way. “So what helps? The whole of society has a role to play here, from the media to civil society, but the most important of these is certainly the role of constitutional institutions, and above all, parliament. As a parliament, we have all the necessary means at our disposal under the constitution. If we use them responsibly, trust will be restored – and trust is the basis for democracy to function. Parliament, government, president – all are ultimately based on the trust of the people,” he said.
Looking back on the past year, Hussar acknowledged the parliament’s decision to define the non-participation of Russian citizens in Estonian local elections. He expressed his satisfaction that several parliamentary groups had submitted a bill regulating the presidential elections and that amendments to the Political Parties Act had also entered the process. “And finally, I would also like to thank you for the solidarity cut, a decision I also referred to in my speech a year ago. The 400,000 euro saved is not a large amount when looking at the overall figures for the state budget, but it is certainly significant,” he said.
According to Hussar, the most important task of the Riigikogu in the upcoming busy and hard-working autumn is to adopt next year’s state budget. According to him, this decision will determine how much funding will be allocated to national defence, teachers, police officers, and healthcare but how these funds are collected is no less important. “Taxes should not be confusing slogans or ideological rhetoric. People are waiting for clarity. And this can be granted by parliament, which imposes, amends, and repeals taxes – on a regular basis, not on an extraordinary basis,” he said. He added that the responsibility of the Riigikogu for the country’s finances was final and absolute. “We need commitment, precision, and clarity – not cheap juggling with billions. The budget must be understandable, and not mysterious.“
Hussar thanked the members of the Riigikogu for their decision made in the spring to introduce end-of-life declaration but called for broader consideration of the next step, which would give terminally ill and suffering people the opportunity to make their own decision to leave this world with dignity. “A dignified way to end unbearable pain and incurable illness can certainly be formulated in a way that does not question the value of life but recognizes a person’s right to decide to end their suffering,” he said.
At the opening sitting of the autumn session, the Speaker of the Riigikogu also emphasized the need for continued support for Ukraine. “To prevent the axis of evil from expanding, it is even more important for all of us to stand united behind Ukraine and continue to support them. Estonia’s role and example have been decisive here, and we have done everything in our power to convince our partners of this as well. Parliamentary diplomacy has also played a significant role here, through which we have strongly supported Ukraine,” Hussar said before the Riigikogu.
Full text of the speech by the President of the Riigikogu
Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery 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: Trust is the basis for democracy to function
Source: Parliament of Estonia