NordenBladet —Today, the units from the Regional Command North-East (RC N-E), Estonian Defence League (EDL), conducted a rehearsal of concept drill for upcoming simulated battles, that will be carried out in the upcoming days together with NATO Multinational Battlegroup stationed in Estonia. “Today, we played though the upcoming operation so that …
Source: Estonian Defence Forces
NordenBladet —
Under the Bill on the Accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure (534 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, Estonian children would acquire the right to submit complaints to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child when their rights have been breached, and the Committee would receive the right to proceed such complaints once Estonia accedes to the Protocol. The Committee will also be able to launch investigations into serious and systematic violations of children’s rights.
The Protocol sets out the competences of the Committee in case of communications procedures, as well as temporary protection measures. Complaints can be submitted by individuals or groups when the rights of a child as provided in the Convention on the Rights of the Child or its optional protocols have been violated, including the provisions on sale of children, child prostitution, or involving children in armed conflicts.
The implementation of the Protocol will take place within the confines of the resources available to ministries and through the drafting of the necessary materials, the costs of which will be covered from the European Social Fund. 52 countries have already ratified the Optional Protocol.
During the debate, Züleyxa Izmailova spoke on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Group and Urmas Reinsalu spoke on behalf of Isamaa Parliamentary Group.
One Bill was dropped from the proceedings
The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendments to the Citizenship Act (522 SE), initiated by Isamaa Parliamentary Group, which intended to prevent the granting and restoration of Estonian citizenship to people who have been repeatedly convicted of intentionally committed criminal offences, even if their convictions have been spent. The initiators pointed out that the same prohibition had initially been in the Citizenship Act of 1995 as well.
Under the current Act, in exceptional cases, Estonian citizenship may be granted or restored to a person who has been repeatedly convicted of intentionally committed criminal offences and whose convictions have been spent, with consideration as to the circumstances related to the commission of the criminal offences and the identity of the offender.
The Constitutional Committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 45 members of the Riigikogu supported the rejection and nine were against it.
Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)
Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: Bill protecting children rights passed the first reading
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —Throughout this week, Estonian and Allied forces are practicing various air operations as part of the Pikne exercise, including close air support procedures. During the training allied aircraft also conduct low-altitude flights. “The main focus of the air operations during exercise Pikne is to practice the procedures of the Air …
Source: Estonian Defence Forces
NordenBladet —
Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi replied to the interpellations concerning the impact of tax amendments on the state budget (No. 648) and planned changes in excise duty (No. 651) submitted by members of the Riigikogu.
The interpellators wished to know which parties the Ministry of Finance used when making additional specific forecasts, such as Eesti Pank, higher education institutions and private sector experts.
According to Ligi, the Ministry of Finance has a large number of cooperation partners. In forecasting the effects of the state’s activities, the state has built competence in various ministries, and of course there is close cooperation with them. Outside the ministries, Eesti Pank is the most important partner, but it is more at the macro level. Cooperation partners also include think tanks, commercial banks, and, of course, economic advisers to the Prime Minister and the President. “For bigger jobs, things are outsourced to universities, think tanks, audit firms, research agencies and so on,” Ligi explained.
Answering the question as to what the action plan of the Ministry of Finance was so that the increase in tobacco excise duty or alcohol excise duty would not lead to an increase in trading in the border areas and smuggling, Ligi said, “We do not have these measures. But, of course, the tax office has prepared against smuggling and the share of contraband is actually quite modest.”
“It is rather more complicated in the case of tobacco in terms of percentage. But illegal alcohol is no longer as important an issue in Estonia as it was in the past. One of the reasons, of course, is that the borders of Russia and Belarus have been closed. But the smuggling industry has also moved to the Baltic countries. We have goods coming in from the south, so we are alert,” Ligi explained.
Ligi answered a question about the latest data on receipts: “The latest data are that receipts are slightly lower than last year. 19 million euro was received in alcohol excise duty in August, and 139.6 million was received in eight months. 22.7 million of tobacco excise was received in August, and 172.7 million was received in eight months,” Ligi noted. “If you want to conclude that the excise policy has failed, I do not agree with this. However, the aim of the excise duty policy is also to limit consumption. And from that point of view, we can be satisfied when it is said that consumption has fallen,” Ligi remarked.
Minister of Economy and Industry Erkki Keldo replied to the interpellations concerning the future of Tartu Agro (No. 655) and the decline in Estonian industrial production (No. 658).
Hele Everaus took the floor during the open microphone.
The sitting ended at 5.48 p.m.
Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)
Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
Riigikogu Press Service
Gunnar Paal
+372 631 6351, +372 5190 2837
gunnar.paal@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: The Riigikogu heard replies to four interpellations
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —As part of the exercise Pikne, approximately 200 soldiers from the French Armed Forces’ 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment arrived at Ämari Air Base today during a rapid deployment drill. The troops, transported by aircraft, relocated to integrate with the NATO multinational battlegroup permanently stationed in Estonia. The joint units …
Source: Estonian Defence Forces
NordenBladet —Reservists from the Engineer Battalion (1st Infantry Brigade) and the Air Defense Battery (Estonian Division), called up for snap exercise Okas 24-2 that began this Tuesday morning, are preparing to move to the exercise area to fulfill their tasks during Exercise Pikne. “The brigade is currently mobilizing the engineer company. …
Source: Estonian Defence Forces
NordenBladet —
In its Statement, the Committee condemns the brutal repression of peaceful demonstrations with the support of advancing Russian imperialism, and calls on ending any use of violence against the people of Georgia.
The Foreign Affairs Committee also urges the EU Member States to react and act swiftly in this increasingly critical situation for democracy in Georgia. “As the situation in Georgia is getting worse every day, we consider it necessary that the countries of the European Union jointly and immediately impose sanctions against those who have illegally seized power as a result of the rigged elections,” the Foreign Affairs Committee said in the Statement. “To end the constitutional crisis and restore democracy, it is inevitable that new parliamentary elections are held in Georgia.”
The Committee expresses its support to the people of Georgia who stand for their country’s democratic and pro-European future, and to President Salome Zurabishvili as the only independent constitutional institution standing for democracy in Georgia.
The Foreign Affairs Committee issued the Statement at its today’s sitting, where the developments in Georgia were discussed. Ambassador of Estonia in Georgia Marge Mardisalu-Kahar gave the Committee an overview of the situation in the country.
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: The Foreign Affairs Committee calls on the EU to act on Georgia without losing time
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —The Government of the Republic of Estonia decided to declare a defence readiness exercise Okas 24-2 (Quill), with up to 250 members of the Engineer Battalion (1st Infantry Brigade) and Air Defence Battery (Estonian Division) ordered to participate in the snap exercise (SNAPEX). Exercise Okas is of a defensive manner, aimed at practicing national defence activities. There is no immediate …
Source: Estonian Defence Forces
NordenBladet —Today, the two-week long international military exercise Pikne („Lightning“) begins in Estonia, during which supplementary Allied units will be rapidly deployed to Estonia to support and train together with the NATO multinational battlegroup and the Estonian Defence Forces in a simulated war situation. The exercise is led by Estonian Division, …
Source: Estonian Defence Forces
NordenBladet —From December 2 to 8, Allied Air Forces will conduct training flights in Estonian airspace with fighter jets and transport aircrafts as part of Exercise Pikne, including low-altitude flights. The training flights will take place in designated training areas. The flights will primarily take place in Northeastern Estonia between 8:00 …
Source: Estonian Defence Forces