NordenBladet – Trigon Capital’s owner Joakim Helenius and project management department head Rando Tomingas came up with an idea to replace mineral fertilizers in the field with bacteria and fishmeal in animal feed with insect flour, so they marched into Tartu University’s scientists’ door with the proposal, Delfi reports.
Sille Holm, a young doctoral student, was tasked with working on the idea, and her table is now at Trigon Capital as the Chief Scientific Officer, working on developing new biotechnological agricultural products. Trigon Capital is developing five or six start-ups, with two already on their way to a finished product. The company is aiming to become Estonia’s biggest by revolutionizing the global market with their products that can be used for both animal and human consumption. The company’s focus is on insects, specifically flies, as they can produce high-quality protein and fat for animal feed at a low cost.
The global market potential for these products is expected to be in the hundreds of billions of dollars, with the world population projected to reach almost ten billion by 2050, which will require more sustainable farming methods. The EU has given permission to use insect flour in animal feed, increasing its market potential, with the global market for animal feed projected to grow to $500 billion. However, the challenge is to produce these products on an industrial scale and to find cost-effective and sustainable ways to produce food for insects.
Members of the Estonia-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) are deeply concerned about the continuing blockade of the Lachin corridor. “The Lachin corridor is an important supply line for the local population in the region. The humanitarian crisis in the area is worsening day by day due to frequent energy cuts, lack of electricity and gas. The people are also lacking vital supplies: medicine and medical aid, food, and fuel,” the parliamentary group says in its Statement.
“The blockade continues to have damaging impact on the ongoing peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We are deeply convinced that in order to achieve progress, it is very important to resolve humanitarian issues and ensure freedom and security of movement along the corridor.
We call on parties involved to return to the negotiation table, to contribute to the stability and development in the region,” the members of the Estonia-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group write in the Statement.
The statement has been signed by Chairman of the Group Raivo Tamm and members of the Group Mati Raidma, Mihhail Lotman, Tarmo Kruusimäe and Leo Kunnas.
Parliamentary friendship groups help the Members of the Riigikogu communicate with other national parliaments, carry out Estonia’s foreign policy, and promote our country around the world.
For more information, please contact:
Raivo Tamm
Chairman of Estonia-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Riigikogu
Phone: +372 631 6556
raivo.tamm@riigikogu.ee
NordenBladet – Forus International, a company owned by Estonian businessman Urmas Sõurumaa, has acquired the Autolevi car-sharing platform, founded by Tauri Kärson, Simo Sulev, and Robert Sarv in 2013. The purchase price has not been disclosed, and the transaction is subject to approval from the Competition Authority.
Autolevi’s sales revenue last year was €109,300, and it employed two people in the last quarter. Based on the last transaction price, the company’s value was €290,000. Funderbeam investors will be paid €0.56 per unit if the deal is approved. Autolevi’s founder and CEO, Tauri Kärson, said the last price of Autolevi’s instrument on Funderbeam was €0.46, which implies a 21% yield compared to the last market price.
Autolevi has 45,000 users in Estonia, Latvia, and Finland and a selection of over 2,200 vehicles, according to its website. In 2022, users rented out their cars worth more than half a million euros through the platform, and this number is increasing steadily. With the help of Autolevi, car owners can earn more than €1,000 of additional income per month by renting out their vehicles, as cars typically sit idle for 90% of the time while owners must pay for leasing and insurance in full each year.
The car rental market in Estonia is underserved, despite having over 600,000 private cars and 630,000 driver’s license holders. By reducing the number of private cars on the streets, shared car services such as Autolevi can help alleviate issues like pollution, traffic congestion, and parking problems. Autolevi wants to make its service available through an app, in addition to its current web-based platform, with the help of Forus International. In 2017, Autolevi was among the top 20 startup companies in Estonia, and its development has been supported by early angel investors and more than 200 Funderbeam supporters.
Featured image: Urmas Sõõrumaa (NordenBladet)
Source: NordenBladet.ee
NordenBladet – Coop Bank (CPA1T.TL), an Estonian stock-listed company, has challenged a consumer protection decision and taken it to court instead of paying out €17 in interest to a customer. Last year, a Coop Bank customer complained to the Consumer Dispute Committee, stating that they had entered into a children’s savings account agreement with the bank. However, after the agreement was terminated and the bank changed the interest rate to be less favourable to the customer, the bank only transferred the principal sum to the customer, but not the accumulated interest of €17.21.
The bank argued to the Consumer Dispute Committee (Tarbijavaidluste komisjon) that, under its standard terms and conditions, the premium interest accumulated on the children’s savings account and the interest calculated on a daily basis during the validity of the agreement were not payable if the customer terminated the agreement before the deadline. However, the bank did not provide any explanation to the committee as to why it had changed the interest rate. This turned out to be harmful to the depositor, as the monthly interest calculated on the same deposit amount was smaller than before.
The Consumer Dispute Committee ruled that the agreement should be fulfilled based on the principles of good faith and reasonableness, taking into account practices and norms. The committee did not accept the unilateral change of essential terms of the agreement, especially regarding the interest rate. According to the committee, the infringement of the rights of the child (on whose behalf the savings account was opened) compared to other depositors is contrary to the principle of good faith and unacceptable.
The committee also pointed out that the deposited money belonged to the depositor (the child), so the debit of the savings account in favour of the bank for €17.21 was done without legal basis and to the detriment of the depositor’s rights. As a result, the committee decided that the customer’s claim should be satisfied.
According to the Consumer Protection Act, parties have the right to go to court if they disagree with a decision. Coop Bank has exercised this right and decided to appeal the decision of the Consumer Dispute Committee. The bank’s communications manager, Katre Tatrik, stated that Coop Bank does not agree with the committee’s conclusions and wants the court to decide on the validity of the disputed term. As a result of the bank’s decision to go to court, it has not paid out interest to the customer, as the decision of the Consumer Dispute Committee has not yet been enforced.
Photo: Excerpt from the promotional video
Source: NordenBladet.ee
NordenBlaadet – The Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs has sent a draft law on confirming the value of the national pension index for 2023 for coordination. The new index value will be 1.139, which means that pensions and daily rates for disability benefits will increase by an average of 13.9% from April 1st, and the average pension will rise to €700, the largest increase in the past 15 years.
“It is clear that the increase in pensions must go hand in hand with wage and cost of living increases, which is why this year’s increase in pensions is the largest in the past 15 years. In addition to the indexing that will take effect from April, pensioners will have more money left over due to the changes in income tax that came into effect at the beginning of the year, as well as a €20 extraordinary pension increase,” said Minister of Social Protection, Signe Riisalo.
For example, a person with 44 years of service will receive a pension of nearly €84.67 higher, which amounts to €700.02, from April 1st. However, the projected increase was €704, but pensions can still be raised based on the collected social tax, which unfortunately turned out to be slightly smaller than originally projected. Nevertheless, this is the largest increase in pensions in 15 years.
The average pension will still be tax-free, and the tax exemption amount that came into effect on January 1st, which is still €704, will not change. The Social Insurance Board will first apply the tax exemption to the first pillar pension, and the remaining amount, if any, to the second pillar pension from the Pension Centre. If the payouts from the first and second pillars are lower than the tax exemption, the remaining tax exemption can also be used for other income, such as wages.
According to the draft law, the basic pension amount after indexing will be €317.9, and the annual amount will be €8,684. Pensions recalculated according to the 2023 index will be paid out from April.
The Estonian state recalculates pensions every spring to keep them in balance with changes in wages and prices. Each person’s individual pension is calculated based on their previous work contributions. The current indexing system for pensions has been in effect for 15 years since January 1st, 2008, when indexing was linked to social tax revenue in larger quantities.
After the index is confirmed, the Social Insurance Board will recalculate all national pensions with the new values. Individuals can view their new pension amount from April 1st on the eesti.ee portal. Further information is available from the Social Insurance Board’s customer service at 612 1360.
In addition to pensions, the daily rate for disability benefits will also be recalculated, which will be €18.60 from April 1st, and for those with missing work ability, the average amount of support will be €558 per month. For those with partial work ability, the disability allowance is calculated at 57% of the daily rate, and the average disability allowance for those with partial work ability is €318.06. The size of the disability allowance is calculated by the Unemployment Insurance Fund for each calendar month.
NordenBladet —On those days 105 years ago, the Declaration of Independence was read in Estonian cities. It was then that the breaking of the foundations of the Russian tsarist state was declared, with there being hope for peace and their own country. We have fought for and won our own country. …
The Speakers issued the Joint Declaration on the day that marks one year since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale, unprovoked, and illegal military invasion of Ukraine. “Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine has caused immense suffering to the Ukrainian people and impacted millions of people around the world. It has undermined security and stability in Europe and globally, representing a major attack on the rules-based international order,” the Speakers of the Parliaments of four countries stated.
They reaffirmed their full solidarity with the people of Ukraine and commended their courage and determination to defend the freedom and sovereignty of Ukraine, paid tribute to all those who had sacrificed their lives for the independence of Ukraine and expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims of the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine. They also reiterated their unwavering support and commitment to Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
According to the Speakers, their countries are determined to continue providing political, economic, military, and humanitarian support to Ukraine for as long as necessary. “We call on other countries to increase the support to Ukraine to ensure Ukraine’s ability to defend its independence and restore its territorial integrity. We support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 10-point peace formula that aims to ensure the lasting security of Ukraine and the region. Along with other partners, we will continue our efforts to support the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, including its destroyed infrastructure,” they said.
They are convinced that Ukraine shares our common values of democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights, and that Ukrainians are paying the ultimate price for defending our common values and European security. “Ukraine’s place is in the Euro-Atlantic family of free and democratic countries. We are committed to further supporting Ukraine’s aspirations to become the member of the European Union and NATO,” they stated in the Joint Declaration.
The Speakers condemned Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, firmly rejected the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s territories of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and expressed deep concern about the growing Russian military presence in Belarus which is a factor that increases security threats in the region.
“We reiterate our demand for the immediate cessation of hostilities by Russia against Ukraine, of all deliberate and indiscriminate attacks directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and the full, immediate, and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian forces and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders,” the Speakers said in the Joint Declaration. “We call on the Belarusian and Iranian authorities to stop supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. We also call on other countries to end all actions enabling Russia’s aggression.”
The Speakers declared that the Baltic States and Poland would continue to increase collective pressure on Russia to end this war and withdraw its troops from Ukraine by raising the cost of aggression for Russia, by further reinforcing and extending the restrictive measures against Russia, and by further strengthening the international isolation of Russia in all possible formats and areas. They also condemned the efforts to bring the Russian and Belarusian athletes back into international competitions.
The Speakers underlined that Russia, and all perpetrators and accomplices must be held accountable for the crime of aggression, for the war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. “We support the investigation launched by the International Criminal Court to identify and prosecute those who have committed war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity on the territory of Ukraine. We call on the swift establishment of a special international tribunal under the auspices of the UN for bringing to justice the perpetrators of the crime of aggression by Russia’s political and military leadership against Ukraine,” they said.
They also emphasised that Russia had to pay for the damages caused to Ukraine. “We will work with our Allies and partners towards the use of Russia’s frozen assets to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and for the purposes of reparation,” they declared.
“Tyranny and terror must fail. Peace and freedom must prevail. Victory of Ukraine is the only way to restore peace in Europe. We stand with Ukraine,” the Speakers of the Parliaments of four countries said in their Joint Declaration.
Besides Jüri Ratas, Edvards Smiltēns from the Parliament of Latvia, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen from the Parliament of Lithuania and Elżbieta Witek from the Parliament of Poland signed the Joint Declaration.
Ratas said at the ceremony held in the Governor’s Garden at Toompea, Tallinn, that when we hoisted the flag on top of the Tall Hermann Tower in honour of the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia one year ago, Russia had just attacked its neighbour Ukraine a few hours before. “Putin had launched a full-scale war of conquest, the like of which had not yet been seen in the 21st century. That day crushed our hopes that big wars have eternally become a thing of the past in Europe,” he said.
Ratas underlined that this was a moment of truth for us all: if Ukraine should fall, the same fate could be in store once again for many European nations. “Ukraine is not fighting only for the survival of its independence, nationality, and culture – Ukraine is fighting for the existence of us all. Today our message is as clear as can be – Estonia, and our allies, will continue to support Ukraine until it has won the war,” Ratas said.
The president of the Riigikogu recalled that on visits to Ukraine, he had repeatedly witnessed first-hand the willingness of the Ukrainians to defend their country, their tenacity, their determination, and their gratitude for what Estonia and the Estonian people had given to Ukraine. “We are also well aware of the importance of having friends and allies. On 24 February 105 years ago, we established our country and secured its independence in the War of Independence thanks to the efforts, sacrifices, and support of the Estonian people and our friends” he said.
Ratas admitted that 24 February had forever changed its meaning for us as well. “But I refuse to yield the most important day in the calendar of the Republic of Estonia to evil. 24 February shall not be a day of terror and fear. It shall be a day of goodness, when despite the acts of destruction and will to conquer, it was the kindness and generosity of people that won. It shall be a day of courage because on 24 February, the overpowering enemy was countered with fearlessness and disregard for personal safety. It shall be a day of unity because it united everyone who valued freedom, humanity, and the right to life and peace. It shall be a day of justice because those who unleashed the evil will be punished,” he said.
Ratas added that this was what our National Day was and would be for us and for the future generations around the world. “With this in our minds, we will stand firm as long as needed. 24 February has symbolised and will symbolise freedom,” the President of the Riigikogu said at the flag raising ceremony.
Archbishop of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Urmas Viilma said the words of blessing at the ceremony and Hele Palumaa, student of the Drama School of the 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).
At 11 a.m., President of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas and Vice-Presidents Helir-Valdor Seeder and Martin Helme will give a press conference, where they will sum up the work of the 14th Riigikogu, in Otto Strandman Conference Room next to the White Hall in Toompea Castle.
The video recording of the sitting will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)
Pushkarenko said in front of the plenary assembly that, over the last century, Ukraine and Estonia had had to bear extremely hard trials: wars, occupation, deportations, concentration camps and numerous other crimes against humanity. “Never in our worst dreams could we foresee that, in 2022, we would have to face a phenomenon like genocide in the middle of Europe. However, Russia has reminded it to us and showed its true face to the whole world,” he said.
In his words, many people are thinking why this war started after all. “However, I would put the question in other words: what is this war being fought for? It is we who have a historic opportunity to end this war of nearly 400 years, to end the sick ambitions of the wild horde. It has so happened that our countries are at the breaking line of civilisations, and we have become the first front for defending the European continent,” Pushkarenko said. He added that the whole civilised world was with Ukraine and that he was sure that Ukraine would win.
Pushkarenko thanked the Riigikogu and all members of the Riigikogu for their decisions made to support Ukraine. “You have had to go through difficult times in this parliamentary term: the COVID crisis, inflation, energy crisis, security challenges. I know many of you in this hall and I would like to confirm: you are worthy of your excellent nation. Estonia is not just a country with a big heart but also a country of very brave people,” he said.
Pushkarenko gave to the chair of the sitting a Ukrainian flag with signatures of soldiers fighting near the Belarusian border together with words of thanks to Estonia and all Estonian people. At the end of his address, he said in Estonian: “You will have the election of the Riigikogu on 5 March. It is my wish that the Estonian state and the Estonian people would win at the election. Estonia, Ukraine, freedom, victory!”
After the address, the Riigikogu passed the Statement of the Riigikogu “In Support of the People of Ukraine” (778 AE), submitted by 94 members of the Riigikogu. It marks the passing of a year from the beginning of the full-scale military aggression by the Russian Federation in Ukraine and expresses respect for the heroic people of Ukraine. 85 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Statement.
In the Statement, the Riigikogu condemns the Russian Federation’s ongoing military aggression and expresses deep sympathy to the Ukrainian people whose close ones have fallen in the battles with the powerful aggressor or have suffered in the genocide committed against the peaceful population. “The bravery of the Ukrainian people compels the countries who respect democratic values to seek unity and continued cooperation in the name of the victory of Ukraine. The Riigikogu calls on the international community to support Ukraine by military, political, and economic means in a more decisive manner to achieve this goal more quickly,” the Statement says.
According to the Statement, the Riigikogu supports the 10-point peace plan proposed by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in November, which will help restore peace in Europe and prevent recurrence of aggression. “In order to implement the peace plan, the international community must help Ukraine restore its territorial integrity, bring the leaders of state and senior military officials of the Russian Federation to justice for acts of aggression and war crimes, and ensure the compensation of war damages caused to Ukraine,” the Statement of the Riigikogu says, and calls on countries around the world to strengthen the sanctions against the Russian Federation and underlines that sanctions must remain in full force until the peace plan is fully implemented.
The Riigikogu supports the establishment of a centre for investigating Russia’s crime of aggression by the European Union in The Hague and calls on the countries of the world to contribute in every way to the activities of the centre, and to continue with efforts to set up an international special tribunal.
In the Statement, the Riigikogu condemns the attempts to admit athletes representing the Russian and Belarusian regimes to international competitions and the Olympic Games in violation of the principles of the Olympic Charter. “Neither the International Olympic Committee nor anyone else can remain neutral in regard to the war launched and the genocidal crimes committed by Russia’s terrorist regime – covering up these crimes with the Olympic flag is immoral and unacceptable,” the Statement says.
The Riigikogu calls on the Member States of the European Union to support Ukraine in carrying out the reforms necessary for achieving the membership status of the Union as soon as possible and expresses support to Ukraine’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at the first opportunity. “Peace and security in Europe are possible only after Ukraine’s victory over the aggressor. Estonia will continue to assist the state and the people of Ukraine by all means available with resolute and steadfast commitment until this victory is achieved,” the Riigikogu confirms in the Statement.
During the debate, Enn Eesmaa from the Centre Party Faction, Raimond Kaljulaid from the Social Democratic Party Faction, Marko Mihkelson from the Reform Party Faction, Helir-Valdor Seeder from Faction Isamaa and Henn Põlluaas from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction took the floor.
The Riigikogu passed 19 Acts and a Resolution
The Riigikogu passed with 67 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Penal Code and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (fines arising from European Union law) (94 SE), initiated by the Government. Its aim is to enable the administrative fines provided for in European Union law to be applied in misdemeanour procedure and to make misdemeanour proceedings in the financial sector more efficient.
According to the Act, in the future, it will be possible to provide the rates of fines for misdemeanours in special Acts or in the special part of the Penal Code, taking into account the specific nature of the field. The upper limit of the fine prescribed for legal persons for criminal offences rises from 16 million euro to 40 million euro. The new regulation will also allow pecuniary punishments based on turnover to be imposed that may also be higher than the upper limit. The amendments also extend the term for voluntary payment of fines.
The Act also establishes longer limitation periods for misdemeanours. As a rule, the limitation period for misdemeanours is two years but an up to five-year limitation period may be prescribed in certain cases. Besides that, the Act creates the possibility to attach the property of a legal person under a court order in order to preclude that a legal person who has committed an offence can avoid penal liability by a division, merger or liquidation of the legal person. The Act will enter into force on 1 November.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Code of Misdemeanour Procedure (367 SE), initiated by the Government. Its aim to make the offence proceedings more efficient. The Act will help make criminal proceedings more effective and the processing of more extensive criminal cases smoother as well as to use the resources of courts more purposefully.
57 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of passing the Act and 11 voted against.
The Riigikogu passed with 73 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Merchant Shipping Act and the Maritime Safety Act (741 SE), initiated by the Government. It harmonises the regulations in the Merchant Shipping Act with international regulations and practices and improves the wording and structure of the Act.
The amendments to the Maritime Safety Act are related to the establishment of the Estonian State Fleet, the training of pilots and the construction of an LNG terminal in the new Pakrineeme port. The amendments will enable the Estonian State Fleet to perform tasks related to water craft from 1 July, including to begin the provision of the pilotage service and the offering of services to universities and the private sector. The Estonian State Fleet will be a state agency administered by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications which will take over the activities of Estonian Pilot Ltd after which Estonian Pilot will be liquidated.
The Act also regulates the training of pilots and creates better legal clarity in relation to compulsory pilotage areas. The purpose of the amendments is to ensure that, where necessary, it would be possible for a vessel supplying LNG to enter the new Pakrineeme port and LNG terminal to handle LNG. Before the second reading, among other things, the provisions concerning pilotage dues were organised and the general bases for calculating the rates of pilotage dues as well as the lower and upper rates of pilotage dues were determined.
The Riigikogu passed with 69 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Courts Act and the Codes on Court Proceedings (trial during state of emergency and state of war) (753 SE), initiated by the Government. It establishes the specifications for administrative and civil proceedings and the organisation of courts for the times when a state of emergency or a state of war has been declared in the country and the administration of justice may be complicated.
According to the Act, during a state of emergency or a state of war, courts may hear court cases under simplified procedure in civil and administrative proceedings. Where the hearing of a matter is impossible or it is significantly complicated due to exceptional circumstances accompanying a state of emergency or a state of war, the courts will be given the authority to suspend the proceedings. Among other things, the Act also allows for court sessions to be held outside of working hours during a state of emergency and a state of war. The obligation to involve lay judges in the administration of justice is also eliminated.
In view of the functioning of administration of justice, the chairman of the court may give instructions to judges regarding the prioritisation of court cases and change the division of tasks plan and the internal rules of courts in order to enhance the management of courts during a state of emergency or a state of war. The Supreme Court en banc is given the competence to send judges to temporary service to other courts of the same or lower instance without their consent during a state of emergency or a state of war. In case the Supreme Court en banc does not have a quorum, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will send judges temporarily to other courts.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Police and Border Guard Act and Amendments to Other Associated Act (756 SE), initiated by the Government. It implements the European Union Regulations which establish a European Travel Information and Authorisation System for third-country nationals exempt from the requirement to be in possession of a visa when entering the Schengen Area. The purpose of the amendments is to enable consideration of whether their presence in the territory of the Member States would pose a security, illegal immigration or high epidemic risk.
The Act designates a central access point and competent authorities which will have access to the system. It also regulates issues relating to access to, rectification, completion and erasure of data and restriction of processing, as well as the procedure for challenging decisions to refuse, annul and revoke travel authorisations.
The EU Regulations also establish a framework for interoperability between EU information systems, and a common identity repository to implement it. The Act designates the authorities that will be entitled to perform queries in the repository and creates a basis for the establishment of a migration supervision database. Among other things, the amendments provide that the legal temporary basis for stay in the case of Ukrainian citizens can be formulated as long-stay visa according to justified need.
60 members of the Riigikogu supported the passing of the Act and 10 were against.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Weapons Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (777 SE) (consolidated Bills 558 SE and 627 SE), initiated by the Legal Affairs Committee and Faction Isamaa. According to it, only aliens who are highly proficient in Estonian will be able to apply for a weapons permit because the weapons examination will be conducted fully in Estonian in the future. The Act also amends the bases for refusing to issue a weapons permit and among other things prescribes that people who have committed certain serious crimes will never obtain a weapons permit.
In the future, weapons permits will be issued in Estonia only to citizens of European Union and NATO member states who hold a residence permit in Estonia or are residing in Estonia on the basis of a right of residence. The weapons permits of other aliens will be revoked and the issue thereof will be terminated. The permits issued to people of undetermined nationality will be valid until the date specified on the permit, that is, for a maximum of five years. The permits of other aliens will be valid for one year. The transition period will allow people time to adapt to the changes, to transfer their weapons, to render some of them inoperable or to take steps to change their citizenship. Weapons and ammunition will be expropriated where necessary.
The Act establishes the possibility to pay compensation to local governments on whose territory a training field of the Defence Forces and the Defence League is located or who must tolerate the noise, vibration and increased traffic load accompanying training fields. The compensation will enable the establishment of a noise blocking wall or a cycle and pedestrian route. The Government will be authorised to establish the compensation for tolerating training fields by its regulation.
The Act also gives the Police and Border Guard Board and the Estonian Internal Security Service the right to handle explosives and extends the range of weapons used by them. During state of increased defence readiness, state of emergency and state of war, they will be given the right to use military weapons together with the Defence Forces in order to prevent and counter threats to national security where necessary.
In addition, the Act expands the possibilities of using silencers in hunting. The Act enters into force on 15 March.
67 members of the Riigikogu supported the passing of the Act and three voted against it.
The Riigikogu passed with 63 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Auditors Activities Act, the Financial Crisis Prevention and Resolution Act and Other Acts (reform of punishments for misdemeanours in the financial sector, sanctions arising from EU law)(111 SE), initiated by the Government. Its aim is to bring the Acts into conformity with the requirements arising from European Union law and to allow pecuniary sanctions with the upper limits provided for in EU legal acts to be applied in Estonia. The amendments will enter into force on 1 November.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the General Part of the Environmental Code Act and Other Acts (734 SE), initiated by the Government. It organises the system of environmental protection permits regulating the use of the environment in order to ensure that the Environmental Board can economise its resources, to support the implementation of the long-term strategies related to the green transition and to ensure a service with low administrative burden and bureaucracy.
The Act amends the obligation to hold an environmental permit in the case of certain activities and mitigates the disproportionately burdensome requirements, taking into account the potential environmental impact of the activities. The processing of permits will become more efficient and faster in order that applicants could receive feedback within a reasonable period of time which helps reduce administrative burden.
The Act prescribes the possibility of carrying out proceedings on an environmental permit faster in order to prevent the risk of disruption of a vital service. It provides that, in the case of vital services, in the future, the provisions concerning open proceedings will not be applied to the processing of environmental permits. The explanatory memorandum says that, due to instabilities in the energy market, the need to amend the processing of environmental permits in order to prevent the risk of disruption of vital services has already become apparent. Many power and heat producers will need to adopt alternative fuels available on the market to prevent risks.
During the proceedings, the Riigikogu amended the provisions concerning the Hunting Act. On the one hand, the use of lead-containing ammunition in wetlands is restricted. On the other hand, the Act begins to allow motor vehicles to be used in grey seal hunt. Amendments were also made to extend the right of the Environmental Board to grant derogations to also contain other diseases spread by game, besides containing the spread of African swine fever, and the wording of the procedure for issuing permits to hunt moose, red deer, wild boar and roe deer was clarified as there have been misunderstandings regarding the meaning of the Act.
During the debate, Toomas Jürgenstein from the Social Democratic Party Faction, Kalle Grünthal from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction and Andres Metsoja from Faction Isamaa took the floor.
41 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Act and six were against it.
The Riigikogu passed with 51 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Weapons Act and the State Fees Act (digital solutions in procedure, and the development of the Register of Service and Civilian Weapons) (737 SE), initiated by the Government. It will allow a transfer to all-digital authorisation procedure and the implementation of a new Register of Service and Civilian Weapons.
Under the Act, requests for weapons permits and European Union firearms passes and the related documents will be submitted to the Police and Border Guard Board electronically through the self-service environment of the register. The weapons register will be interfaced with other databases necessary in authorisation proceedings, and queries will be automated.
A dealer environment will be established in the register where dealers will see weapons permits and be able to sell weapons, essential components, and ammunition. When the amendments come into force, permits will be issued electronically and only permits necessary for international transfer of weapons will be issued on paper. The supervision files on holders of weapons permits will be maintained electronically.
On the basis of EU law, a more specific procedure for the exchange of information on weapons will be provided for. The Police and Border Guard Board will be designated as the authority to exchange information with other countries. EU Member States use the Internal Market Information System to exchange information on the authorisations granted for the transfer of firearms to another Member State and information with regard to refusals to grant authorisations.
The Riigikogu passed with 48 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Rural Development and Agricultural Market Regulation Act and Other Acts (738 SE), initiated by the Government. One of its purposes is to update references to the European Union legislation on state aid. Since the European Commission had not adopted the new state aid guidelines and the new block exemption regulation by the time the Bill had been initiated, the lead committee had filled the gaps in the Bill with the necessary references to European Commission legislation. In order to implement new state aid measures in the fishery sector, the Act also updates the references in the Fisheries Market Organisation Act and the Fiscal Marking of Liquid Fuel Act and implements the amendments retroactively from 1 January 2023.
Another purpose of the Act is to terminate national intervention in the implementation of the control measures against wild oats on profit yielding land and other land because the obligation to implement the control measures has produced the desired results. The extensive spread of the weed has decreased, and the users of agricultural land are carrying out consistent weed control, including wild oat control, on their agricultural land even without national intervention.
The Riigikogu also passed with 48 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Heritage Conservation Act, the Administrative Co-operation Act and the Museums Act (760 SE), initiated by the Government. Its main aim is to increase the quality of museum collections and museum services, to update the bases for funding museums and to establish a new folk culture database belonging to the state information system.
The Act simplifies the bases and procedure for the deaccessioning of museum objects from museum collections. In the future, the museum itself, and not the founder of the museum, will decide on deaccessioning. The Act also extends the range of authorities and persons to whom things deaccessioned from state-owned museum collections can be transferred. In the future it will also be possible to transfer them to agencies operating in public interest, besides cultural heritage institutions. The system for funding museums is also updated.
The amendments also create a new database containing information on organisations, groups of persons, instructors, community centres and cultural centres engaged in folk culture as well as civil engineering works related to them. The database will be established to replace the register of the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration Foundation and the sectoral folk culture database of the Estonian Centre of Folk Culture, and it will be administered by the Estonian Centre of Folk Culture.
The Riigikogu passed with 50 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Land Cadastre Act, the Law of Property Act and Other Acts (761 SE), initiated by the Government. Its purpose is to ensure truthful data on ownership in order to protect the rights of land owners, including to ensure fair tax incentives and exemptions and to facilitate real estate turnover.
Landscape facilities change as a result of natural processes, human activities and more accurate mapping and therefore the data registered in the cadastre may become inaccurate. Cadastre data are the basis for the taxation of land, and many public duties are also performed using these data. So it is important that cadastre data could be relied on, the data would be integral and the quality of these data would be reliable. The data registered in national registries must reflect the actual situation in the field.
The Act proposes a simple administrative procedure as little burdensome as possible to improve the data related to ownership. The amendments will enable smoother and less bureaucratic use and disposal of possessions. With a view to achieving these aims, the data on boundaries that have become inaccurate will be corrected, and the creation and disclosure of the spatial information concerning the rights of use of land will be regulated more precisely.
The Riigikogu passed with 46 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Higher Education Act and the Study Allowances and Study Loans Act (767 SE), initiated by the Government. It specifies the bases for compensating study expenses. The aim of the amendments is to ensure access to higher education for a greater number of upper secondary school graduates and to direct students to make responsible choices of specialisation.
The Act eliminates the possibility to study in several specialisations at the same time free of charge. A person will be able to study free of charge again at the same level of higher education if at least ten years have passed since his or her graduation. Higher education institutions are given the right to ask tuition fee from people who wish to study at one and the same level of higher education for a third time.
The opportunities of students to study free of charge after they interrupt their studies are also restricted. Higher education institutions are given the right to request compensation of student expenses from students who interrupt their studies when more than 70 days have passed since the beginning of the semester. A person will have to find out within one year if the study programme suits him or her in order to switch study programmes free of charge. This means that a student who has studied at the same level of higher education for less than a year, that is, less than 365 calendar days, can begin to study free of charge after they interrupt their studies. The time when the student is on academic leave will not be calculated among this time.
Similarly to the current procedure, it will be possible to agree under contracts under public law upon study programmes which will allow studying free of charge for a second time, such as teacher training and health care, or to establish specifications by legislation in internal security and national defence institutions of professional higher education.
The amendments to the Study Allowances and Study Loans Act specify the dates for fixing the Euribor rate and interest calculation. The Act is also amended by including an opportunity to grant student loans to first-year students from 15 September, as is the case with other students.
The Riigikogu established a transitional provision for students who would enter a higher education institution and interrupt their studies before the academic year 2024/2025. The current procedure will apply to them until the end of the academic year 2026/2027. According to it, a student will be able to take up studies free of charge at the same higher education level again if they have interrupted their studies before half of the nominal study period of the study programme is over.
The Riigikogu also made an amendment according to which, in the case of time-critical decisions, a higher education institution would be able to set a term for contesting decisions concerning the organisation of studies that differs from the principles of administrative procedure. According to the amendment, the higher education institution will have to allow at least three days for contesting decisions relating to admission to studies and evaluation of final papers and final examinations and at least 10 days for contesting other decisions concerning the organisation of studies.
Jaak Valge from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction and Margit Sutrop from the Reform Party Faction took the floor during the debate.
The Riigikogu passed with 45 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Place Names Act and the Spatial Data Act (768 SE), initiated by the Government. It gives the Minister of Public Administration the right to change, on the basis of an opinion of the Place Names Board, place names which are incompatible with the history and culture of Estonia where the local government does not agree to do it.
According to the Act, the Minister in charge of the policy sector will make a proposal to the local government to change a place name where the place name in use can clearly be associated with persons or events connected with activities against the foundation of the Republic of Estonia, permanence of its constitutional order or restoration of the independence of Estonia, or the place name is incompatible with the history and culture of Estonia. The minister can be the names authority instead of the local government in the cases when the Place Names Board finds in an opinion submitted to the minister that for example a street, a road or a square has been named after a person who has been declared a war hero of the Soviet Union which occupied Estonia, or after an event that has damaged the Estonian statehood, which means that the current place name is in conflict with the Place Names Act.
If the local government fails to change a place name within two months as of the receipt of a proposal, the state will establish a new name to replace the incompatible place name in view of public interest. Before a new name will be established, the opinion of the local government will have to be asked. The Land Board will make the changes to the information system of the Address Data System in connection with the establishment of new place names, and the costs for the acquisition and installation of signposts and signs will be reimbursed from the state budget. At present, approximately 15 place names need an expert analysis, and the changing of these names would involve a cost of up to 30,000 euro.
Ivi Eenmaa from the Reform Party Faction took the floor during the debate.
The Riigikogu passed with 44 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Persons Repressed by Occupying Powers Act (770 SE), initiated by the Social Affairs Committee. It gives the status of repressed person to people who were born while their parent was in forced exile and whose parents did not return to Estonia immediately after the receipt of a release certificate.
According to the amendments, all people who were born within five years after their parent who was in forced exile had received a release decision will be deemed to be repressed persons regardless of the reasons why their parents did not return to Estonia. Currently it is complicated for people who were born while their parent was in forced exile to obtain the status of repressed person as a long time has passed from the events and there is no evidence of justification of the postponement of the return. In the future, an applicant will not have to explain or prove to the administrative authority the reasons for not returning and it will be sufficient to submit an application indicating the date of the decision on the release of the parents and the date and place of birth of the applicant.
The Riigikogu passed with 45 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Funded Pensions Act and Other Associated Acts (771 SE), initiated by the Government. It is intended to ensure smooth implementation of the European Union’s pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP) Regulation. Under the Act, PEPP is included in the regulation for the third pillar pension, the pension age and tax incentives of the third pillar pension are applied to it, and references to PEPP and the relevant Regulation are included in the Act.
While up to now the third pillar pension has covered voluntary pension funds and insurance contracts for supplementary funded pensions, the inclusion of the pan-European Personal Pension Product will extend the range of available pension schemes. A PEPP can also be in the form of an alternative fund, a UCITS, a deposit, or a securities portfolio, in addition to a pension fund and an insurance contract.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Estonian Health Insurance Fund Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (renaming of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund as the Estonian Health Fund) (772 SE), initiated by the Social Affairs Committee. It renames the Estonian Health Insurance Fund as the Estonian Health Fund.
At the time the Estonian Health Insurance Fund was established, its main function of was to administer the solidary health insurance system and to enable health insurance benefits to insured people. However, by now, more functions have been added and the fund is also responsible for the emergency care and the services related to the protection of public health provided to people not covered by health insurance. For example, the procurements of medicinal products necessary for the control and monitoring of communicable diseases, vaccine procurements, the compensation for vaccine damages as well as the responsibility for the organisation of family medical care have been transferred to the fund. Due to the changed tasks, the Estonian Health Insurance Fund will be named the Estonian Health Fund, which stresses the final objective of the activities of the fund – to maintain and restore the health of the people.
34 members of the Riigikogu supported the passing of the Act, nine voted against it and there were two abstentions.
The Riigikogu passed with 43 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Population Register Act (762 SE), initiated by the Government. It amends the Act in connection with the agreement between Estonia and Finland on population registration signed in September last year which aims to support the free movement of people between Estonian and Finland and to facilitate the registration of population. The data exchanged under the agreement will be recorded in the population register and Estonian public authorities will be able to use them as data with legal effect.
The Riigikogu passed with 44 votes in favour the Act on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the Republic of Finland on Population Registration (763 SE), initiated by the Government. It ratifies the agreement signed in September last year under which it will be possible to obtain quick and correct information on Estonian people who move to Finland that can be relied on, because the states must ensure the accuracy of the data delivered. The data received under the agreement will be recorded in the population register and Estonian public authorities will be able to use them as data with legal effect.
Riigikogu passed with 46 votes in favour the Resolution of the Riigikogu “Approval of “The National Security Concept of Estonia”” (775 OE), submitted by the Government. It approves the updated national security concept which describes the security environment as at the beginning of 2023, clarifies Estonia’s objectives in the increasingly tense security environment and describes the activities necessary to achieve the objectives.
The national security concept covers Estonia’s activities in five areas: social cohesion and national resilience, economic security and vital services, internal security and public order, military defence, and international activities. Among other things, the base document prescribes defence spending at the level of at least three per cent of GDP, to which the funding of expenses of Estonia as a host country for allies will be added. According to the national security concept, permanent funding will also be ensured to the development of civil protection in the national budget strategy.
The document is based on updated strategic threat assessment and builds on the National Security Concept adopted in 2017.
During the debate, Mati Raidma from the Reform Party Faction, Raimond Kaljulaid from the Social Democratic Party Faction, Heiki Hepner from Faction Isamaa and Henn Põlluaas from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction took the floor.
A Bill passed the first reading
The Bill on Amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure and the Code of Enforcement Procedure Implementation Act (766 SE), initiated by Member of the Riigikogu Tarmo Kruusimäe, passed the first reading. It prescribes that if a person has filed, under the Code of Civil Procedure that was in force until 1 January 2006, a petition to review a judicial disposition that has entered into effect, and no permission for proceedings has been given in respect of the petition, the person can file a new petition to review a judicial disposition that has entered into effect to the Supreme Court within six months if there is a ground for filing a petition under the new Code of Civil Procedure.
The Legal Affairs Committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading, but the motion was not supported. Nine members of the Riigikogu supported the motion, 10 were against it and there was one abstention. Thus the Bill remains in the proceedings but will be dropped from the proceedings as the term of the Riigikogu ends.
A draft Resolution was dropped from the proceedings
The Riigikogu plenary did not support the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to lower the VAT on foodstuffs and medicinal products to 5 per cent” (758 OE), submitted by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction. It was intended to make a proposal to the Government to lower the VAT on foodstuffs and medicinal products to five per cent.
Merry Aart from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction took the floor during the debate.
12 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution, and there was one abstention. At least 51 votes would have been needed for the Resolution to be passed.
Photos (Author: Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
The video recording of the sitting will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel. (Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)
