During the two-day conference held in Bruges, Belgium, the supporting of Ukraine in the fight against Russia that is continuing war of aggression as well as the ongoing enlargement of the EU are discussed. The priorities of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy, and common vision of security and defence sector will also be spoken about at the sessions.
The Conference is part of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which lasts from 1 January until the end of June. Priorities of the Belgian Presidency include defending rule of law, democracy, and unity, as well as promoting a global Europe.
After the Conference, Mihkelson and Stoicescu will meet with NATO Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security Scott Bray and NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning Angus Lapsley at NATO Headquarters to discuss the efforts of the Allies to implement NATO’s renewed deterrence and defence posture and regional defence plans as soon as possible.
Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee Liisa Pakosta thinks that as many materials from scrapped vehicles as possible should be recycled. “The number of cars is growing, and huge amount of materials with a large environmental impact are used for manufacturing them. Such wasting should be stopped. Manufacturers of the components and spare parts needed to make cars must also be obliged to make better use of the scrap from old cars,” the Chair explained. “We also believe that the manufacturers of vehicles belonging to other categories, like motorcycles, mopeds, trucks, buses and trailers, should be included in the system,” she noted.
In Pakosta’s opinion, in the light of the possible vehicle tax, and also the shipment of waste to third countries, there is a need to clarify what is an end-of-life vehicle and what is a used vehicle, and how exactly they should be defined. “We have also invited the representatives of interest groups to the Committee sitting, so that the decisions would take into account the needs of businesses. For example, it is necessary to move in stages for the new requirements to take effect, and economy needs at least three years’ notice,” Pakosta said.
The European Union Affairs Committee will discuss Estonia’s positions on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on circularity requirements for vehicle design and on management of end-of-life vehicles. The aim of the proposal is to provide even transition to circular economy by establishing circularity requirements for motor vehicle production and improve the requirements for the treatment of end-of-life vehicle to ensure more efficient collection, more sustainable repair and availability of secondary raw materials.
Deputy Secretary General for Living Environment and Circular Economy Ivo Jaanisoo and Adviser of the Circular Economy Department Piret Otsason from the Ministry of Climate, CEO of the Estonian Association of Car Dealers and Services (AMTEL) Meelis Telliskivi and CEO of the Estonian Automotive Recyclers Association Siim Sellik have been invited to the sitting.
Public video sitting of the European Union Affairs Committee starts at 1.15 p.m. and it will be streamed online. Video recording will be available to watch on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
The representatives of the Riigikogu were in Israel from Sunday to Thursday as part of an international delegation that also included representatives of Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, France and the United States. The delegation met with members of the Parliament of Israel, as well as high-level representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Security Council, who gave the delegation an overview of the circumstances surrounding Hamas attack on 7 October last year, and the aims and prospects of Israel’s military operation.
Stoicescu said that the representatives of Estonia and other Baltic States raised issues relating to Russia’s aggression at the meetings, and drew parallels between terrorist Hamas and Putin’s Russia. “Israel has not provided lethal aid to Ukraine so far, but this may change,” the Chairman of the National Defence Committee pointed out.
According to Stoicescu, the representatives of Estonia also drew the attention of the hosts to Russia’s aggressive propaganda channels that are broadcast freely in Israel and the transmission of which is restricted or banned in Europe. “The representatives of the Baltic States and Israel agreed upon the need to have closer mutual contacts in the future to exchange information and discuss the situation,” he said.
The delegation visited Erez Crossing, the border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel that was first attacked by Hamas on the morning of 7 October, as well as Kfar Aza kibbutz and the Nova music festival area, where hundreds of people were murdered and raped. “During Israel’s military operation, a large number of civilians in the Gaza Strip have been injured and killed, and many Western allies have called on Israel to minimise the number of civilian casualties as much as possible, considering the specific nature of the operation, i.e. the hiding of Hamas members among the civilian population,” Stoicescu said.
Stoicescu also pointed out that it should not be overlooked that support for Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank was very high, over 60 and 80 percent respectively, according to polls. “The Palestinians must understand that Hamas is not made up of freedom fighters, but of brutal terrorists whose aim is not a normally functioning state of Palestine, but killing people, to be precise, Jews,” Stoicescu said. He added that the Palestinians had a right to their own state, but not to a terrorist formation.
The international delegation also visited the production facilities of Israel’s space industry, which produce top level drones, aircraft, missile systems, space rockets and satellites.
The visit was organised by European Leadership Network that promotes the relations between Europa and Israel.
From Monday to Friday, members of the Support Group will meet with President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen, President of the Legislative Yuan (legislature of Taiwan) Han Kuo-yu, Prime Minister Chen Chien-jen and Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu. They also plan to have meetings with representatives of political parties, non-profit organisations and business associations.
The historically large delegation visiting Taiwan is made up of Chairman of the Support Group Kristo Enn Vaga, and members Karmen Joller, Ester Karuse, Katrin Kuusemäe, Tõnis Lukas, Juku-Kalle Raid, Luisa Rõivas and Jaak Valge. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, who visited Estonia last November, invited representatives of the Support Group to visit Taiwan.
Last November, the Government of Estonia announced that it would allow the opening of a non-diplomatic mission of Taipei in Estonia.
For more information, please contact:
Kristo Enn Vaga
Chairman of Estonia-Taiwan Support Group +372 5626 7733 kristoenn.vaga@riigikogu.ee
The Speakers pointed out that in recent days, a solemn anniversary had loomed large, commemorating the two-year mark since Russia and its dictatorial regime invaded Ukraine in an unprovoked and unjustified act of aggression. “This invasion has obviously endangered not only the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, but has also challenged the entire democratic world, jeopardizing the security in the whole European and Euro-Atlantic area,” they said.
According to them, over these past two years, the countries that remain committed to our shared values and believe in a world based on rules and respect to the UN Charter, have united to help Ukraine and its people in repelling the brutal aggression that is claiming hundreds of lives every day. “Our joint assistance has helped to stop the aggressor and liberate a large share of previously occupied territories of Ukraine. We welcome the indispensable and prominent role of the United States in this joint effort. The US has consistently demonstrated strong bipartisan support for Ukraine’s victory in its fight against the Russian invasion,” the letter states.
The Speakers underline that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a significant impact on the development of the security situation in the world. “We see that while Iran and North Korea have begun to provide direct military support to Russia, the criminal actions of the Kremlin regime have inspired other dictatorial and undemocratic regimes, become a catalyst for the escalation of old conflicts, and put us on the brink of new confrontations. Today, the world is rapidly moving towards the destruction of the sustainable world order,” they say in the letter.
The Speakers from 19 European parliaments assure that they see it as their responsibility and their task to prevent this descent into chaos and impunity, and therefore their countries are committed to further increasing the support to Ukraine and its defence forces, seeing it as a considerable investment in our individual and collective security. “The axis of evil must be defeated, and all perpetrators brought to justice. This will serve as a significant deterrent to further conflicts and will return a sense of control and security to our peoples,” they note.
In the letter sent to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Speakers express their conviction that thanks to his personal leadership, the Congress will demonstrate historic bipartisan unity in support of the collective efforts to assist Ukraine. “Therefore, we ask you to take the next step toward adopting a historic decision on HR 815 that will secure US assistance to foreign countries and provide Ukraine with the necessary funds to continue its fight,” they say.
The joint letter has been signed by the Speakers of the Parliaments of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, North-Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Ukraine. President of the Parliament of Estonia the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar signed the letter on behalf of Estonia.
Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee Liisa Pakosta said that the proposals of the European Commission did not suit Estonia. “In our opinion, creating a new bureaucratic form of association will not help make the third sector in Estonia stronger. I consider involving of interest groups very important, and today we will discuss together whether the proposal for a directive is acceptable or not,” she explained.
“The creation of the new form of association proposed by the European Commission also requires significant resources and the cost is not reasonable when compared to the benefits,” she pointed out, adding that similar initiatives had been submitted in the past and they had not been popular. Pakosta noted that it would be better to facilitate the activities of existing associations by creating conditions similar to those for companies in the EU, such as rules on mutual recognition, harmonisation of registration principles and information disclosure requirements, as well as data exchange between registers.
Advisers of the Private Law Division of the Legislative Policy Department of the Ministry of Justice Marget Pae and Külliki Feldman, Adviser on better legislative drafting and EU single digital gateway Stina Avvo and Cross-Border Services Adviser Svetlana Štšur from the Entrepreneurship Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Executive Director of Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organizations Triin Toomesaar and Executive Director of the National Foundation of Civil Society Anneli Roosalu have been invited to attend the public sitting of the European Union Affairs Committee.
Public video sitting of the European Union Affairs Committee starts at 1.30 p.m. and it will be streamed online.
NordenBladet —Honourable President of the Republic of Estonia, President of the Riigikogu, Prime Minister, General Burkhard, Excellencies! Dear Estonian people and friends of Estonia! Happy 106th Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia! As always, we celebrate our country’s anniversary with a parade of the Defence Forces, where we showcase our military, …
Hussar pointed out that it had been the faith of our forefathers in Estonia that, through the War of Independence and the Tartu Peace Treaty, had given us the right we had fought for – to govern and decide our own affairs by ourselves in our own country. “This faith in our country and its future has led us here today, so that we can shape our future together, freely and independently of foreign power,” he said in the speech given in the Governor’s Garden at Toompea in Tallinn.
Hussar also drew attention to another anniversary – exactly 35 years ago today, the Estonian blue, black, and white flag was again raised on top the Tall Hermann Tower. “Tens of thousands of people here at the foot of the tower and hundreds of thousands of people all over Estonia watched it then, 35 years ago, with a lump in their throat and a thrill of joy in their hearts. It was all possible because our people never lost faith in a free Estonia, in our own state and in the fact that it is possible to leave the Russian times and enter the Estonian time,” he said.
Hussar recalled that two years ago today, a large war had broken out in Europe and from that moment onwards, we had been constantly thinking of Ukraine who is fighting for its freedom and for whom flying its national flag on its own soil is a challenge. “Attempts to take their freedom away from them by force are being made every day. Let us remember ourselves and remind everyone else every day that freedom is precious and its price is very high. Freedom must be fought for, to a victorious end,” he said, and assured that Estonia would stand by Ukraine until the victorious end of their war for freedom.
Hussar thanked all who had attended the ceremony and who were awake to raise the blue and black and white flag, as well as all those who had believed in Estonia. “We have many achievements we can be proud of, but the greatest of them is our own country, independent, free and sovereign. Happy anniversary to all of us on the birthday of our beloved country! Long live Estonia,” the President of the Riigikogu said at the ceremony.
Archbishop of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Urmas Viilma said a blessing at the flag raising ceremony, and Markus Andreas Auling, student of the Drama School Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, read out the Estonian Declaration of Independence The choirs of the Estonian Male Choir Association, and Tallinn Police Orchestra performed “Eesti lipp” (“Flag of Estonia”, music by Enn Võrk, words by Martin Lipp), “Hoia, Jumal, Eestit” (“God Save Estonia”, music by Juhan Aavik, words by Aleksander Leopold Raudkepp), “Jää vabaks, Eesti meri” (“Stay Free, Estonian Sea!”, by Viktor Konstantin Oxford), and “Kodumaa” (“Homeland”, music by Raimond Kull, words by Mihkel Veske).
The discussions at the meetings with members of the Parliament and Government of Ukraine will focus on the situation on the battlefield and the continuation of the necessary assistance that would help Ukraine achieve a strategic victory in the war of aggression waged by Russia. Ways of exerting further pressure on Russia and holding Russia to account for war crimes, crimes of aggression as well as inflicting damages in Ukraine will also be discussed.
In Kyiv, the international delegation will have meetings with Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Chairs of the committees of the Ukrainian Parliament and the Ombudsman, and visit the sitting of Verkhovna Rada. They also plan to meet with Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov, Minister of Defence of Ukraine Rustem Umerov, and representatives of the armed forces. The Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees will also attend Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum held in Kyiv, and meet with the representatives of Belarusian democratic forces.
Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the parliaments of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, who belong to the international parliamentary network United4Ukraine, which was formed to support Ukraine, participate in the visit.
The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendments to the Municipal Council Election Act (287 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group. It would have prohibited election coalitions from participating in municipal council elections. According to the Bill, it would have been possible to stand as a candidate for a municipal council either in the list of a political party or as an independent candidate.
Anti Allas from the Social Democratic Party Group took the floor during the debate.
The Constitutional Committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 45 members of the Riigikogu supported rejection and 11 voted against.
The first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Local Government Organisation Act (289 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, was cancelled at today’s sitting due to the absence of the presenter. The Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act provides that, where the presenter is not present at the deliberation of an item, the chair of the sitting does not open the deliberation of the agenda item and the deliberation is deferred to the following working week.
