Reklaam

ESTONIA

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of one Bill

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

The Bill on Amendments to § 3 of the Social Tax Act (260 SE), initiated by the Social Affairs Committee, passed the first reading in the Riigikogu. It will give employers the possibility to pay voluntary sickness benefit free of social tax to pregnant employees who fall ill, and thereby it will eliminate unequal treatment of employees.

If an employee falls ill, at first their employer and then the Estonian Health Insurance Fund must ensure replacement income for them. For the 4th until 8th day of sickness, the employer must pay the employee a mandatory sickness benefit which makes up 70 per cent of the average remuneration of the employee. In addition, it is possible for an employer to pay a voluntary benefit tax-free until the end of the period for the payment of the mandatory benefit so that the employee would retain their average remuneration during that time.

However, the current Act does not allow employers to pay voluntary sickness benefit to women released from work due to illness or injury during their pregnancy, and therefore an allowance for the preservation of earnings for a pregnant employee may be lower than that of other employees. The Estonian Health Insurance Fund pays sickness benefit to a pregnant employee to the extent of 70 per cent of their average income in the previous calendar year.

The Bill will give employees an opportunity to also preserve the average pay for pregnant employees during their sickness absence. With a view to ensuring equal treatment, the additional sickness benefit paid until the eighth day of sick leave is exempt from social tax. According to the Bill, the social tax incentive on the benefit will also extend to pregnant sole proprietors.

The Bill was initiated when the Chancellor of Justice proposed that the provisions that do not ensure that, in the event of sickness, pregnant employees have the right to a replacement income which is at least equivalent to that of other employees be brought into conformity with the Constitution.

Three Bills were dropped from the proceedings

The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendments to the Value Added Tax Act (33 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Rene Kokk and Henn Põlluaas. It was intended to increase the VAT on press publications from five per cent to 21 in order to reduce the state budget deficit. According to the Bill, the amendment would have affected both press publications on physical carriers and electronic press publications.

63 members of the Riigikogu supported the motion of the Finance Committee to reject the Bill and 12 voted against it.

The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendments to the Value Added Tax Act (34 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Rene Kokk and Anti Poolamets. It was intended to increase the VAT on press publications from five per cent to 22 in order to reduce the state budget deficit.

54 members of the Riigikogu supported the motion of the Finance Committee to reject the Bill and 11 voted against it.

The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendments to the Value Added Tax Act (81 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Rene Kokk and Evelin Poolamets. It was intended to increase the VAT on press publications from five per cent to 25 in order to reduce the state budget deficit.

59 members of the Riigikogu supported the motion of the Finance Committee to reject the Bill and 9 voted against it.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

The video recording of the sitting can be viewed on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Riigikogu Press Service
Eleen Lindmaa
+372 631 6456, +372 5551 4433
eleen.lindmaa@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of one Bill

Source: Parliament of Estonia

The Foreign Affairs Committee recommends using historic name Königsberg instead of Kaliningrad

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson said that the Committee had found that using the Soviet-era name Kaliningrad in the Estonian language should be discontinued and the historic name Königsberg should be used instead. Members of the Committee also pointed out that the city of Kingissepp in Russia should be called by its former name Jamburg or Jaama.

The Committee made the proposal to consider changing the name to the Language Committee of the Estonian Language Society that participates in defining the standard of the Estonian written language and includes an advisory working group on foreign names. Mihkelson underlined that Latvia, Lithuania and Poland had also decided to use the historic name of the city instead of Kaliningrad.

In 1255, the city with the old Prussian name Twangste was renamed Königsberg in honour of King Ottokar II of Bohemia. After World War II, the city became part of the Soviet Union and was renamed Kaliningrad after the Soviet politician and a leading figure of Stalinist terror regime Mikhail Kalinin.

The Foreign Affairs Committee discussed the name issue in connection with the draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Proposal to the Government of the Republic to Start Using the Historic Name Königsberg in Estonian” (218 OE). The Committee will continue discussion on the draft Resolution in October. The purpose of the draft Resolution is to make a proposal to the Government to rename Kaliningrad again Königsberg in Estonian and carry out all procedures relating to the name change.

Chief Language Planning Expert of the Institute of the Estonian Language Peeter Päll and Head of the Department of Modern Estonian of the Institute of the Estonian Language Sirli Zupping participated in the sitting of the Committee.

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 recommends using historic name Königsberg instead of Kaliningrad

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Estonian and Finnish defence committees: capability of defence industries has to be increased significantly

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

Chairman of the National Defence Committee Kalev Stoicescu said that Finland’s accession to NATO had provided the opportunity to have closer defence cooperation and to strengthen the deterrence and defence posture in the whole Baltic Sea region. In his opinion, Russia will remain a constant threat to NATO and the Allies must take this into account in their activities.

Stoicescu underlined the importance of NATO’s regional defence plans that were approved at the Vilnius Summit, but noted that the plans alone would not protect our security. According to him, the plans have to be jointly exercised and filled with real capabilities. “We very much look forward to Sweden becoming a member of NATO as soon as possible,” he said.

At the meeting, the Defence Committees also discussed the need to continue supporting Ukraine. “The West must remain patient and continue giving military, political and economic assistance to Ukraine as long as Ukraine needs it,” Stoicescu said.

He highlighted the decision taken by the European Union, at Estonia’s proposal, to acquire one million artillery shells to help Ukraine, and noted that this promise must be met as soon as possible. “The Committees agreed that the Western countries had to significantly increase the capabilities of their defence industries. In the neighbourhood of aggressive Russia, it is especially important that we had adequate supplies of weapons and ammunition. We also have to continue supporting Ukraine,” he said.

The Defence Committee of the Eduskunta of Finland is on a two-day visit to Estonia. Today, they also had meetings with Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Kusti Salm and Commander of the Defence Forces, General Martin Herem. Tomorrow, the delegation consisting of 14 MPs will visit the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn and the military base in Tapa.

The National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu and the Defence Committee of the Eduskunta have been cooperating closely and holding annual working meetings since 1993.

Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

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

Link uudisele: Estonian and Finnish defence committees: capability of defence industries has to be increased significantly

Source: Parliament of Estonia

The Legal Affairs Committee sent whistleblower protection bill to the first reading

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee Eduard Odinets said that the Bill would help companies detect significant breaches and ensure the confidentiality and protection of reporting persons. “In the future, the employees will have the possibility to inform the employer in a secure manner when they see that something is done wrong at the workplace. It is of course possible to report problems now, but the Bill will help ensure that breaches can be reported without having to fear loss of work or unfair treatment,” Odinets said. “If a company creates the necessary channels for reporting of breaches, it shows a wish to prevent breaches and eliminate them as soon as possible.”

It was pointed out at the sitting that the Bill would be applied to reporting of breaches in such areas as public procurements, prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing as well as public health. It will be possible to report internally or to a competent authority, and the whistleblower must have grounds to believe that the information is true. It was also noted at the sitting that several companies were interested in reporting channels and the new Act so that the employees would not be discouraged to inform the employee of potential breaches and the problems could be solved internally.

According to the Bill, knowingly reporting wrong information would be punishable. Hindering reporting or retaliating against whistleblowers would also be punishable. Thus, the rules to be established by the Bill would help preclude malicious reporting.

Currently there is no common and cross-sectoral whistleblower protection regulation in the Estonian law. In the future, administrative agencies, enterprises having 50 or more workers and municipal agencies will have the obligation to establish internal reporting channels. The amendment is connected with the whistleblower protection directive of the EU, and the Bill will focus narrowly on reporting breaches of European Union law. The Member States were obliged to transpose the directive by December 2021.

Minister of Justice Kalle Laanet and Mare Tannberg, Adviser at the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure of the Criminal Policy Division of the Ministry of Justice, participated in the sitting and presented the Bill.

The Legal Affairs Committee decided to send the Bill on the Protection of Persons Reporting Work-related Breaches of Union Law (257 SE) initiated by the Government, to the first reading at the plenary sitting of the Riigikogu on 18 October.

Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
Phone: +372 631 6592, +372 510 6179
E-mail: merilin.kruuse@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Legal Affairs Committee sent whistleblower protection bill to the first reading

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Riigikogu supports extending temporary protection to Ukrainian war refugees

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee Liisa Pakosta noted that as Russia’s war in Ukraine continued, many homes and workplaces in Ukraine had been destroyed and civilians were still being murdered, continuing of support to war refugees was clearly necessary. “Many people cannot return home because their homes no longer exist or they have to run to shelters every night. The Riigikogu decided to extend granting of temporary protection to Ukrainian refugees. This will give each Ukrainian family a possibility to decide whether they continue to need temporary protection and when they can return home, because before that, new homes, workplaces or maybe whole settlements have to be rebuilt,” Pakosta said.

Deputy Chair of the Committee Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski pointed out that Ukraine was interested in the returning of its people to their homes, but at the moment, the country most of all needed weapons to fight for its territory and freedom. “At the moment, the Ukrainian refugees have no place they can return to. When the time comes, we are naturally ready to support it,” Jufereva-Skuratovski said. She added that it was clear that Ukraine would need to carry out extensive reconstruction work before that.

It was stated at the meeting that one-year extension meant an additional need of 1.6 million, which would cover the costs relating to both international and temporary protection. It was also pointed out that if the war continued after a year, the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive could be extended again, but this would have to be a decision taken by all Member States.

The European Union Affairs Committee approved Estonia’s positions for the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting that will be held in Brussels on Thursday. The representatives of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Parliamentary Group abstained at the voting, saying that it was necessary to deal separately with deserters, whose maintenance was not right in their opinion.

For more information, please contact: Liisa Pakosta, phone +372 502 6191

Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
Phone: +372 631 6592, +372 510 6179
E-mail: merilin.kruuse@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Riigikogu supports extending temporary protection to Ukrainian war refugees

Source: Parliament of Estonia

European Space Conference focuses on space economy

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

“Cooperation with Russia is also out of the question in space. The aim of the European space sector should be total isolation of Russia, in order to raise our capability in space together with Ukraine in the future,” Head of the Estonian Delegation to the European Interparliamentary Space Conference Mario Kadastik said.

Head of the Estonian delegation Mario Kadastik and member of the delegation Tõnis Lukas attend the session.

Kadastik explained that the aim of the EISC is to offer the national parliaments of Europe an opportunity to exchange information, hold discussions and make analyses relating to the space policy sector. The resolutions adopted at the meetings of the EISC are not binding for the national parliaments, but the organisation helps define the role of the legislators of European countries in dealing with space issues.

Estonia’s activities in the space sector are closely connected with membership in the European Space Agency (ESA) and the space programme of the European Union. In the Estonian space sector, the ESA performs the role of a procurement agency until a relevant state structure is established.

The purpose of Estonia’s space programme is to enable the development of high-technology based business in Estonia and, as a result, increase the export of products and services, develop the local space industry, education and science. It is important to improve the position of Estonian companies in the supply chain and contribute to the emergence of main contractors in Estonia.

After the annual session, the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the European Space Policy Institute are also held in the Parliament of Austria, where the representatives of the European Space Agency and other space sector stakeholders are invited.

The European Interparliamentary Space Conference was established in 1999. Its full members are the national parliaments of the Member States of the European Union and the European Space Agency that have created a parliamentary body dealing with space affairs.

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

 

Link uudisele: European Space Conference focuses on space economy

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Government agreed to the European Union Affairs Committee’s amendments relating to the repair of goods initiative

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

“Repairing of things is very important for the environment, because the longer a thing is used, the smaller its environmental impact is,” Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee Liisa Pakosta said. She explained that the Committee had discussed the initiative regarding the repair of goods at two sittings in summer and decided to significantly amend Estonia’s positions on this issue.

“Just making an additional webpage funded by the state or sending a washing machine from Võru to France to be repaired are not reasonable solutions. The Riigikogu Committee in every way supports the idea that goods must be repaired more, but the obligations should be appropriate and reasonably enforceable. We found in our Committee that instead of imposing the obligation to repair on the producers, it would be of greater help if the producers had the obligation to ensure access to all spare parts and repair instructions to local repairers and end users in Estonia. If all spare parts can be ordered online and the drawings necessary for making repairs are accessible, it will also contribute to reducing transport footprint,” Pakosta said about the changes the Riigikogu had introduced into Estonia’s positions.

If the EU wanted to create a webpage to help find local repair services, it should be done centrally in the Committee’s opinion. Pakosta added that the information necessary for repairing should be communicated to the user already before ordering the work from the repairer, and it was also the usual practice because it was often asked what the repairs would cost and how long it would take. The Riigikogu does not support the creation of a long repair information form for comparing the repair offers that was proposed in the European Commission initiative.

The European Union Affairs Committee discussed the positions submitted by the Government at its sittings on 7 and 21 July and decided to amend them significantly in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice. The amended positions were presented to the Government, who supported the positions proposed by the Committee at its yesterday’s sitting. Thus, Estonia’s positions regarding the initiative are approved and the representatives of Estonia can proceed from them at the negotiations held in Europe.

For more information, please contact: Liisa Pakosta, phone +372 502 6191

Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
Phone: +372 631 6592, +372 510 6179
E-mail: merilin.kruuse@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Government agreed to the European Union Affairs Committee’s amendments relating to the repair of goods initiative

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Presidents of the Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council signed new cooperation priorities at the annual summit

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

“The Baltic States and the Nordic Countries hold a common opinion that Russia’s aggression in Ukraine is a threat to our region and to the whole Europe. Therefore, we first agreed that we will help Ukraine in post-war reconstruction. We also need a comprehensive defence cooperation policy that includes cyber security as well as increasing the resilience of the Baltic and Nordic societies to the fake news and propaganda coming from authoritarian regimes,” Suslov said.

On behalf of the Nordic Council, the document was signed by President of the Nordic Council Jorodd Asphjell.

The list of cooperation priorities also includes supporting transition to democracy in the Eastern Partnership countries, energy security of the region, alignment of the transport and energy infrastructures and ensuring digital interoperability, mitigation of climate change and sustainable, energy efficient circular economy, as well as compatibility of education systems, including mutual recognition of higher education diplomas.

The annual summit of the BA and the Nordic Council started today at 11 a.m. in the Conference Hall of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia). The summit will have two panels which will focus on cyber defence cooperation and supporting the Eastern Partnership countries in transition to democracy. The sitting is chaired by President of the BA Timo Suslov. Member of the Presidium Enn Eesmaa and Chairman of the Security Committee of the BA Peeter Tali also participate in the sitting. Before the official start of the summit, the delegations of the BA and NC visited the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn.

Riigikogu Press Service
Maris Meiessaar
Phone: +372 631 6353, +372 5558 3993
E-mail: maris.meiessaar@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

 

Link uudisele: Presidents of the Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council signed new cooperation priorities at the annual summit

Source: Parliament of Estonia

The Riigikogu discussed involving stakeholders into legislative drafting

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

37 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Resolution and 19 against it.

The Riigikogu did not support the proposal to waive the increase in VAT

The Riigikogu did not pass the Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to abandon the plan to increase VAT by two percentage points” (96 OE).

Kersti Sarapuu (Centre Party) took the floor during the debate.

23 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Resolution and one was against it. At least 51 votes were needed to pass the Resolution.

The Riigikogu rejected two Bills at the first reading

The Bill on Amendments to the Security Authorities Act (30 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Ants Frosch, Leo Kunnas, and Alar Laneman intended to amend the Act by adding the Military Intelligence Centre of the Defence Forces to the list of security authorities and clarifying the tasks of the security authorities.

Leo Kunnas (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor during the debate.

The Constitutional Committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 44 members of the Riigikogu backed the motion and 16 members of the Riigikogu were against it. The Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.

The purpose of the Bill on Amendments to the Family Benefits Act (49 SE) is to equalise child benefits by paying EUR 100 per month for the first and second child of the family as well.

The Social Affairs Committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 43 members of the Riigikogu backed the motion and 11 members of the Riigikogu were against it. The Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recordings of the sittings of the Riigikogu can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/riigikogu. (Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

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

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu discussed involving stakeholders into legislative drafting

Source: Parliament of Estonia

In her annual overview, the Chancellor of Justice focused on each person in Estonia

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

According to the Chancellor of Justice, during a year, her agency can see all aspects of the life in Estonia in complaints. “People can write to us as they can and describe their problem. No legal aid is needed for that. And it is our task to understand what the crux of the matter is,” Madise said.

The Chancellor of Justice said that, when they saw a probable infringement of someone’s rights, they added argumentation that the person could transpose directly into an action to an administrative court if they wished. According to her, there is a large number of such cases, and they include, for example, cases related to nursery places. Under the law, children must be ensured nursery places and pre-school education.

“To quote a very wittily written decision of the Supreme Court, children and parents must not be placed in a disadvantageous situation because their place of residence is in a rural municipality or city that has decided just not to comply with the law,” Madise pointed out. According to her, the judicial practice has begun to help parents, but the shortage of nursery places continues to be a systemic problem. “There are also local governments who honestly write in a regulation – and the word ‘honest’ has no positive meaning here – that they will provide a nursery place when there is place. Actually, it is known on the basis of the data in the population register how many children who are about to reach nursery or school age live in the local government,” she explained.

According to the Chancellor of Justice, there are certainly also cases where it is beyond their competence to resolve the matter according to the law. They must explain as an institution that they do not change court decisions, do not change the diagnoses made by doctors, and cannot grant social housing either. There are people who do not understand this and remain angry. “And it is of no avail to blame people for not making decisions if one or another decision is not within their competence. If it makes people feel better, I do not mind. But it is a little better if people spend their energy and time on turning to the authorities where they could really get help,” Madise said.

During the debate, Anti Allas took the floor on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Group, Maris Lauri on behalf of the Reform Party Group, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart on behalf of the Centre Party Group, Urmas Reinsalu on behalf of Isamaa Parliamentary Group, Hendrik Johannes Terras on behalf of Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group and Anti Poolamets on behalf of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group.

The first reading of a Bill was adjourned

The first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Higher Education Act (9 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, will continue at the plenary sitting beginning at 2 p.m. tomorrow. It provides for stopping the domination of the English language in Estonian universities in public law and national institutions of professional higher education.

The first reading of two Bill was deferred to the next plenary sitting

Due to the end of the working hours of the sitting, the first reading of two Bills was also postponed to tomorrow’s plenary sitting. They are the Bill on Amendments to the Study Allowances and Study Loans Act (16 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, and the Bill on Amendments to the Value Added Tax Act (32 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Rene Kokk and Siim Pohlak.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

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

The video recording of the sitting can be viewed on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Riigikogu Press Service
Eleen Lindmaa
+372 631 6456, +372 5551 4433
eleen.lindmaa@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: In her annual overview, the Chancellor of Justice focused on each person in Estonia

Source: Parliament of Estonia

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