“A free and democratic Belarus has a place in Europe,” said Hussar, adding that supporting a democratic Belarus was helped by Tsikhanouskaya’s clear pro-European vision. Hussar noted that the representatives of democratic Belarus must work together abroad, and it was important to support them in this.
At the meeting, the situation in Ukraine was also discussed. It was highlighted that today one thousand days had passed since the beginning of the war. Hussar underlined that it was necessary to continue supporting Ukraine so that the country would win the war. Tsikhanouskaya pointed out that Ukraine’s victory was also very important for Belarus, as the fates of Ukraine and Belarus were intertwined.
Other issues discussed included depriving the citizens of aggressor states of the right to vote in Estonia, the pseudo-elections to be held in Belarus in two months, the situation of political prisoners, as well as the wish of Belarusian democratic forces to organise online voting following the example of Estonia, so that both Belarusians living abroad and Belarusians living in Belarus could participate in the elections.
Today Tsikhanouskaya will also meet with Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu Marko Mihkelson and Chairman of the Democratic Belarus Support Group of the Riigikogu Urmas Reinsalu.
Chairman of the National Defence Committee Kalev Stoicescu said that the National Security Concept of Estonia was to be updated the next year. The National Defence Committee has to contribute to this process and present its recommendations, and that is the purpose of the report. He added that the updating of the National Security Concept was essential in the rapidly changing security environment.
The Committee appointed Meelis Kiili the rapporteur. According to him, the legislation and other fundamental documents shaping the security of the state will be reviewed during the drafting of the report, and their effectiveness in the changing security environment will be analysed and assessed. It is also planned to map the key issues relating to comprehensive national defence, and national preparedness.
The National Defence Committee decided that the report must be submitted to the Committee by the end of the Spring Session at the latest.
According to the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act, a committee of the Riigikogu may prepare a report for the purpose of analysing an issue that belongs to its area of authority or for oversight purposes. The committee appoints from among its members a rapporteur who is responsible for the drafting of the report and ensuring that the report will be ready by the time set by the committee. The draft report will be submitted to the committee for approval.
The purpose of the report is to draw conclusions, and present proposals or make recommendations to the Riigikogu, a committee of the Riigikogu, or the Government. The report will be published on the Riigikogu web page. According to the law, a committee may make a proposal to the Board of the Riigikogu to discuss the report as a matter of significant national importance in the plenary assembly.
The Bill on Partial Repeal of the Act on Amendments to the Land Tax (489 SE), initiated by Isamaa Parliamentary Group, provided that the Act on Amendments to the Land Tax Act, passed in the Riigikogu on 19 June this year, should be repealed in the part that it has not entered into force and that large-scale increases in land tax and the elimination of the tax exemption on the land under homes should be precluded in the future.
Rain Epler (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor during the debate.
The lead committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 35 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 12 were against. The Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.
The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Formation of the Riigikogu committee of investigation to investigate the facts relating to the Rail Baltic project” (460 OE), submitted by the Estonian Centre Party Group, provided for the formation of a Riigikogu committee of investigation with the task of checking if the project complied with the Rail Baltic Agreement ratified by the Riigikogu in 2017, ascertaining the total budget and funding options for the project as well as making a proposal to the Riigikogu and the Government on how to proceed with the project if necessary.
The lead committee moved to reject the draft Resolution at the first reading. 48 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 22 were against. The draft Resolution was dropped from the legislative proceedings.
The Bill on Amendments to the Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act (453 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, was intended to amend the Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act by adding a provision that would make Easter Monday a public holiday and a day of rest and would give an additional day of rest when the national day or a public holiday falls on a weekend.
During the debate, Riina Solman (Isamaa), Vladimir Belobrovtsev (Centre Party) and Arvo Aller (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor.
The lead committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 43 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 24 were against. The Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.
The Bill on Amendments to the Termination of Pregnancy and Sterilisation Act (459 SE), initiated by Member of the Riigikogu Varro Vooglaid, was intended to include in the Act a provision that would prohibit state funding of elective termination of pregnancy.
During the debate, Irja Lutsar took the floor on behalf of Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group, Züleyxa Izmailova on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Parliamentary Group, Priit Sibul on behalf of Isamaa Parliamentary Group and Helle-MoonikaHelme on behalf of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Parliamentary Group.
The lead committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 35 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 16 were against. The Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.
The replying to the interpellations concerning the impact of tax amendments on the state budget (No. 648) and a planned change in excise duty (No. 651) was excluded from the agenda on the motion of interpellators. Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi was to reply.
Rain Epler took the floor during the open microphone.
The Bill on Amendments to the Government of the Republic Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (reorganisation of the Land Board into the Land and Spatial Planning Board) (457 SE), initiated by the Government, is intended to consolidate the structural units engaged in land and spatial planning in various agencies into a single entity. The Land and Spatial Planning Board will provide help with issues relating to services regarding land, planning, construction as well as architecture.
The explanatory memorandum states that the Bill will resolve the issue of the fragmentation of activities in the spatial sector and the lack of a central implementation unit which has persisted for years. The knowledge, competence and data concerning the living environment and the land and spatial sector will be consolidated in one place which will create an opportunity make better spatial decisions, to use resources better and to save costs. More professional spatial creation will help adapt to climate change, reduce forced commuting, prevent segregation, preserve the environment and improve people’s mental and physical health.
Besides the current tasks of the Land Board, the following will be consolidated to the Land and Spatial Planning Board: the activities of the e-Construction platform from the Construction and Living Environment Department of the Ministry of Climate ; implementation tasks in spatial planning from the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture ; land improvement sector tasks from the Agriculture and Food Board; services relating to the maintenance of unimproved state real estate, land consolidation and land improvement provided to the Ministry of Climate from the Ministry of Finance; as well as tasks in the area of activity of strategic space creation.
According to the Bill, the Land and Spatial Planning Board will start operating on 1 January 2025.
Mart Maastik and Andres Metsoja from Isamaa Parliamentary Group, Arvo Aller from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and Igor Taro from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group and unaffiliated Member of the Riigikogu Kalle Grünthal took the floor during the debate.
The Bill on Amendments to the Identity Documents Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (497 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the first reading. It will transpose the directive aimed at enhancing cooperation in consular protection for European Union citizens in the third countries in which the Member State is not represented.
The Bill will transpose the conditions and procedure for issuing the emergency travel document to unrepresented EU citizens in third countries. It is a single-journey document, allowing the bearer to return home in the event that their documents have been lost, stolen or destroyed during travel. In addition, the EU Emergency Travel Document will be issued to Estonian citizens and aliens who reside in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit and who hold an alien’s passport, a temporary travel document or a travel document for a refugee or who are received by the country on the basis of a treaty. The new travel document will be replacing the current certificate of return and permit of return in such cases.
Hussar welcomed the results of the recent presidential elections and the referendum on accession to the EU in Moldova, and congratulated his colleague on the fact that the people of Moldova had chosen the path of the European Union. He assured that Estonia would continue to support Moldova in every way in its efforts to becoming a member of the EU.
“Moldova’s accession to the EU is also one of our priorities. We will do our best to help you on this journey. We are ready to share our accession experience, and we hope that the first chapters of accession negotiations can be opened already in the new year,” Hussar said in the video call with the Moldovan Speaker.
Hussar also strongly condemned Russia’s intervention in Moldova’s elections, and said that interfering in the elections in an independent country and trying to destabilise the country in this way was unacceptable. He called on the parliaments of other European countries to condemn Russia’s intervention.
During their video call, the Speakers also discussed the next year’s parliamentary elections in Moldova, as well as the situation in Transnistria and further cooperation in countering the threats from Russia.
According to Mihkelson, the purpose of the visit, which was initiated by President Zurabishvili, is to show support for the pro-European people and political forces in Georgia in a situation where Georgia’s democracy has backslided, the parliamentary elections at the end of October were overshadowed by numerous irregularities, and the opposition, the independent media and the civil society are threatened by various restrictions.
“During the visit, we will underline that the violations committed before and during the elections must be investigated with full seriousness,” Mihkelson said. In a Joint Statement made together with his European counterparts last week, he demanded the establishment of an independent international inquiry commission to investigate such violations. He believes that the countries of Europe must continue supporting the part of Georgian society that stands for the country’s democratic and pro-European future.
Chairmen of parliamentary committees from eight EU countries participate in the visit. On Monday, they will meet with the President of Georgia, and hold a press conference together with her. They will also meet with the leaders of the opposition parties as well as with the representatives of non-governmental organisations and independent media. Mihkelson expressed regret that the government politicians had not agreed to meet with the delegation of the chairs of parliamentary committees of the EU.
Together with Mihkelson, chairs of committees from the parliaments of Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden participate in the visit.
The Riigikogu rejected the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to lower the VAT on food to 5 per cent” (492 OE), submitted by the Estonian Centre Party Group. The Draft proposed lowering the VAT on food to five percent, as it is becoming increasingly expensive, in order to make food and consumer goods more affordable to people with lower incomes and help them cope. The presenters explained that Estonia was one of the few EU Member States that did not apply reduced VAT rates to food.
During the debate, Lauri Laats from the Centre Party Group and Helle-Moonika Helme from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Parliamentary Group took the floor.
At the final vote, 15 members of the Riigikogu supported the Draft Resolution. A majority vote, i.e. at least 51 votes, would have been needed for the Resolution to pass.
The first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act (453 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, was deferred from the agenda due to the absence of the presenter. The purpose of the Bill is to include Easter Monday among public holidays and to give additional days of rest for national days or public holidays that fall on a weekend.
Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Formation of the Riigikogu committee of investigation to investigate the facts relating to the Rail Baltic project” (460 OE), submitted by the Centre Party Group, was adjourned due to the end of the working hours. The purpose of the Draft is to form a parliamentary committee of investigation to check whether the Rail Baltic project conforms to the agreement ratified in 2017, to determine the actual total budget and implementation schedule, the options for financing from external funds, and the volume of cost-sharing. The Committee would also determine whether the possible risks have been taken into account with due diligence in the management and implementation of the project and investigate why the coordination of the project between the Baltic states has failed so far.
Anti Poolamets from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart from the Centre Party Group took the floor during the debate. Jaak Aab made a speech on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Group.
The Constitutional Committee moved to reject the Bill but there was no time to put the motion to vote due to the end of the working hours. The proceeding of the Bill will continue next week.
Chairs of committees from the parliaments of 18 countries and the European Parliament expressed regret at Georgia’s democratic backsliding, including the enactment of anti-European legislation limiting the space for independent civil society organizations and human rights. They were also concerned about the fact that the parliamentary elections held in Georgia on 26 October were marked with an unprecedented number of incidents and systemic violations, which were reported by international observers. The chairs of committees note that integrity of elections and upholding the rule of law are an integral part and fundamentals of the European values to which Georgia as an EU candidate country has to demonstrate its commitment.
The parliamentarians underline that that all allegations of electoral manipulation, especially with regard to voter intimidation and vote buying must be transparently investigated. They point out that, as the allegations at hand are so serious, only an independent international inquiry can address and investigate these elections and all reported violations in the pre-electoral period and during the elections.
The chairs of committees requested that the Georgian authorities make the voting protocols available and publicly transparent, so that each voter can verify if the information on their voting fact, time and place is factually accurate. They also demand repealing of the legislation that undermines the fundamental rights and freedoms of Georgian citizens and organizations and runs counter to the values and principles upon which the EU is founded.
The chairs of parliamentary committees also call on the European Union and the trans-Atlantic allies to impose sanctions on the officials and political leaders, including Bidzina Ivanishvili, who are responsible for violations of the electoral process in Georgia. They call on the freezing of all EU funds engaged in assistance and cooperation projects with the state and public institutions of Georgia with the exception of those dedicated to the supporting of civil society and the establishment of rule of law structures.
“At the same time, we call international partners to increase financial assistance to Georgia’s civil society and independent media, based on respect for democracy and the rule of law,” they said, and called on reviewing the visa liberalization regime with Georgia without excluding the possibility of its full suspension if the above listed conditions are not met.
The chairs of committees reiterated that they will continue standing with the Georgian people and their European choice. “We will also continue supporting unwaveringly Georgia’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally established borders,” they stated.
30 chairs and members of committees from the European Parliament and the parliaments of Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Ukraine signed the Joint Statement.
NordenBladet —On October 4th, the Estonian Navy, together with NATO’s Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), began a ten-day mine clearance operation in Estonian waters. During this operation, the Estonian Navy will search for, identify, and neutralize historical explosives in Pärnu Bay and the southern part of Väinameri. “Mine clearance …
NordenBladet —French Army deputy chief of staff operations major general Wallaert and French deputy commander of Land Forces Command in Europe brigadier general Guillot are visiting French troops in Estonia and meeting the Commander of the Estonian Division major general Indrek Sirel. “The French Armed Forces are engaged in Estonia within …