President of the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar said that the depiction of war on children’s pictures, through their eyes, brought a deep sadness to his soul. “Wherever a war takes place, it is the children who suffer the most from it. They will feel the trauma of war for the rest of their lives and pass it on to the next generations,” said Hussar. He emphasised that when looking at these pictures, we should feel with all our souls the responsibility of adults to prevent war or to end it as soon as possible.
The exhibition displays incredibly heartfelt images of war. There are drawings by Polish children from 1946, reflecting their experiences during the Second World War and the German occupation in 1939–1945. From 1945 to 1966, these pictures were preserved in the Polish State Archives in Warsaw. Next to them, there are drawings by Ukrainian children of today that depict the war that is currently taking place in Ukraine, and have been collected into the portal “Mom, I See War”.
The organisers of the exhibition aim to show that through the eyes of a child, war always looks the same. Regardless of the place or time, war is a great evil, and the child is always its victim. The similarity between the historical and contemporary drawings is remarkable. Children draw tanks, planes dropping bombs, fires and explosions. They draw the wounded and the dead, ruined houses, graves. They draw themselves and their families, they draw evacuation and escape. But they also draw pictures of hope and of their dreams for the future.
The exhibition “Mum, I Don’t Want War”, organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland and the Embassy of the United States, was commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland and consists of children’s drawings held in the Polish State Archives and collected by the Ukrainian portal “Mom, I See War” in 2022.
The 2024 exhibition and educational programme in Estonia is jointly curated by the Embassies of Poland and the United States as well as the American Space in Narva, the American Corner in Kuressaare and the American Corner in Viljandi City Library.
The special exhibition is organised in cooperation with the Chancellery of the Riigikogu. The exhibition will be open until 14 June, and 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.
Photos (Erik Peinar, Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
NordenBladet —Today, cadets from the Estonian Military Academy made their final preparations for the exercise Spring Storm at the Nursipalu training area, focusing on live-fire urban combat and clearing buildings of adversaries. “The ability to hit your target and operate as a unified team is crucial for defeating the enemy,” said …
NordenBladet —On May 6th, hundreds of reservists gathered in Raadi, Tartu, where units of the 2nd Infantry Brigade participating in the Spring Storm exercise were formed. According to Major Taavi Moor, the commander of the 27th Engineer Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, the importance of reservists cannot be underestimated, as …
NordenBladet —On Monday, May 6th, the annual military exercise Spring Storm started, with nearly 14,000 participants from Estonia and allied countries. This year’s exercise aims to practice carrying out defensive operations in conventional warfare conditions through the cooperation of the Estonian division and allies, incorporating other branches of the military and …
Hussar said at the meeting that Estonia and Latvia worked actively together in many fields and the relations between the parliaments of the two countries had also never been better than now. As an example of good cooperation, he highlighted the joint visit of the Baltic Speakers to Canada and the United States earlier this year, as well as the joint letters sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which drew attention to the continuing threat from Russia and the need for US assistance to Ukraine.
“The excellent cooperation between the Baltic States allows us to act quickly and respond together to convince our partners and allies, especially in these critical times when decisiveness and courage are often needed. Such cooperation is necessary to maintain unity in Europe and to continue supporting Ukraine.” he said.
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu also discussed parliamentary cooperation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. Chairman of the Committee Marko Mihkelson said at the meeting that the cooperation between Estonia and Latvia was closer than ever before, and its continuation was crucial to achieving common foreign and security policy goals. The Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the parliaments of the Baltic States often issue joint statements and make joint visits. For example, in April they jointly visited both the United States and Germany.
During the meetings, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia acknowledged the activities and cooperation of the Speakers and committees, as well as foreign delegations and parliamentary friendship groups.
Meetings in the Riigikogu focused on long-term support to Ukraine, the challenges facing the European Union in the near future and the preparations for the NATO Summit in Washington in summer. Regional infrastructure projects and issues relating to language studies were also discussed.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, who assumed office in April, also met with President of the Republic Alar Karis and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Margus Tsahkna in Tallinn today.
Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
75 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Statement of the Riigikogu “On Declaring the Moscow Patriarchate an Institution Sponsoring the Military Aggression of the Russian Federation” (420 AE), and 8 members were against it.
In this Statement, the Riigikogu strongly condemns the war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the unlawful annexation of the territory conquered in the course of the aggression, and notes that Putin’s terrorist regime with its threats of nuclear weapon has become the key menace to peace in Europe and the whole world.
“Ever since the Russian Federation launched a full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Rus has expressed his public support to the act of aggression of the terrorist regime of the Russian Federation. The leaders of the Moscow Patriarchate and Patriarch Kirill are using the Russian World ideology as a tool to promote the war; it is utilised to destroy the last manifestations of Russian democracy, militarise Russian society, and justify the aggression in order to extend the Russian Federation to all the territories dominated by it in the past, including Ukraine,” the Riigikogu says in its Statement.
The Statement evokes the policy document “The present and future of the Russian world” adopted by the World Russian People’s Council, which has been established under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church and is led by the Moscow Patriarch; the document describes the war of aggression in Ukraine as a holy war both against Ukraine and the whole West, and also views a wider expanse of territories than the former Russian empire as part of the sphere of influence of the Russian Federation. “The calls of the Moscow Patriarchate contain an inherent danger to Estonia’s security and survival, including a direct threat to the public and constitutional order in Estonia,” the Estonian parliament says.
The Statement defines Estonia as a democratic state that stands for religious freedom; the state must also ensure everyone’s freedom to choose the religion to follow. “In the world today, the state also needs to protect people from terrorist and other hostile propaganda as well as incitements to violence. Protection from such propaganda also applies to Orthodox residents of Estonia, regardless of their language, ethnicity, or canonical association,” the Riigikogu declares and expresses disgust for the abuse and distortion of the tradition of religion and orthodoxy by the Moscow Patriarchate and the current regime in Moscow. “In light of the actions of the Moscow Patriarchate so far, there is a persistent threat of people being influenced in this pseudo-religious context.”
The Riigikogu affirms its repudiation of the actions of the Moscow Patriarchate as an institution that justifies and supports the aggression of the Russian Federation and feels validated in declaring the Moscow Patriarchate an institution sponsoring Russia’s military aggression. The Riigikogu calls on all states and the international community to suppress the hostile influencing activities of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The Riigikogu also emphasises that declaring the Moscow Patriarchate an institution sponsoring Russia’s military aggression concerns the Moscow Patriarchate as an institution and a directing body, not the people who follow the orthodox traditions. “Orthodox associations and congregations should also carry out their own assessment of the threat to public order and to their members caused by the hostile influencing activities, and take the necessary steps to cut the ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. The Republic of Estonia must preserve the constitutional right to religious freedom, with full consideration for the rights and freedoms of everyone living here,” the Riigikogu declares in its Statement.
The first reading of the Sugary Drinks Tax Bill (418 SE), initiated by the Government, which had been adjourned due to the end of the working hours of the sitting on Tuesday, was continued.
Under the Bill, a sugary drinks tax will be introduced from 2026 with the aim of reducing the use of sugar and sweeteners in sugary drinks.
The new tax is intended to encourage people to consume drinks with lower sugar content or without sugar and sweeteners. According to the Bill, the tax rate levels will depend on the sugar content of the product and the use of sweeteners. According to the Bill, drinks with a sugar content of at least five grams per 100 millilitres and/or to which sweeteners have been added will be taxed.
If the sugar content of a sugary drink is between five and eight grams per 100 millilitres, the tax rate will be 0.15 euro, and if the sugar content is more than eight grams, the rate will be 0.45 euro per litre.
Drinks containing only sweeteners or both sweeteners and sugar with a sugar content of less than five grams per 100 millilitres will be subject to a tax rate of 0.15 euro irrespective of the quantity of sweetener, and where the sugar content of such a drink is between five and eight grams per 100 millilitres, a tax rate of 0.3 euro per litre will be applied.
If a sugary drink is to be diluted or dissolved for consumption, it will be taxed according to the quantity of the drink diluted or dissolved according to the recommendation of the manufacturer, and its sugar and sweetener content. In the absence of a recommendation to dilute or dissolve, such a drink will be taxed on the basis that it is diluted or dissolved at a ratio of 1:6.
According to the Bill, the sugary drinks tax will be paid by the importer of the drink, the person who acquires the drink from another European Union member state, or the Estonian manufacturer when the drink is made available in Estonia for the first time. Fruit, berry and vegetable juices with no added sugar or sweeteners, dairy products, and plant-based drinks consumed instead of milk will be exempt from the tax, as will be, for example, alcohol, medicines, and food supplements, and beverages prepared on the spot at the point of sale, in bulk and intended for immediate consumption.
During the debate, Eero Merilind (Reform Party), Lauri Laats (Centre Party) and Arvo Aller (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Tanel Kiik (Social Democratic Party) and Helir-Valdor Seeder (Isamaa) took the floor.
The Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, the Centre Party Group and Isamaa Parliamentary Group moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 22 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 51 were against and the Bill passed the first reading.
The deliberation of a Statement was adjourned
The deliberation of the Draft Statement of the Riigikogu “On Declaring the Moscow Patriarchate an Institution Sponsoring the Military Aggression of the Russian Federation” (420 AE), submitted by 52 members of the Riigikogu, was adjourned due to the end of the working hours of the sitting. With the Statement, the Riigikogu condemns the actions of the Moscow Patriarchate in justifying and supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and declares the Moscow Patriarchate an institution sponsoring the military aggression of the Russian Federation. In the Statement, the Riigikogu also calls on all states and the international community to suppress the hostile influencing activities of the Moscow Patriarchate.
According to the draft Statement, declaring the Moscow Patriarchate an institution sponsoring the military aggression of the Russian Federation concerns the Moscow Patriarchate as an institution and a directing body and not the people who follow Orthodox traditions. “Orthodox associations and congregations should also do their own assessment of the threat to public order and their members caused by the hostile influencing activities and take the necessary steps to cut their ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. The Republic of Estonia must preserve the constitutional right to religious freedom, taking into account the rights and freedoms of all people living here,” the Statement says.
The deliberation of six drafts was deferred
The second reading of a Bill was deferred due to the end of the working hours of the sitting. It is the Bill on Amendments to the State Budget for 2024 (389 SE), initiated by the Government, which will raise the minimum salary rate for teachers from 1,803 euro to 1,820 euro, to which a 20 per cent differentiation part will be added. The calculated average of teachers’ salary will increase by a total of 6.6 per cent, to 2,184 euro. For this purpose, 9.27 million euro will be directed to the local governments support fund in the state budget.
The first reading of five drafts was also deferred. They are the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic on the establishment of a temporary solidarity tax for the banking sector” (367 OE), submitted by the Centre Party Group, the Bill on Amendments to the Security Activities Act (413 SE), initiated by the Legal Affairs Committee, the Bill on Amendments to the Municipal Council Election Act (387 SE), initiated by Isamaa Parliamentary Group, the Bill on Amendments to the Security Authorities Act (330 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, and the Bill on Amendments to the Police and Border Guard Act (370 SE), initiated by Member of the Riigikogu Kalle Grünthal.
The Bill on Amendments to the International Sanctions Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (332 SE) creates a national mechanism to ensure the financial liability of the aggressor state for damage caused by the most serious violations of international law. The amendment will enable the use of assets of individuals and companies that have contributed to Russia’s illegal acts, and frozen under the sanctions, as an advance payment for damages owed by Russia to Ukraine. The Bill also specifies the competences of state agencies in the implementation of international sanctions and provides them with a clearer legal basis for the implementation and monitoring of sanctions.
The Committee made seven amendments to the Bill before the second reading, including an amendment setting out the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the body who decides on the use of assets as an advance payment for the damages by administrative procedure. The initial wording had set out the administrative court as the receiver of the applications.
The Bill provides that the decision on the use of assets as an advance payment for the damages must be based on the fact that the unlawful act has caused provable damage, which must be compensated for under international law, and that the foreign state who has sustained the damage has submitted a relevant request to the foreign state which has caused the damage, but the latter has failed to meet the request within a reasonable term. In order to launch the proceedings on the use of the assets in Estonia, a relevant request must be submitted to Estonia and the conditions for the use of the assets as an advance payment of damages and for assigning the right of claim to the owner of the assets must have been agreed on with the requesting state. In addition, the link between the owner of the assets and the unlawful act must be sufficiently proven.
Under the amendments to the Bill, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must determine all the facts relating to the assets and their ownership status, and make sure that there are no special circumstances that would set the individual’s interests above the need to apply this measure. The owner of the assets would have the right to contest the decision in administrative court.
The Bill was initiated by the Government and passed the first reading in the Riigikogu in mid-November. Before sending the Bill to the second reading, the Constitutional Committee discussed the introduction of a relevant regulation and its importance with national law and banking experts, foreign policy experts, and representatives of the courts.
The Constitutional Committee proposed the second reading of the Bill for next Wednesday, May 8.
Governor of the Bank of Estonia Madis Müller replied to the interpellation concerning the pressure from the European Central Bank on the Basel Committee (No. 628), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Rain Epler and Martin Helme.
Müller replied to the question on whether he thought the European Central Bank and national central banks should actively engage in climate policy and why they should do so.
According to Müller, it is important to recognise that the central bank is not, and in his view should not be, involved in climate policy making. “This is clearly the task of national governments and parliaments. The main task of the Bank of Estonia in Estonia, and the European Central Bank’s main task in the euro area, is to do everything in the central bank’s power to ensure that price increases are moderate enough and that the euro, as our currency, thus does not lose its value too quickly,” Müller said.
He explained that issues relating to climate concerned central banks in two ways. First, both climate change itself and climate policy can have a fairly direct impact on the economy and on different prices. That is why we need to take both into account as much as possible in our economic analysis as well as in monetary policy making. Second, and this may be a little-known piece of information, but in addition to its core mandate, the European Central Bank has a secondary mandate under the European Union Treaties, which stipulates that as long as this does not conflict with the central bank’s core task of making efforts to ensure price stability, the European Central Bank should also support in its activities the economic policy of the European Union more generally. This also includes European Union climate policy, which clearly affects economy. “Thus, the European Central Bank’s consideration of climate issues has not been a matter of its own volition, but has also been the will of the legislature,” Müller underlined.
Müller argued that the impacts of climate policy and climate change were wide-ranging, extending beyond the environment, affecting the economy and financial systems, which importantly also involved obligations for central banks. Climate change causes extreme weather events that can disrupt economic activity, damage infrastructure, and reduce productivity. “Such changes can affect supply chains, increase price volatility and bring about faster price rises for certain products or services,” Müller admitted.
He referred to the fact that the transition to a carbon-neutral economy would mean heavy investments both for the deployment of new energy sources and for the provision of innovative technology products and services in many sectors of the economy. “All this has a potential impact on different prices and is therefore directly related to the main task of the European Central Bank and other central banks, which is to maintain price stability,” Müller noted.
Müller pointed out that the impact of climate change on monetary policy was not just hypothetical. The European Central Bank has estimated that, for example, the heatwave of 2022 pushed up food prices in the euro area by around 0.7%, with the impact extending into 2023. “That is why we have refined our models, which we use in the macroeconomic analysis on the basis of which we make our monetary policy decisions. In these analyses, we will also try to take into account the risks arising from climate change and the impacts of different decisions relating to climate policy,” Müller said.
“In addition, climate change and climate policy have a direct impact on central bank assets. If central bank assets, such as bonds and other financial instruments, are linked to economic sectors affected by climate change, the central bank’s balance sheet is also directly exposed to climate risks. It is therefore responsible, and it may perhaps even be said, essential, for central banks to integrate climate risks into their risk management processes in order to protect their balance sheets and thus their ability to perform their tasks,” Müller said.
He noted that, once again, the Governing Council of the European Central Bank did not specifically discuss individual issues dealt with by the Basel Committee, which was a forum for discussing issues relating to banking supervision and regulations at global level. The members of the Basel Committee are banking supervisors and central banks from the major countries, but also the European Central Bank, in particular as the body exercising banking supervision.
Müller confirmed that, in general, the European Central Bank supported as uniform as possible an approach to climate risk management. Differences of opinion between supervisors in different countries often focus on how to measure and manage climate risks most effectively, but the general thrust, however, is to support the promotion of practices that best take into account environmental risks in global banking. “Having said that, I think it is also only to be expected that supervisors in different countries will have differing positions on certain issues, and the Basel Committee is the place where, by reconciling these differences of opinion and negotiating on these issues, they will try to agree on common minimum standards that apply globally,” Müller said.
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas replied to the interpellations concerning public funding of abortions of choice (No. 606), the motor vehicle tax being in conflict with European Union law (No. 622) and the motor vehicle tax being in conflict with the Constitution and European Union law (No. 623).
The interpellators withdrew from the proceedings the interpellation concerning the plan to change the name of the Defence Resources Agency (No. 576), submitted to Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
Today and tomorrow, Mihkelson and Kols will meet with Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag Michael Roth, member and long-time Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag Dr Norbert Röttgen, Chair of the Defence Committee of the Bundestag Dr Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, and members of the Parliamentary Friendship Group of Bundestag for Relations with the Baltic States. They have also planned to have meetings with Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to the Federal Chancellor of Germany Jens Plötner, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Thomas Bagger, and representatives of the German Council on Foreign Relations.
Before travelling to Germany, the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Baltic States were on a joint visit to Los Angeles, USA, where they discussed the impact of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and underlined the importance of further support to Ukraine.