ESTONIA

Members of the Riigikogu attend conference on economic governance: By buying gas and oil from Russia, we are financing hybrid activities against ourselves

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —

In a session on security policy, Peeter Tali, Chairman of the European Union Affairs Committee, said that defense preparedness is a common interest of Europe. “We must stop buying natural gas and oil from Russia in order not to finance Russia’s war in Ukraine and hybrid activities against ourselves. We must stop the activities of the shadow fleet in the Baltic Sea, which also poses a major environmental threat, and use Russia’s frozen assets to compensate for war damages in Ukraine,” said Tali.

In a session on the EU’s position in the global economy, Tali stated that the European law-making process needs reform, including ensuring business-friendly rules, reducing reporting requirements, and making cross-border digital governance the norm. He stressed that Europe must be more independent and not depend on authoritarian regimes and third countries in its supply chains.

Annely Akkermann, Chair of the Finance Committee, spoke in a session that focused on European fiscal rules and their sustainability in the current geopolitical situation. “Well-designed and evidence-based fiscal rules are the cornerstone of the sustainability of the European Union,” said Akkermann. “Clear rules are the path to competitive growth, defence capability, and social cohesion. We need to keep the budget on track, but at the same time ensure flexibility to be ready to respond to the unexpected.”

Member of the Finance Committee Riina Sikkut raised the question of whether Member States are ready to accept that the European Defence Mechanism will shape the European Union’s defence policy. “Perhaps this would motivate Member States, more distant from Moscow, to contribute or participate more, but are we ready to shape defence policy this way?” Sikkut added, pointing out that any defence policy initiative must be subject to strict rules, similar to the European Stability Mechanism, which sets very clear criteria for the Member States.

Peeter Tali, Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee, Annely Akkermann, Chair of the Finance Committee, and Riina Sikkut, Member of the Finance Committee, at the Interparliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Governance and Coordination (SECG) in Billund, Denmark. Photo: Nikolai Linares / IPC SECG

The purpose of the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination, and Governance is to foster cooperation among parliaments within the framework of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination, and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union. The Conference was established in 2013 at the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments (EUSC).

Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
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Inquiries: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Members of the Riigikogu attend conference on economic governance: By buying gas and oil from Russia, we are financing hybrid activities against ourselves

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Students play Members of the European Parliament in the Riigikogu

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

The European Parliament simulation will take place in the session hall of the Riigikogu between 9.45 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. and can be followed online.

The young participants have been divided into six committees that have been discussing important topics for the society since last Friday. Every committee has drafted a resolution to resolve an issue they have previously identified, and will be defending it in front of the plenary assembly today.

The topics of resolutions include the inadequate transport infrastructure in Eastern Europe, EU-USA relations, hight cost of living and increased prices, development of defence industry, and new challenges to education posed by AI.

While drafting the resolutions, the students got to met local decision makers, who this year included MEP Urmas Paet, Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller, and Members of the Riigikogu Riina Solman, Raimond Kaljulaid, Eerik-Niiles Kross, and Martin Helme. The simulation was opened by the Minister of Energy and the Environment Andres Sutt.

For the first time, the programme includes a media team tasked with writing news articles, filming video stories, reporting on the work of the delegates, and organising a press conference. Nearly ten students get the chance to embody journalists from news outlets such as ERR, CNN, BBC, Politico, Fox News, or the Guardian.

The students who stand out the most will be able to take part in the Estonian delegations to the international and Baltic Sea countries’ model European Parliaments. The first international simulation with Estonian participants will take place soon, in March 2026 in Hungary.

European Parliament simulations have been organised in the session hall of the Riigikogu since 2023.

Photos (the photo gallery is updated throughout the day, author: Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

 

Riigikogu Press Service
Merje Meisalu
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Students play Members of the European Parliament in the Riigikogu

Source: Parliament of Estonia

The Riigikogu amended the national positions in the interest of a speedy improvement of EU defence readiness

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

The Chairman of the EUAC Peeter Tali said that Estonia supported the main goals of the Omnibus, which consisted of reducing bureaucracy and speeding up the procurement proceedings in the defence sector. “We fully agree that for the development of the defence industry and increasing defence capability, the processes here should be simpler and faster, the regulatory burden lighter, and the EU law must be adapted to the needs of the defence readiness,” Tali elaborated.

The Committee decided to amend the positions after taking into account the proposals of the National Defence Committee. This prompted the clarification that the weapons banned by universally recognised international weapons conventions can remain outside the investment framework, but only if the Member State has joined the relevant convention. “This clarification is necessary because Estonia has cluster munition, which is why we have not joined the Oslo Convention and have also left the Ottawa Convention that bans anti-personnel mines,” Tali explained.

The Committee also added a new clause to the position, which says that Estonia supported a simpler, faster, and more transparent procedure for producing, exporting, and transiting munition in the European Union.

Estonia’s positions say that it is important to speed up investments into the technological and industrial basis of Estonia’s defence industry and to achieve the necessary production capacity to prevent war but be prepared for it. With all this, Estonia still continues to emphasise the promotion of cross-border cooperation, common development of the EU defence market based on competition, as well as respecting the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises.

At the sitting of the Committee, the positions of the Government on simplifying the EU Defence Readiness Omnibus (Omnibus V) were presented by the Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur. The European Union Affairs Committee decided to approve the positions of the Government by consensus, taking also into account the opinion of the National Defence Committee.

Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu amended the national positions in the interest of a speedy improvement of EU defence readiness

Source: Parliament of Estonia

The Finance Committee started proceedings on the next year’s state budget Bill

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

According to Chair of the Finance Committee Annely Akkermann, the Committee plans to discuss the state budget by areas of government at several sittings next week.

“During the discussion, we want to get information from the ministers about the goals and costs of the programmes planned in the performance-based budget, what the desired outcome is, and how it will be measured,” Akkermann said. “The budget needs to be justified and transparent.”

The total volume of the state budget for 2026 is 20.9 billion euro. The revenues of the budget will amount to 18.6 billion and the expenditures will amount to 19.5 billion euro. The investments amount to 1.3 billion euro. The planned government sector deficit is 4.5 per cent of GDP, which remains within the limits of the exemption granted by the EU for rapid growth in defence spending. Due to the significant increase in the budget deficit, next year’s debt burden will grow by 1.7 billion euro, to 25.9% of GDP.

Compared to the budget of 2025, budget revenues will grow by 843 million euro or by 4.7 per cent. The total volume of expenditure will increase by 1.15 billion euro, or 6.3%, over the year. The total volume of investments will increase by 32%, or 305 million euro, over the year.

The government says the increase in defence spending to five per cent of GDP is the largest increase in expenditure, which will require an additional 844.5 million euro next year.

The government plans to invest 276.8 million euro in road infrastructure, including 65 million euro from motor vehicle tax, and 684.2 million euro in railways, among other things to ensure the completion of Rail Baltic by 2030.

According to the Bill, state revenues will decrease by 780 million euro as a result of the introduction of a uniform 700 euro income tax exemption and the cancellation of the planned two-percentage-point increase in income tax. The tax burden in Estonia will fall from 36.6% to 35.2%.

Together with the tax changes, the net income of those who earn the average salary of teachers will increase by 319 euro per month, or 3828 euro per year. However, earlier cuts in operating expenses will also be applied in the same areas – the total cuts in the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Culture will amount to 94 million euro in 2026, to which the Ministry of Education and Research will add another 18 million euro through a budget revision.

28.9 million euro will be allocated for salary increases in the area of governance of the Ministry of the Interior in 2026, which will enable front line rescuers, police officers, rescue coordinators, and lecturers at the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences to receive a salary increase of nearly 10 per cent The average pension is expected to increase by 5.4 per cent, 210 million euro have been allocated in the budget for this purpose.

The motor vehicle tax reduction for families with children and the taxation of 8-9-seater M-category vehicles similarly to the N-category vehicles, which will come into effect in 2026, will reduce the amount of motor vehicle tax to be collected by 14 million euro. To achieve budget neutrality, 48 million euro from motor vehicle tax will be allocated to the consolidated project for national roads.

The subsistence benefit limit will be raised to 220 euro (an increase of 20 euro), and the subsistence level for each minor child in a family will be raised to 264 euro, for which an additional 4 euro million will be allocated from the budget.

The Finance Committee of the Riigikogu decided to send the State Budget for 2026 Bill (737 SE), initiated by the Government, to the first reading at the plenary sitting of the Riigikogu on 7 October.  

Riigikogu Press Service
Gunnar Paal
+372 631 6351, +372 5190 2837
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

 

Link uudisele: The Finance Committee started proceedings on the next year’s state budget Bill

Source: Parliament of Estonia

The Riigikogu passed an Act strengthening civil protection

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

The Bill on Amendments to the Emergency Act and Other Acts (662 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 66 Members of the Riigikogu voting in favour. The Act is one part of a package of amendments aimed at developing comprehensive national defence, increasing the preparedness of the Estonian people for potential future crises, and protecting people’s lives and health in the event of danger.

The Act regulates the organisation of sheltering by setting out the requirements to shelters and the principles for adapting sheltering locations. The explanatory memorandum notes that, since the security situation has changed due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the organisation of sheltering in Estonia must also be improved and shelters must be built and sheltering locations adapted to better protect people in potential situations of danger.

The Act will establish a requirement under which shelters will have to be built, or existing spaces adapted as sheltering locations in large populous buildings. From July 1 next year, public shelters will have to be built in new buildings that are visited by crowds or have a closed net area of at least 10,000 square meters.

According to the Act, a non-public shelter will have to be built when a residential building or another public or special building with a closed net area of at least 1,200 square meters, or an industrial or warehouse building with a closed net area of at least 1,500 square meters is built.

Originally, the Bill provided for the construction of non-public shelters by 1 July 2028. However, the National Defence Committee made an amendment to the Bill for the second reading, bringing the relevant deadline forward by two years. After hearing the interest groups and the representatives of the fields of administration of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of the Interior, the Committee unanimously decided that the deadline for constructing non-public shelters must be the same, i.e. 1 July 2026. Under the Act, spaces will also have to be adapted as sheltering locations in existing buildings wherever possible.

According to the Act, along with the building of shelters and sheltering locations in buildings, shelter plans will also have to be drawn up. Activities related to sheltering, including preparations for sheltering, informing the public, and raising awareness, will be organized by the Rescue Board in cooperation with local governments.

The Act also regulates the use of the national emergency notification system EE-ALARM, including the installation and commissioning of siren devices, and the rights and responsibilities related to it. According to the amendment, all possessors of mass media, electronic communications, information screens in public spaces, and national mobile applications with at least 10,000 end users will have to join the EE-ALARM system so that important information would reach people quickly in the event of a potential threat. The Rescue Board will coordinate the preparation for the transmission of immediate emergency notifications. The Act also grants the Board the right to test the national emergency notification system.

In addition, the Act provides for an obligation for all employees of state and local government agencies, as well as agencies providing critical services to undergo civil protection training so that they can respond quickly, help people, and keep essential services running in a crisis situation.

Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu passed an Act strengthening civil protection

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Urmas Viik exhibits “Mega Flowers and Tribal Foxes” in the Riigikogu

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

“Urmas Viik’s exhibition opens a door to the world of imagination and creativity in the walls of Toompea Castle; this is just as important for the development of our society as are discussions and decisions in the plenary hall. Art exhibitions like these help us take note of new viewpoints and value the role of culture in shaping an open and thoughtful country,” said the President of the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar.

The inspiration for the exhibition comes from botanical engravings of the 19th century and imaginative medieval travelogues. In the mythology created by Viik, tribal foxes are strange creatures who meld together the animal and the human essence on the surface of paper. The exhibition includes the pseudo-scientific depictions, oversized formats, miniatures, and three-dimensional objects so characteristic in the oeuvre of the artist.

Urmas Viik has described his creative process as a collection of memories that does not lend itself to a search of specific hints. “The name of the series—Tribal Foxes—is an amalgamation of two words: tribal and werefox. The series plays with images as joyfully and as irresponsibly as with definitions; it is a mixture of clan, tribe, and gang signs. The mythical werefox—a master of transformation—blends the outlines between exotic and mundane, archaic and urban, and sensual and comical,” the author describes his exhibition.

Urmas Viik works in graphic art, illustration, and installation. He has worked as a professor in the Estonian Academy of Arts and Tallinn University. Viik has taken part in nearly 30 exhibitions and has won numerous awards: 4th Class Order of the White Star, Kristjan Raud Prize, Cultural Endowment of Estonia Annual Prize, Annual Prize of Vaal Gallery “Harpoon”, Eduard Wiiralt Art Prize, Silver Lovie Award in Website: Best Individual Editorial Experience.

The unique world of “Mega Flowers and Tribal Foxes” remains open until 14 November 2025. The exhibition can be visited on working days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors need to present an identity document to gain entry to Toompea Castle.

Exhibitions in the Exhibition Hall at Toompea Castle are organised by the Estonian Artists’ Association in cooperation with the Chancellery of the Riigikogu.

Photos (Author: Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

Riigikogu Press Service
Maiki Vaikla
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Link uudisele: Urmas Viik exhibits “Mega Flowers and Tribal Foxes” in the Riigikogu

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Bills concerning population procedures and the Waste Act passed their first reading today

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

The Bill on Amendments to the Vital Statistics Registration Act, the Population Register Act and the State Fees Act (687 SE), initiated by the Government, will make amendments to streamline population procedures and resolve bottlenecks, reducing the number of places where births can be registered and allowing healthcare providers to register births without a birth certificate, based on other sufficient evidence, without having to go to court. In the residence registration procedure, the possibility will be created to register a child’s residence at the initiative of the local government without the consent of the other parent with legal custody and to form a personal identification code for a citizen of the European Union or Switzerland upon registration of their residence, and the registration of the residence of a citizen of the European Union from Estonia to a foreign country will be simplified. The administrative procedural capacity of 15-17-year-olds will also be expanded, allowing them to see their population register data and restrict its availability, and to provide contact details, additional addresses, and statement-based data.

The Bill on Amendments to the Waste Act (676 SE), initiated by the Government, will bring the Act into conformity with the relevant EU Regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries. The bill will help reduce the CO2 footprint of batteries and accumulators, support the circular economy, and promote sustainable and innovative solutions in energy storage. Battery and accumulator manufacturers will have to improve the efficiency of their battery and waste collection systems and invest more in outreach work, i.e. promote the return of old batteries and accumulators to collection points. Manufacturers of electric vehicle batteries, rechargeable industrial batteries and light means of transport batteries will be required to join a producer responsibility organisation.

After the sitting, a meeting will be held in the hall to form a support group for reducing the harm caused by tobacco, alcohol, and narcotic substances, convened by Eero Merilind.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

The video recording of the sitting will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Maiki Vaikla
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee    

Link uudisele: Bills concerning population procedures and the Waste Act passed their first reading today

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Hussar at the meeting of Speakers: we must strengthen defence as well as pressure on Russia

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

At the meeting, Hussar gave an overview of the violation of Estonia’s airspace by Russia and thanked his colleagues for their support and solidarity. He highlighted the need to further enhance cooperation between countries and to discuss with the governments the possible changes that would allow NATO countries to enter the airspace of other allies if necessary in response to airspace violations.

In the wake of Russia’s violation of Estonia’s airspace on Friday, which followed attacks against Poland and Romania, Estonia launched NATO Article 4 consultations and, for the first time in its 34 years of membership, initiated an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. After Russia’s drone attack in Poland, NATO launched the Eastern Sentry vigilance measure, under which allies are strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence posture with additional air defence elements in Estonia and across the eastern flank.

According to Hussar, one of the aims of Russia’s increasingly frequent provocations is to weaken Western unity and support for Ukraine and to test the response of NATO and its member states. “Our words and actions must clearly show Russia that we are doing both: strengthening our deterrence and defence, including air defence, as well as continuing to strongly support Ukraine,” he said.

Hussar emphasized that in addition to supporting Ukraine, the price of aggression for Russia must also be raised. “We must jointly exert maximum pressure on Russia. To do this, we must proceed quickly with the increasing of sanctions and taking into use of Russia’s assets frozen under sanctions,” he said.

At the meeting, the Speakers agreed it was important to expand cooperation between the parliaments of the Baltic Sea countries, including by intensifying consultations between the heads of parliamentary committees.

The meeting convened by Hussar was attended by the Speakers of the parliaments of eight countries: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Hussar at the meeting of Speakers: we must strengthen defence as well as pressure on Russia

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Hussar will discuss violation of airspace with Nordic, Baltic and Polish speakers

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

Hussar said that the violation of Estonia’s airspace had been a deliberate provocation by Russia, which took place after the attacks against our NATO and European Union allies Poland and Romania. Following the airspace violation, Estonia initiated NATO Article 4 consultations and, for the first time in its 34 years of membership, requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

According to Hussar, Russia’s actions blatantly violate international law and clearly demonstrate that it is not interested in achieving peace. “At today’s meeting of Speakers, I would like to thank my colleagues from the Nordic Countries, the Baltic States and Poland for their support, and discuss further cooperation to increase political and economic pressure and raise the cost to Russia of its war of aggression against Ukraine and its increasingly frequent provocations,” he said.

Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Hussar will discuss violation of airspace with Nordic, Baltic and Polish speakers

Source: Parliament of Estonia

The Legal Affairs Committee supports increasing liability for damaging underwater infrastructure

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

According to Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee Madis Timpson, the aim of the Bill is to increase liability for damaging critical submarine infrastructure and to raise the penalties for such acts so high that, for example, Russia’s shadow fleet would think carefully about whether it is worth to commit such a crime.

“We are responding to bad experiences where two ships have damaged our important submarine cables with their anchors and caused damage to our economy. The aim is to respond to hybrid warfare and the security situation, prevent such economically damaging attacks, and claim compensation for damage,” Timpson said. He added that there were plans to strengthen penalties both for damaging cables and for the so-called commissioned vandalism.

According to the Bill, criminals who have damaged infrastructure connected with Estonia in our economic zone can be punished. The Bill also plans to strengthen penalties for crimes related to damage to critical underwater infrastructure and to allow surveillance in such criminal cases in order to better combat hybrid attacks by hostile countries.

It was noted at the sitting that Estonia had acceded to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), according to which coastal states must provide for sufficiently dissuasive penalties in their legislation and update their penal law if necessary. It was also pointed out that Finland, for example, had already strengthened its penalties.

Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta and Adviser of the Penal Law and Procedure Division of the Ministry Martin Ziehr gave an overview of the Bill at the sitting.

The Legal Affairs Committee decided to send the Bill on Amendments to the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Penal Jurisdiction and Damaging Underwater Infrastructure) (656 SE) to the first reading at the plenary sitting of the Riigikogu on 8 October with the motion to conclude the first reading.

Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
+372 631 6592; +372 510 6179
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Legal Affairs Committee supports increasing liability for damaging underwater infrastructure

Source: Parliament of Estonia

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