NordenBladet —Today, a Bill passed the first reading in the Riigikogu under which a member of the National Defence Committee will be obligated to submit the documents that are the basis for performance of security vetting within two months after he or she is appointed as a member of the National Defence Committee.
According to the explanatory memorandum to the Bill on Amendments to § 19 of the Status of Members of the Riigikogu Act (121 SE), initiated by the National Defence Committee, the Act that entered into force at the beginning of the term of the 13th Riigikogu provides that each member of the Riigikogu who is appointed as a member of the National Defence Committee is to undergo security vetting. If a member of the Riigikogu who is appointed as a member of the National Defence Committee fails to pass the security vetting, a new member of the National Defence Committee is appointed to replace him or her pursuant to the procedure prescribed by law. Thus a member of the National Defence Committee must undergo security vetting in any case. It has a wider meaning than just the right to access classified information of foreign states.
On the basis of the above, a member of the National Defence Committee will be obligated to submit the documents that are the basis for performance of security vetting within two months after he or she is appointed as a member of the National Defence Committee. If the member of the Riigikogu fails to meet the two-month deadline provided for by the Bill, a new member of the National Defence Committee will be appointed to replace him or her pursuant to the procedure prescribed by law.