Estonia: Prime Minister made a political statement in connection with the submission of the development strategy “Estonia 2035”

NordenBladet — Prime Minister Jüri Ratas made a political statement in connection with the submission of the national long-term development strategy “Estonia 2035” to the Riigikogu.

Ratas said that the strategy had been drafted with the help of nearly 17,000 people for more than two years because Estonia’s long-term perspective deserved a broad-based discussion. “Over these two years, nearly thirty workshops have been held across Estonia where many Estonian people have been able to voice their opinion, in addition to politicians, officials and representative organisations of civil society.

The process of drafting ‘Estonia 2035’ has been more open than is customary with policy documents and I hope that such co-creation will become the new norm in the future. A secure Estonian state that is considerate of people is a common goal for all,” the Prime Minister said.

Ratas stressed that “Estonia 2035” would in every sense be a foundation for our decisions in the coming fifteen years. It is a strategy supporting the cooperation of the Government of the Republic and the Riigikogu that integrates the strategic planning and policy-shaping of all sectors as well as the principles for the funding thereof. “Estonia 2035” has been integrated with the economic coordination of the European Semester, it serves as a basis for the planning of European Union funds and provides a direction for the implementation of the global sustainable development goals in Estonia. “The aim of the development strategy is that, also in the future, Estonia would be a democratic and secure country where the viability of the Estonian language, nation and culture is ensured.”

Prime Minister said that “Estonia 2035” set five equivalently important strategic objectives: smart, active and health-minded people live in Estonia; the Estonian society is caring, cooperative and open; Estonia has a secure and high-quality living environment that takes everyone’s needs into account; the Estonian economy is strong, innovative and responsible; Estonia is an innovative, reliable and human-centred country.

Ratas underlined that, in increasing the vitality of the Estonian nation, language and culture and in promoting a democratic and secure state, it was not sensible for us to overlook these objectives. It would also be difficult to contest that we wish to live in a country where people are active, society is caring and the living environment takes everyone’s needs into account and the economy is innovative, and governance is human-centred. “However, these are not just big words but really objectives to be kept in mind when making decisions. Both in the honourable Riigikogu and in the Government,” Ratas noted. “The Estonian people deserve a competitive country with knowledge-based society and economy.”

The Prime Minister admitted that “Estonia 2035” would not of course solve all the problems we would be facing over the next fifteen years. “But I am convinced that the principles agreed upon in this development strategy will help us remain ourselves even in the most complicated situations, as people and as a country. These future-oriented objectives will help us turn challenges into opportunities.”

During the debate, representatives of the factions Kaja Kallas (Reform Party), Jaak Valge (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Riina Sikkut (Social Democratic Party), Heiki Hepner (Isamaa) and Aadu Must (Centre Party) took the floor. 

The Riigikogu approved the accession to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts

The Riigikogu approved with 46 votes in favour the Act on the Ratification of the Agreements necessary for Accession to the Convention Establishing the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (229 SE), initiated by the Government. The primary purposes of the Centre are the development of a capability for medium-range weather forecasting and the provision of medium-range weather forecasts to the Member States.

Under the Act, the Republic of Estonia accedes to the Convention Establishing the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, including its Protocol on Privileges and Immunities, and the Protocol of 2005 to Amend the Convention, and ratifies the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on the accession of the Republic of Estonia to the ECMWF Convention and related terms and conditions which was signed on 3 June 2020.

The ECMWF member state status enables to obtain additional information in order to use the results of the model calculations received from the Centre to create high quality products and services meeting local needs. The available information will help implement nowcasting, introduce and implement ensemble forecasts, and increase the reliability and accuracy of forecasts of various duration. The products and services provided by the ECMWF will serve as the basis for the daily work of the Estonian Weather Service of the Environment Agency, and the accuracy of Estonian weather forecasts will depend on them.

During the open microphone, Kalle Grünthal, Urmas Espenberg and Raivo Tamm took the floor.