The main focus will be on the continued support for Ukraine, and the role of the Baltic states, Poland, and Ukraine in strengthening European security. The Marshal of the Sejm of Poland Szymon Hołownia will deliver the opening address, and the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk will outline the current state of Russia’s war of aggression and the crucial needs of Ukraine. Another topic of the meeting is the common response to Russia’s increasingly intensifying hybrid and cyber attacks in the Euro-Atlantic region.
The Speakers will discuss regional security from a broader perspective as well, touching on issues of economy, energy, and infrastructure. Further items on the agenda concern cooperation between local governments and ongoing cross-border projects as well as cooperation in research and culture, and youth exchanges.
In addition to Hussar, Hołownia, and Stefanchuk, the Speaker of the Latvian Saeima Daiga Mieriņa and the Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen will also attend the meeting. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Speakers plan to adopt a Joint Statement.
Proposal of the Chancellor of Justice to bring the regulation on building exclusion zones in the Nature Conservation Act into conformity with the Constitution
At the plenary assembly today, the Riigikogu discussed the 6 May proposal of the Chancellor of Justice to bring the provisions on building exclusion zones in the Nature Conservation Act into conformity with the Constitution.
The proposal was presented by the Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise, who agreed that although the existing provisions of the Nature Conservation Act that prohibit new buildings or constructions in the waterside building exclusion zones are largely constitutional, they do create disproportionate property restrictions in certain cases.
The Chancellor referred to a list of exceptions to the building exclusion zone set out in the Nature Conservation Act; these are, however, lacking.
“Consequently, let’s say that a museum wants to install a sewage pipe, or a landowner wants to install a culvert over a land improvement ditch, and a bridge over that, they need to initiate a detailed spatial plan and reduce the building exclusion zone. We have heard from local governments that these proceedings over one sewage pipe, minor driveway, or a culvert and bridge can take up to 18 months, plus the working time of the officials,” Madise said in her presentation to the members of the Riigikogu. The Chancellor of Justice proposed amending or complementing the Nature Conservation Act with an extended list of permitted constructions, and to provide simpler and less burdening proceedings that would allow the Environmental Board to decide on allowing the construction.
The Chancellor was asked whether the amendment would not give people with malicious intent a loophole that could be used to bypass the restrictions of a building exclusion zone. Madise replied that the Environmental Board would remain authorised to assess whether the specific action compromised the protection of waterside areas. However, the amendment would considerably accelerate the process.
The proposal found support, with 43 members of the Riigikogu voting in favour and one against it. Consequently, the Environment Committee received the task of initiating a Bill on bringing the Nature Conservation Act into conformity with the Constitution.
Proposal of the Chancellor of Justice to bring the Code of Civil Procedure into conformity with the Constitution
The Chancellor of Justice made a proposal to the Riigikogu on 3 May on bringing the Code of Civil Procedure into conformity with the Constitution.
The Chancellor of Justice recommends amending the Code of Civil Procedure in a way that would allow to take into account the person’s expenses on food, medicines, communication means, and products of hygiene when providing them procedural assistance, at least during a non-contentious procedure. The Chancellor also asked that a similar option would be at least considered for contentious procedure as well.
Procedural assistance is provided to enable a person to take part in a civil procedure. Procedural assistance means that a person is completely or partially released from covering the expenses of the court proceedings (such as state fees, translation expenses, or legal fees of an attorney). The assistance is calculated based on the average monthly income of the applicant, with expenses set out in the law deducted; today, these include only taxes, mandatory insurance fees, statutory maintenance obligation payments, and reasonable housing and transport costs. However, the provision excludes the deduction of the expenses on food, medicines, communication, and hygiene products.
The Chancellor of Justice referred to the most vulnerable members of the society (such as underprivileged individuals or people with limited active legal capacity or special needs) who come into contact with non-contentious proceedings and who would be particularly hard hit if the expenses for their basic needs would not be taken into account in the decision to provide procedural assistance. Such persons may find it particularly difficult to defend their rights in different non-contentious proceedings and they have unreasonably lesser chances of defending their rights compared to other social groups. This goes against the general equality principle enshrined in the Constitution.
45 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the proposal, one was against it, and one abstained. This means that the proposal of the Chancellor of Justice was approved, and the Legal Affairs Committee was given the task of initiating a Bill to bring the Code of Civil Procedure into conformity with the Constitution.
Proposal of the Chancellor of Justice to bring the Work Ability Allowance Act into conformity with the Constitution
The Riigikogu discussed the proposal of the Chancellor of Justice from 9 May on amending the Work Ability Allowance Act with the goal of bringing it into conformity with the Constitution.
Madise explained that she had been contacted by a person with no capacity for work who had lost their work ability allowance after the termination of their employment relationship because they had been paid during one calendar month not only their pay for the previous month but also the payments to be paid at the termination of the employment relationship, including the pay for the current month and the holiday pay.
The aim of the work ability allowance is to support the working and employment of people with a reduced capacity for work, and to ensure them an income. If a person with reduced capacity for work is working and their gross monthly income exceeds EUR 1,851.30, their work ability allowance is reduced.
Occasionally, an employer might make a single payment in one month covering several months’ pay, which can lead to the reduction of the work ability allowance. The Work Ability Allowance Act provides exceptions in situations where the income in a month exceeds this limit because of the payment of holiday pay, sickness benefit, or benefit for temporary incapacity for work, or a change in the payment schedule. However, these exceptions do not cover a situation where a person receives several months’ pay in one month because their employment relationship ended during the current month and they received both the pay for the previous month and all the payments to be made at the termination of the employment relationship.
The Chancellor of Justice felt that there was no reasonable justification to the different treatment of people with a reduced capacity for work, and that this was not in conformity with the Constitution. She therefore made a proposal to the Riigikogu to bring the Act into conformity with the Constitution so that the work ability allowance was not reduced in a situation where a person receives several months’ pay in one month as well as their holiday pay because their employment relationship terminated that month.
The proposal of the Chancellor of Justice was supported with 48 votes in favour. The Social Affairs Committee was given the task to initiate a Bill on bringing the Work Ability Allowance Act into conformity with the Constitution.
One Bill passed the second reading
The Bill on Amendments to the Motor Insurance Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (400 SE), initiated by the Government, will transpose into Estonian law the amendments to the European Union Motor Insurance Directive.
According to the Bill, personal light electric vehicles with a maximum design speed of over 25 km/h or a maximum net weight of more than 25 kg and a maximum design speed of more than 14 km/h will have to be insured. Any vehicle moving on land and propelled solely by an engine will have to be insured. A derogation will be made for motorised wheelchairs and vehicles used only in confined areas, such as lawn tractors. In order to make it easier to understand whether compulsory motor insurance cover extends to a vehicle or not, the Estonian Motor Insurance Bureau is planning to publish information material online.
In addition to the requirement to insure personal light electric vehicles, Estonian law will transpose the principle that in the event of the bankruptcy of an insurance company, each Member State must have a guarantee fund to compensate damages instead of the insolvent company. In Estonia, this task is given to the Estonian Motor Insurance Bureau, which will collect funds from insurance companies to cover the risk of insolvency.
The Bill will also raise the limits of maximum insurance payouts: from EUR 1.2 million to 1.3 million in the event of damage to property and from EUR 5.6 million to EUR 6.45 million in the event of personal injury. According to the explanatory memorandum, the average damage to property in Estonia is around EUR 2,200 and personal injury EUR 4,200. The greatest motor insurance damage ever in Estonia occurred in 2018, amounting to EUR 5.6 million, EUR 5.4 million of which was for personal injury.
One of the amendments made in the Bill during the second reading allows victims of traffic accidents to also have access to information regarding the previously paid compensation payouts for non-patrimonial damage. Today, insurance providers have access to the relevant comparative statistics, but victims do not, which sets the victim in an unfair information monopoly situation.
The meetings in the Parliament of Norway focused on further assistance to Ukraine, and it was considered especially important that as many countries as possible ensured providing long-term support to Ukraine. Hussar acknowledged Norway for recently concluding the bilateral security agreement and said that Estonia was also planning to conclude a similar agreement. “With this political agreement, we confirm the continuation of Estonia’s long-term and comprehensive support to Ukraine, which will include military assistance to Ukraine amounting to at least 0.25 per cent of GDP over the next four years,” he said.
Speaking of holding Russia accountable for war crimes, Hussar mentioned the Act passed by the Riigikogu in the middle of May that allowed to use the assets of persons in Russia, which had been frozen under international sanctions, for compensating the war damages caused to Ukraine. He called on other allies to move on with the creation of a relevant legal regulation. Besides Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, joint response to Russia’s hybrid attacks was also discussed at the meetings.
Preparations for the NATO Summit that will be held in Washington in July, including increasing national defence spending and strengthening defence capabilities, were also spoken about at the meetings. Good bilateral relations were acknowledged, and the need to further develop the cooperation between the Nordic Countries and the Baltic States was recognised.
Today, Hussar also visited the University of Oslo and the headquarters of Orkla Group, and in the evening he met with the Estonians living in Norway at the Embassy of Estonia. Tomorrow, he will travel to Bodø with First Vice President of the Storting Svein Harberg. Bodø is located north of the Arctic Circle, and this year bears the title of the European Capital of Culture along with Bad Ischl and Tartu.
In Bodø, the Hussar will meet with Mayor Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen and Deputy Chair of the County Government Marianne Dobak Kvensjø, and open the exhibition of the most beautiful Estonian books in Stormen Library. He will also visit the Norwegian Joint Headquarters to get an overview of the security situation in Northern Europe and the Arctic Region and the development plans of the Norwegian Armed Forces, and go to the Norwegian Aviation Museum and Nordland Cultural Centre.
The President of the Riigikogu is accompanied on the visit by Vice-President of the Riigikogu, Chairman of the Estonia-Norway Parliamentary Friendship Group Toomas Kivimägi and member of the Parliamentary Friendship Group Kristina Šmigun-Vähi.
Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
Hussar thinks that the exhibition highlights the excellent cooperation between Estonia and Norway in the field of culture. “Numerous joint events organised during the year of the European Capital of Culture, from high-level concerts and shows to exhibitions, are an example of the vibrant cultural cooperation between our countries. Through these projects, we celebrate the friendship between our two countries, together with European values and cultural traditions,” he said at the opening of the exhibition.
The exhibition that was opened at Stormen Library shows books that were published last year by Estonian publishers, and are designed and illustrated by Estonian artists or graphic designers and printed in Estonia. The 25 most beautiful books in Estonia were selected in a competition that has been held since 1998.
In Bodø, which is located north of the Arctic Circle, and this year bears the title of the European Capital of Culture along with Bad Ischl and Tartu, the President of the Riigikogu met with Mayor Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen and Deputy Chair of the County Government Marianne Dobak Kvensjø. In the afternoon, he will visit the Norwegian Joint Headquarters to get an overview of the security situation in Northern Europe and the Arctic Region and the development plans of the Norwegian Armed Forces, and also go to the Norwegian Aviation Museum and Nordland Cultural Centre. First Vice President of the Storting Svein Harberg also participates in the visit.
Yesterday, Hussar was in Oslo and met with King of Norway Harald V, President of the Storting Masud Gharahkhani and members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence of the Storting to discuss the supporting of Ukraine, countering Russia’s aggression and preparations for the oncoming NATO Summit in Washington. Hussar also visited the University of Oslo and the headquarters of Orkla Group, and met with the representatives of the Estonian community in Norway.
The President of the Riigikogu is accompanied on the visit by Vice-President of the Riigikogu, Chairman of the Estonia-Norway Parliamentary Friendship Group Toomas Kivimägi and member of the Parliamentary Friendship Group Kristina Šmigun-Vähi.
Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
NordenBladet —In May, Estonia hosted the NATO Military Intelligence Committee conference, bringing together leaders of military intelligence from allied and partner countries. “This is a significant conference, with both substantive and organizational preparation requiring considerable attention and cooperation within the defence forces, as well as with various national organizations and NATO …
Chair of the Finance Committee Annely Akkermann said that according to the Bill, the government sector deficit would be reduced to under 3 per cent of GDP to comply with the budgetary rules of the European Union. “All ministries contribute to cutting costs, involving their subunits and foundations wherever possible, and save mainly on their operational and running costs. The savings in ministries amount to around 50 million euros,” Akkermann referred to the data set out in the Bill. She added that it was planned to conduct the proceedings on the Bill as a matter of urgency. The supplementary budget helps keep the finances of the state on a sustainable path.
Akkermann said that the Government had agreed upon the supplementary budget measures in the total amount of 183 million euros, which would improve the budget position by 173 million euros, including savings measures in the extent of 115 million euros and revenue measures, like increasing of dividends and supplementary income tax receipts, in the amount of 68 million euros
Member of the Finance Committee Aivar Kokk said that the plan for supplementary budget presented by the Government was too modest. “Actually, they try to save only 50 million euros. It is on the same level as the cost of the Environment Building,” Kokk explained. He added that the supplementary budget would have a far-reaching impact on future tax receipts: grants to foundations and companies would be cut by 6 million, which, according to the explanatory memorandum, would reduce the national tax revenue by the estimated amount of 20–30 million euros next year.
Minister of Finance Mart Võrklaev explained that the Government did not plan to cancel major investments, but budgetary position would be influenced by the postponement of some investments. The Government has set a target that 70% of approved investments have to be committed by August this year, in order to meet the investment budget to the maximum extent by the end of the year.
Võrklaev said that funding for national defence, as the highest priority sector, would not be reduced by a negative supplementary budget. However, the area of government of the Ministry of Defence, in solidarity with others, will also find ways to save on labour and management costs. The freed-up budget will be channelled into improving defence capability. In the area of government of the Ministry of the Interior, the savings will be made at the expense of one-off costs, in the amount of around 3 million euros.
This time, the economy measures of the budget do not concern the foundations of museums, theatres and concert institutions, as well as the legal persons governed by public law.
The state budget does not mention hospitals, but they, too, have been instructed to improve the budgetary position, reducing their operational expenses at the level of 1%.
According to the budget, the amount of dividends of the State Forest Management Centre has been increased, and the supplementary dividends of Elering AS have also been taken into account by an order of the Government of the Republic. In addition to that, the reserve of the Government of the Republic will be reduced, this applies to both the non-assigned reserve and the special-purpose reserve.
The Bill justifies that the reduction of the state budget deficit is also a preparatory step for drafting the next year’s state budget, where it has to be ensured that 80% of the economy measures are of a permanent nature and meet the budget deficit reduction target for future years.
The Finance Committee decided to send the Bill on the State’s Supplementary Budget for 2024 (456 SE), initiated by the Government, to the first reading at the plenary sitting on 10 June, with the motion to conclude the first reading of the Bill. The deadline for submission of motions to amend was set at 4 p.m. on 12 June.
Today, Hussar will meet with King of Norway Harald V, President of the Storting Masud Gharahkhani and members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence of the Storting in Oslo to discuss the development of cooperation, supporting of Ukraine and preparations for the oncoming NATO Summit that will be held in Washington in July. Hussar will also visit the University of Oslo and the headquarters of Orkla Group, and meet with the representatives of the Estonian community in Norway.
From Oslo, Hussar will travel to Bodø with First Vice President of the Storting Svein Harberg. Bodø is located north of the Arctic Circle, and this year bears the title of the European Capital of Culture along with Bad Ischl and Tartu. In Bodø, the President of the Riigikogu will meet with Mayor Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen and Deputy Chair of the County Government Marianne Dobak Kvensjø, and open the exhibition of the most beautiful Estonian books in Stormen Library. He will also visit the Norwegian Joint Headquarters to get an overview of the security situation in Northern Europe and the Arctic Region and the development plans of the Norwegian Armed Forces, and go to the Norwegian Aviation Museum and Nordland Cultural Centre.
The President of the Riigikogu is accompanied on the visit by Vice-President of the Riigikogu, Chairman of the Estonia-Norway Parliamentary Friendship Group Toomas Kivimägi and member of the Parliamentary Friendship Group Kristina Šmigun-Vähi.
Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technology Tiit Riisalo replied to the interpellation concerning the Platform Work Directive (No 629), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, Lauri Laats, Andrei Korobeinik, Aleksandr Tšaplõgin, Aleksei Jevgrafov and Vadim Belobrovtsev.
The interpellators wished to know the essential reasons why Estonia had not supported the Platform Work Directive at the first voting and what meetings there had been with representatives of Bolt and what had been discussed at the meetings.
Riisalo explained that the public schedule of the meetings of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications included the meeting of the former Deputy Secretary-General for Economic Development with Bolt on 6 June 2023 to discuss the Platform Work Directive and the EU’s Mobility Strategy. The Deputy Secretary-General of Labour, who at that time had been within the structure of the Ministry of Social Affairs and not the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, had also participated in the meeting. Two experts from the Department of Business had also participated. “As far as I know, no more meetings on this issue with Bolt have taken place,” Riisalo said.
He explained that Estonia’s positions on the platform work initiative had been approved at a Government meeting, in the Social Affairs Committee and in the European Union Affairs Committee about two years ago.
The general approach of the draft had been approved in the EU on 12 June 2023. Its text had set out the criteria to be met in order that a person working via a platform would be categorised as an employment contract employee and those criteria had been very easy to meet. Estonia had abstained already at that point according to positions that had been approved earlier, in so far as Estonia’s aim had been that it would be impossible to presume a contract of employment in unjustified cases.
According to Riisalo, Estonia had not been convinced that the conditions for the establishment of a legal precondition for a contract of employment would have guaranteed sufficient legal certainty.
Riisalo said in justification that Estonia had supported the Platform Work Directive at the second voting in the Council of the European Union in connection with the fact that throughout the entire process a compromise had been sought and various articles of the directive had been changing. “The countries who had abstained from voting earlier wished greater legal clarity and there was a possibility in the air that on France’s initiative certain further specifications regarding the legal precondition for a contract of employment would be included in the text which would have reduced legal ambiguity,” Riisalo explained. He added that by the time of the voting in March it had been clear that they would not go through because the parliament had not wished to open the text again. “We supported the proposal that platform work would be more clearly regulated across the European Union and clear and dignified working conditions would be ensured to the increasing number of platform workers.”
The Riigikogu passed a Resolution
The Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic not to recognise the results of the presidential election in the Russian Federation” (395 OE), submitted by Isamaa Parliamentary Group, made a proposal to the Government not to recognise the results of the presidential election in Russia.
During the debate, Ester Karuse and Jaak Valge (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor.
62 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Resolution and one was against.
Three draft Resolutions were rejected at the first reading
The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to implement effective measures to protect minors from coming into contact with pornography” (409 OE), submitted by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, was intended to make a proposal to the Government to ensure that the offering of works which contain pornography would have to be organised in a manner which would prevent examination of such works by minors as is provided for in the Act to Regulate Dissemination of Works which Contain Pornography or Promote Violence or Cruelty.
16 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the passage of the Resolution and 34 were against. The draft Resolution was dropped from the legislative proceedings.
The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to revoke the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on closing down the Consulate of the Republic of Estonia in San Francisco“ (396 OE), submitted by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, made a proposal to the Government to revoke the decision on closing down the consulate of Estonia in San Francisco.
The Resolution was not passed, because 13 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour but the support of at least 51 members would have been needed. The draft Resolution was dropped from the legislative proceedings.
The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to obligate all reservists to permanently keep at home firearms with a sufficient amount of ammunition, and to provide financial assistance to reservists for this where necessary” (331 OE), submitted by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group. The explanatory memorandum justified the proposal by pointing out that Estonia’s primary defence capability should be increased in view of the recent terrorist attack against peaceful citizens in Israel which Israeli citizens had managed to counter because they had protective equipment at home, as well as having regard to Estonia’s aggressive eastern neighbour and its conquering activities.
The Resolution was not passed, because 13 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour but the support of at least 51 members would have been needed. The draft Resolution was dropped from the legislative proceedings.
The Riigikogu discussed a written request to express no confidence in Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technology Tiit Riisalo, submitted by 22 members of the Riigikogu. The request was not supported.
23 members of the Riigikogu supported the vote of no confidence in Riisalo and 53 voted against it. At least 51 votes would have been needed to express no confidence in the minister.
Rain Epler took the floor during the open microphone.
Hussar pointed out that the story of the Estonian flag was unique – we were among the few countries whose first flag, with such a long history, had survived to this day.
“As long as we, as a nation, are able to preserve our relic, the mighty people of the ancient hero Kalev will always prosper,” the President of the Riigikogu said.
“As a nation, we have been through a lot, and it has not been easy for us to become free. To be free, you must have the courage to fight for it, and we have that courage. United as free people, let us do together our utmost to ensure that freedom will never again become just a dream for us and will remain a legacy for our children and grandchildren for long years to come,” Hussar said.
Archbishop of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Urmas Viilma said a blessing at the flag raising ceremony. Chairman of the Estonian Flag Association Jüri Trei delivered a speech.
Uku Aaron from Laagri School and Aivi Jürgenson from the Estonian National Museum assisted at the raising of the flag, and the Riigikogu and the Estonian Flag Association thanked them by giving them ceremonial flags.
Representatives of the family of Konstantin Päts, the first President of the Republic of Estonia, also attended the flag rising ceremony. They were presented the flag that had been flying at the Tall Hermann Tower on 23 February this year. 23 February 2024 was the 150th anniversary of the birth of Konstantin Päts.
The national flags of Estonia that have flown at the Tall Hermann Tower are given as presents by a decision of the Board of the Riigikogu on the occasion of particularly noteworthy events and for outstanding services. Over the years, this honour has been granted to our Olympic winners, to Estonian organisations abroad for preserving Estonian identity, to the Estonian Flag Association and to villages that have been awarded the title of Village of the Year.
The flag guards of the Guard Battalion, the Estonian Defence League, Women’s Home Defence, Young Eagles, Home Daughters, Scouts, Guides, as well as schools and academic and patriotic organisations attended the ceremony in the Governor’s Garden in the morning of 4 June. Tallinn Police Orchestra and the choirs of schools and the Estonian Female Song Society performed the music at the ceremony.
The National Flag Day is celebrated on the anniversary of the consecration of the blue-black-white flag of the Estonian Students’ Society. The first blue, black and white flag was sewn in spring 1884. It was blessed and consecrated at Otepää parsonage in South Estonia on 4 June 1884. This year we celebrate the 140th anniversary of the consecration of the national flag of Estonia.
In the draft Statement, Members of the Riigikogu point out that despite widespread protests, calls from the EU and Georgia’s allies and a veto by the President of Georgia, on 28 May the Parliament of Georgia, with the votes of the ruling party Georgian Dream, passed the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, which is inspired by the Russian Federation’s so-called Foreign Agents Law that the Putin regime uses to repress civil society, the press and political opposition. According to the explanatory memorandum of the draft Statement, the EU, the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and Georgian civil society have declared the law to be contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as it violates the principles of the rule of law, legality and proportionality, as well as non-discrimination.
In the draft Statement, the Riigikogu condemns the activities of the government and the parliamentary majority of Georgia in passing the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence and abandoning what had been agreed upon with the EU, and calls on the Parliament and government of Georgia to immediately repeal the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence. The Riigikogu also calls on the government of Georgia to stop using violence against demonstrators, civil society and opposition politicians, to carry out legal investigations in regard of the authorities and individuals who have used violence against peaceful protesters, to uphold its promise to promote the rule of law and protect human rights, and to implement the reforms that are demanded by the overwhelming majority of the citizens of Georgia and are a precondition for the accession to the EU.
Until the government and parliament of Georgia have not started to resolve the democratic crisis in a way that respects the rule of law and civil rights, have not returned to the reform and democratisation programme agreed upon with the EU, and have not repealed the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, the Riigikogu considers it necessary for Estonia to block all further processes relating to Georgia’s accession in the EU, freeze development cooperation with Georgia’s state agencies and use the funds released to support Georgian civil society.
In the draft statement, the Riigikogu deems it necessary to impose government sanctions, including an entry ban into Estonia, on Bidzina Ivanishvili, members of the government of Georgia, the leaders of the Parliament of Georgia and the leadership and Parliamentary Group of the Georgian Dream party. The Parliament of Estonia also calls on imposing government sanctions on the representatives of the power and law enforcement agencies of Georgia who have been involved in the violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations and the repression of Georgia’s opposition and civil society, and submitting the relevant list to the EU.
In the draft Statement, the Riigikogu expresses support to the freezing of the visa waiver agreement between Georgia and the EU until the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence is repealed. “The Riigikogu expresses its respect to the brave Georgian people who stand for Georgia’s democratic and pro-European future,” the draft Statement says.
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu will discuss the sending of the draft Statement to the plenary assembly for debate and vote on Tuesday.
