NordenBladet – The reauthorization of a cross-border aid mechanism for Syria was put to a vote on Friday ahead of its expiration at midnight, marking the first time that Estonia voted as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC).
The council voted to extend the cross-border authorization, although to a reduced extent, facing pressure from permanent council member Russia, who vetoed one draft resolution extending it last month.
Two options were on the table at the Security Council, one of which was sponsored by Germany, Belgium and Kuwait and the other by Russia.
A compromise resolution was passed with 11 votes in favor and none against. Four permanent council members, Russia, China, the U.S. and the U.K., abstained from the vote.
Under this resolution, which was approved for just half a year, humanitarian aid will be transported via two existing border crossings on the Syria-Turkey border. Under a previous mandate, which expired at midnight, humanitarian aid was passed through four border crossings in total.
Belgian and French representatives expressed disappointment over the outcome.
“Eleven million Syrians need humanitarian assistance,” said Belgian Ambassador to the UN Marc Pectseen de Buytswerve.
“Syrians will die as a result of this resolution,” said U.S. Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft.
NordenBladet —The extraordinary sitting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) today focused on the situation in Iraq and the possibilities for relieving tensions in the region. The Committee was given an overview of Estonia’s positions for the upcoming extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union in Brussels.
In the opinion of Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Enn Eesmaa, it is important to cool tensions in the Middle East and to prevent escalation of the conflict. He said that Estonia supported its ally, the United States of America, and followed developments in the region.
Eesmaa pointed out the need to observe and follow international law. “It is necessary to avoid the risk of interpreting and implementing international law selectively,” he added.
Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson also emphasised the importance of international law and the world order based on it. “The rules-based world order and adherence to international law can ensure stability in the Middle East,” Mihkelson said. “Estonia as a small country is interested that our own security would not be threatened through the erosion of international law.”
Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented to the Foreign Affairs Committee Estonia’s positions for the extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union, due to be held in Brussels on 10 January.
Riigikogu Press Service
Liisa Johanna Lukk
Phone: +372 631 6456, +372 5331 0789
E-mail: liisajohanna.lukk@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
NordenBladet —Speaking today in Nõmme Rahu (Peace) Church to commemorate the War of Independence Armistice Day and the War of Independence Veterans Day, the President of the Riigikogu Henn Põlluaas said that we still needed the courage, bravery and inextinguishable striving for freedom now, when one hundred years have passed since the weapons fell silent on our battlefronts.
“Exactly one hundred years ago today, the weapons fell silent and the armistice between the Republic of Estonia and the Bolshevist Russia entered into force,” Põlluaas said. One month later, the armistice extended into the Tartu Peace Treaty that ended all military activities.
“The endless noise of the battlefields ceased and suddenly everything became so silent. But there was a great power in that silence… The power that took us to the stabilisation of our independence,” noted the President of the Riigikogu.
Põlluaas said that today we bow our heads in memory of the fallen, and thank the fighters and victims of the War of Independence for our sovereignty. “We promise to be worthy of these men and women, and to defend our country and our people. If necessary, with a weapon in hand, as did our freedom fighters in World War II, and our Forest Brothers for long years after that,” Põlluaas said.
“In the battles of the War of Independence, we saw courage, bravery and inextinguishable striving for freedom. We still need all that now, when one hundred years have passed since the weapons fell silent on our battlefronts,” Põlluaas added.
The President of the Riigikogu also said that we must be strong and stand united. “Unanimously, and together with our friends and allies, we can ensure stability and lasting peace for our country and our nation.”
Riigikogu Press Service
Veiko Pesur
Phone 631 6353, 55 590 595
e-mail veiko.pesur@riigikogu.ee
Questions press@riigikogu.ee
The wonderful holidays are over and it is the New Year. We have stepped into the second decade of the third millennium. Last year was crammed full of significant events.
As the President of the Riigikogu, I first remember the anniversary of the parliament. In April, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the first democratic representative body of Estonia – the Constituent Assembly. This also marks the birth of the Riigikogu.
The Estonian flag had its 135th, and the Song Celebration its 150th anniversary. What did people sing about at the first Song Celebration? About the Estonian language and ideas, the beauty of nature, meandering rivers and glittering lakes, about the soul and happiness. Warm feelings and goodness abounded. This is also how we sing today.
Estonia is the only country in the world where people speak, sing, and think in Estonian. Estonian became the national language one hundred years ago. And one hundred years have also passed since the reopening of our Estonian-medium national university – the University of Tartu. However, we cannot get by everywhere in Estonia in our mother tongue. A growing concern is also the increasingly important role played by the English language in higher education as well as in the service industry. We must keep and protect our mother tongue.
Friends,
We have reason to be proud of our school students. Last year, they rose to the first place in Europe, and rank among the top achievers in the world in the PISA test. This is a high praise to the Estonian education system. Young people, tomorrow is in your hands, it is up to you to shape it and make it work.
2019 was also a memorable year in the Estonian sports. Ott Tänak became the World Rally Champion. Congratulations to Tänak and his whole team. We are proud of your achievements. Little Estonia is definitely growing bigger through sports. I wish all the success to our athletes at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Last year also brought international success to Estonia. We were elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. This requires us to take positions in many global topics, and will increase our visibility. At the same time, taking positions in complicated topics can also lead to being a target for negative feelings. All in all, carrying our Estonia’s foreign policy in the Security Council will not be an easy task.
The world has become more complex than it was a dozen years ago. The future of the European Union is important to us. We must keep an eye on Russia, who is carrying out its own aggressive geopolitical ambitions. Enhancing our defence capability and a stronger NATO presence are some of the main priorities of Estonia’s security. As are strengthening the transatlantic relations and cooperating with all our allies and friends.
Compatriots,
A new Riigikogu was elected in March last year; this led to a new government coalition that represents the majority of the people. The government coalition is working towards making Estonia a good place to live, so that our people would come back home.
It has been a tradition in Estonia to give a new coalition 100 days without criticism. This worthy practice was flouted this time: by the opposition, the media, and the President. I would like to urge you all to be more thoughtful and respectful towards each other. Destructive attitude and confrontation take us nowhere.
The Republic of Estonia has been established to preserve the Estonian language, people, and culture. This is enshrined in our Constitution. I will never get tired of repeating that. This is the principle and aim that we should all be following.
February 2 will mark the 100th anniversary of signing the Tartu Peace Treaty. The Tartu Peace Treaty meant that Russia recognised the independent Estonia, it put an end to the War of Independence, and settled the Estonian-Russian border. When we regained our independence, all countries acknowledged us as the legal successor to the Republic of Estonia with all its symbols, including the state border. The Tartu Peace Treaty remains in force and has been entered in the UN register of international treaties.
People of Estonia,
‘Today I saw Estonia’, says a song. This summer, as part of the Estonian Village Movement Kodukant Village of the Year competition, I visited 15 beautiful villages across Estonia. I saw how much people care for their families and homes, their villages, how well they cooperate. Their eyes were sparkling and their actions were sincere. The joy of doing things together brings us together, and takes our people and country higher. Together we can do more than we might believe, if we are willing to work and are not afraid of challenges.
We are moving forward. We cannot turn back.
Let us be proud of our country and our people.
I hope that the New Year brings us all joy and fulfilment of our beautiful dreams.
NordenBladet —The Riigikogu passed 52 legislative acts during its autumn session.
At today’s sitting, the Riigikogu approved the Act which creates opportunities to interlink the data of the Estonian Drug Treatment Database operating at the National Institute for Health Development. The aim is to interlink registries (the population register, the Tuberculosis Registry, the Communicable Disease Information System and the Causes of Death Registry). The amendments provide an opportunity to ensure the accuracy of data and an opportunity to interlink them through personalisation. This in turn will ensure more effective treatment and quicker communication between doctors and patients. Organised and interlinked registry data will also enable to obtain a whole picture of the spread of a disease in Estonia and to obtain adequate statistics when forecasting service volumes.
The explanatory memorandum notes that, at present, data are entered in the Estonian Drug Treatment Database in such a manner that it is impossible to identify patients. For that, at the start and end of drug treatment, the personal identification code of the patient is encoded with a unique code in the Estonian Drug Treatment Database, and this code is linked with the data of the specific treatment case (i.e. data are not personalised in the database). For the service provider, already now, the patient is always personalised at the beginning of a treatment case, but the data are not reflected in the Estonian Drug Treatment Database.
In the future, data will be entered in the Estonian Drug Treatment Database in personalised form for every drug treatment case. This is already being done now in the case of other registries. For example, patients’ data are entered in the Tuberculosis Registry in personalised form. Through the amendments made by the Act, a higher security class is assigned to the Estonian Drug Treatment Database, and cases when data can be issued to other persons are provided for.
The amendment does not concern the service providers offering drug treatment. Since additional data fields that will contain personal data will be added to the notifications from the Estonian Drug Treatment Database, only the working arrangements of the employees of the National Institute for Health Development may possibly change.
86 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the passage of the Act on Amendments to the Act on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Precursors thereof and the Health Services Organisation Act (99 SE), initiated by the Government.
As is the tradition, Santa Claus visited the Riigikogu at the last sitting of its autumn session.
NordenBladet —The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendment of Medicinal Products Act, initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction and the Faction Isamaa.
Riina Sikkut, who took the floor on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Faction in the debate, moved to reject the Bill on Amendments to the Medicinal Products Act (118 SE) at the first reading. 50 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 46 voted against.
The aim of the Bill was to eliminate the restrictions on ownership from the Act. Any natural or legal person, including a wholesaler of medicinal products, could have been an owner of a pharmacy. Also, branch pharmacies would not have had to terminate their activities in cities with a population of over 4,000 people.
During the debate, Siim Kiisler (Isamaa) also took the floor on behalf of his faction.
The Bill on Amendments to the Bank of Estonia (Eesti Pank) Act (97 SE) was at the second reading. It will specify the formation of the membership of the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia, and the requirements for members of the supervisory board, and the term of their mandate.
The Bill will provide for the additional requirement that all political parties in the Riigikogu must be represented in the board, and experts in the field are also included in the board. The membership of the Supervisory Board of the Bank is meant to reflect how the Bank of Estonia is accountable to the Riigikogu. Therefore it is appropriate that the membership of the board include representatives of all political parties represented in the Riigikogu. The amendments specify that the factions of the Riigikogu will appoint their representatives, and the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia will appoint the experts in the field. It will be specified that the members of the supervisory board will have to have sufficient knowledge and experience to participate in the work of the board, and no member of the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia may be appointed for more than two consecutive terms.
According to the explanatory memorandum, the political independence of the Bank of Estonia from the executive power is manifested in that the Riigikogu appoints the Chairman and members of the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia. The Supervisory Board is above all a controlling body that adopts decisions in the most important issues, appoints the leading officials of the Bank of Estonia to office and exercises supervision over their activities.
After the motions to amend the Bill had been approved, the second reading of the Bill was suspended because the European Central Bank must also be notified of amendments to the Bank of Estonia (Eesti Pank) Act. The proceedings on the Bill will continue after a reply to the notification will have been received.
The Riigikogu did not support expressing no confidence in the Minister of the Interior Mart Helme
The motion of no confidence in the Minister of the Interior Mart Helme was not supported in the Riigikogu today. 44 member of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion of no confidence submitted by 46 members. 42 voted against. The support of at least 51 members of the Riigikogu was needed to express no confidence.
The Chairman of the Reform Party Faction Kaja Kallas, who submitted the motion of no confidence, said that the reason for the motion of no confidence was the personal attack on the Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin by the Minister of the Interior Mart Helme. “With his use of language, the Minister of the Interior has damaged the relationships between Estonia and Finland and the reputation of the Estonian state. He has degraded women and people of various social background. Mart Helme’s conduct shows unequivocally that he is not suited to bear the responsibility of a member of the Government,” Kallas said.
The Minister of the Interior said that the accusations against him had been made up. “I have not once degraded or insulted the Finnish people,” the Minister of the Interior asserted. “The truth is that I cannot agree to the course of the current Finnish Government and its ideological platform. And I have the right to say this as a private person as well as a member of the Republic of Estonia. This does not mean that we should pick a fight with Finland,” he added.
NordenBladet —Today the Riigikogu passed the implementation Act on the European Citizens’ Initiative which lowers the minimum age for signing a statement of support for a citizens’ initiative from the current age of 18 to 16.
80 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Act to Implement Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Citizens’ Initiative (74 SE), initiated by the Government. Seven were against.
The Ministry of the Interior was designated as the national contact point to assist groups of organisers of citizens’ initiatives if they need help in national issues.
Compared to the current Act, there will be no changes concerning the national governmental authorities who perform the obligations arising from the Regulation in relation to the verification of the signatures of support and the certification of the conformity of the individual online collection systems.
The European citizens’ initiative is an instrument of participatory democracy that allows to make proposals on legal amendments in all fields where the European Commission has the competence to present legislative proposals (e.g. environment, agriculture, energy, transport and trade).
A citizens’ initiative must receive the support of one million citizens from at least seven Member States. Initiatives allow citizens of different Member States to influence the policy-making of the EU. The new Regulation was established to increase the possibilities of EU citizens to participate in the democratic life and to make the European citizens’ initiative less burdensome and more user-friendly for organisers and supporters and thereby to bring the EU closer to citizens.
On behalf of the Social Democratic Party Faction, Katri Raik moved that the Resolution of the Riigikogu “Formation of the Riigikogu Committee of Investigation to Establish the Truth about the Claims of the Minister of the Interior on the Prosecutor’s Office being Politically Biased” (107 OE), initiated by her faction, be withdrawn from today’s agenda.
The Riigikogu approved the agenda for the working week. The Bill on Amendments to the Weapons Act, the State Fees Act and the Strategic Goods Act (transposition of the Firearms Directive) (62 SE), initiated by the Government, was removed from the agenda on the motion of the Legal Affairs Committee.
The Minister of Education and Research Mailis Reps replied to the interpellation concerning the education sector (No 13) and the interpellation concerning the unequal treatment of children whose home language is not Estonian and who study at Estonian-medium schools (No 9), submitted by members of the Riigikogu. Maris Lauri took the floor during the debate.
The Minister of the Environment Rene Kokk replied to the interpellation concerning waste management (No 8), submitted by members of the Riigikogu.
During the open microphone, Peeter Ernits took the floor.
NordenBladet —At today’s sitting, the Riigikogu approved the Act which strengthens the protection of consumers’ interests in e-commerce and improves the cooperation between authorities in detecting and resolving cross-border infringements.
The Act makes amendments that are necessary to implement the new directly applicable EU Regulation on the enforcement of consumer protection laws and cooperation between authorities (‘the CPC Regulation’). In addition, the procedural rules of the Consumer Disputes Committee is made more flexible.
The CPC Regulation directs Member States to ensure supervisory authorities sufficient powers which allow for effective monitoring in the digital environment. Therefore the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority is given additional rights – the right to obtain information from all persons (including from credit institutions) when identifying the person responsible in a transaction. The Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority is also given the right to prevent access to web interfaces (e.g. e-shop, mobile application) to ensure consumers’ rights. The exercise of the rights must be justified and proportionate in view of the nature and the overall potential harm of the infringement. With a view to implementing the Regulation, sanctions are amended and harmonised in the areas covered by the CPC Regulation.
Amendments are made to the procedure of the Consumer Disputes Committee in order to enhance and simplify the alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes. For example, it is possible to resolve disputes in a single-member committee, and by way of written proceedings without a sitting with the consent of the complainant.
91 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Act on Amendments to the Consumer Protection Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (103 SE), initiated by the Government.
The Riigikogu passed another Act:
The Act on Amendments to the Tax Information Exchange Act (89 SE), initiated by the Government, addresses the exchange of information in relation to arrangements that have an impact on taxation, the exchange of financial account information or the identification of beneficial ownership.
The main interest of tax authorities is to obtain information on aggressive tax-planning schemes that abuse loopholes between national tax laws. Aggressive tax-planning cannot be defined by standard hallmarks that would be constant in time, thus the Minister of Finance establishes by a Regulation a list of hallmarks that the relevant arrangements must meet when they are reported to tax authorities. A test that may present an indication of aggressive tax-planning or activities through which assets can be concealed is provided for.
In particular, providers of tax advice operating in Estonia who have developed a scheme must file information. The taxpayer files information concerning schemes commissioned from third countries or developed in-house. The taxpayer must also report arrangements in the cases when the lawyer or auditor who developed the arrangement does not file the information due to the obligation to maintain professional secrecy arising from law if the client does not exempt them from the obligation.
An arrangement must be reported to the tax authority within 30 calendar days, beginning on the day after the arrangement is transferred, or is ready for implementation, or when the first step in its implementation has been made, whichever occurs first. Tax authorities communicate the information collected to a central directory maintained by the European Commission.
88 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Act.
Press Release of the Estonia-Finland Parliamentary Group of the Riigikogu.
Today, the Estonia-Finland Parliamentary Group released a statement emphasising that the Estonians and Finns are kindred nations who share the same values, concerns, and joys.
‘Our friendship is as strong as a rock, our security indivisible, and our economic relations are close,’ the statement stresses.
‘Both Estonia and Finland are countries where an individual’s life is not determined by their origin, gender, or the first job of their career. This is something we can be proud of on both sides of the Gulf of Finland.
We are unanimous in our condemnation of the statements made by Mart Helme, which jeopardise our friendship and allied relations, and we are committed to making every effort to ensure the continuation of excellent relations.
On behalf of the Riigikogu Parliamentary Group, we welcome the inauguration of Prime Minister Sanna Marin and the whole Finnish government, and wish them success and strength to do their work,’ the statement reads.
The President of the Estonia-Finland Parliamentary Group Taavi Rõivas forwarded the statement to the Finland-Estonia Friendship Group of the Finnish parliament.
Estonia-Finland Parliamentary Group of the Riigikogu
NordenBladet —Today, the Foreign Affairs Committee discussed relations between Estonia and Finland, and adopted a statement in support of the good neighbourly relations between the two countries.
“Finland and its people have been an important ally, partner, and friend to Estonia throughout our history. We share the same values as Finland in all the fundamental issues.
Estonia is contributing to all the bilateral relations that help to secure the international status of Estonia and all our allies, find common interests and act together, and thus strengthen international security. Excellent and close relations with Finland are particularly important in this context.
The Foreign Affairs Committee believes that any activities targeting the solidarity of the allies is a threat to the national interests of Estonia.
The Foreign Affairs Committee is confident that the historical friendship between Estonia and Finland will overcome the isolated expressions of opinion that a member of the Estonian government has recently permitted to himself. The Foreign Affairs Committee finds such statements absolutely deplorable and apologises to the Prime Minister of Finland and everyone who has been offended by these on either side of the Gulf of Finland.
We welcome the new Finnish government and wish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and the whole Finland all the success on behalf of the Estonian people. We are sure that the cooperation between our kindred nations will continue.”