NordenBladet —On Saturday, 20 August, the 31st anniversary of restoration of independence of Estonia, the Tall Hermann Tower will be open to visitors.
The Tall Hermann Tower is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entrance is from the Governor’s Garden. In order to ensure smooth entrance, visitors will be distributed free tickets showing the time of entry to the tower. The number of free tickets is limited.
The celebrations will begin at 11 a.m. with a memorial ceremony at the 20 August Memorial Stone at Toompea. Mr Ants Veetõusme, President of the August 20th Club, will deliver a speech. President of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas will lay flowers at the memorial stone on behalf of the Riigikogu.
At noon, the August 20 Club will hold its traditional festive meeting in the White Hall of Toompea Castle. President of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas and Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will deliver the welcoming address to the Club. Member of the August 20 Club Johannes Kass will give the keynote speech.
The August 20 Club, founded in 1994, unites the people who were elected to the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia in 1990, and voted for the resolution to restore the independence of Estonia.
31 years ago, on 20 August 1991 at 11.03 p.m., the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia adopted the Resolution on the National Independence of Estonia, with 69 votes in favour.
At today’s extraordinary session, the Riigikogu heard the oaths of office of new members who came to the Riigikogu as the Government changed. An extraordinary election of new Vice-Presidents was held, and 12 Acts were passed.
At the beginning of the sitting, Toomas Jürgenstein and Reili Rand took an oath of office. They had not taken an oath of office earlier in this Riigikogu.
The Riigikogu elected Vice-Presidents
The Riigikogu elected Helir-Valdor Seeder the First Vice-President and Martin Helme the Second Vice-President. Deputy Chairman of Faction Isamaa Priit Sibul nominated Seeder as a candidate for a Vice-President, and member of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction Siim Pohlak nominated Helme.
At the secret ballot, 46 members of the Riigikogu supported Seeder and 35 supported Helme. There were three invalid ballot papers on which no name had been marked. A total of 84 members of the Riigikogu participated in the election of Vice-Presidents.
The extraordinary election of the Vice-Presidents of the Riigikogu was held because the sitting Vice-President of the Riigikogu Hanno Pevkur resigned on Friday last week as he became Minister of Defence in the new Government. According to law, Vice Presidents are elected at the same time. Jüri Ratas remains the President of the Riigikogu.
The Riigikogu passed 12 Acts
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Natural Gas Act and Other Acts (596 SE), initiated by the Government. The purpose of the Act is to ensure the resilience of Estonian gas system in the event of prolonged interruptions to gas supply. The Act creates a regulation to ensure the continuity of the gas system and to cover the costs relating to the storage of a strategic gas reserve. According to the Act, from 1 May 2023, the costs of managing the gas reserve will be covered from the stockpiling fee collected from balance providers. The costs of storage for the first year will be covered from the state budget.
The Act also specifies the obligation to coordinate the conditions for the use and the methodology for calculating the tariffs for the use of LNG terminals. The Competition Act is amended by adding a regulation concerning the obligation of LNG terminal operators to contribute to the budget of the Competition Authority as regulated persons.
In addition, the amendments will impose an obligation on possessors of wind power stations to pay a charge to local governments and local residents from 1 July next year to facilitate renewable energy generation. According to an amendment, people residing up to three kilometres away from a land-based wind turbine will begin to receive a charge in an amount of up to six months’ minimum wage. In the case of offshore wind farms, the local government whose coastline is closer than 20 kilometres to a wind farm will receive a charge calculated according to a formula. Fishery undertakings will begin to receive a compensation in the case when their catch diminishes because of a wind power station. The obligation to pay a wind turbine charge will not extend to the wind farms that are already operating.
Kristen Michal from the Reform Party Faction took the floor during the debate.
55 members of the Riigikogu voted for the Act and 18 were against.
The Riigikogu passed with 70 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Public Procurement Act (610 SE), initiated by the Government, which makes amendments that will enable the implementation of the sanctions imposed by the EU. Under an EU sanction, it is prohibited to award any public contract to or continue the execution of any public contract with a person who is a citizen or resident of the Russian Federation or an undertaking established there.
The Act provides that, in the event of doubt, contracting authorities and entities have the right to require additional data and certificates from the economic operators participating in procurement procedures to check that no sanction is involved. The grounds for exclusion and for rejection of tenders is also amended by including both international and Government sanctions. In addition, it will be possible to extraordinarily terminate early the contracts already awarded to which subjects of sanctions are parties.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Citizenship Act (582 SE), initiated by the Government. It gives the Government the right to make a discretionary decision that a person who has acquired Estonian citizenship by naturalisation is deprived of citizenship if he or she enters the public service or military service or a military organisation of a foreign state and if such a service involves a threat to public order or national security. For example, this will enable people who go to fight in Ukraine on the Russian side to be deprived of Estonian citizenship.
According to the Act, a person who has acquired Estonian citizenship by naturalisation may also be deprived of citizenship by the Government in the case when the person is convicted of crimes against humanity or crimes of aggression.
At the same time, according to the Act, the Government has the right to not deprive a person of Estonian citizenship if the person’s service in the foreign country does not endanger Estonia’s security, for example if the person goes to war on the Ukrainian side in order to defend the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of the Ukrainian state. At the same time, the state does not recommend Estonian citizens to go to fight for any foreign country, as the state cannot ensure protection of Estonian citizens in areas of military conflict.
52 members of the Riigikogu supported the passing of the Act and 17 voted against.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Population Register Act (609 SE), initiated by the Government. It allows local governments to terminate the validity of the data on residence of a person who has left Estonia if his or her address had been entered in the register to an accuracy of city and city district or rural municipality. The local authority will have to establish beforehand that the person is not residing in its territory or anywhere else in Estonia and identify that no data of the person’s place of stay, for example, a social welfare institution, has been entered in the register.
According to the explanatory memorandum, there have been cases where local governments have hesitated whether to enter the data on residence of Ukrainian war refugees into the register to an accuracy of local government, as under the current Act it is impossible later to terminate the validity of such data if no new notice of residence is submitted, even if it can be presumed that the person has left Estonia. The Act gives local governments the relevant right which applies to war refugees as well as to everyone else whose place of residence is registered to an accuracy of local government.
50 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Act and 17 were against, and there was one abstention.
The Riigikogu passed with 68 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the State Borders Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (630 SE), initiated by Faction Isamaa and the Government. Its aim is to ensure the protection of public order and national security in a mass immigration emergency, at the same time taking into account the provisions of EU and international law as well as case law.
The Act provides that, in the event of a threat to public order or national security, the Police and Border Guard Board may, in emergencies caused by mass immigration, refuse to accept an application for international protection from an alien who has crossed the external border illegally and send them back without issuing a precept to leave or making a decision on prohibition on entry. Immediate removal of an alien who has come across the border illegally is permitted only in the event of a threat to public order or national security and on the condition that they have not used the option of entering Estonia legally, that is, through an open border crossing point.
According to the Act, the Police and Border Guard Board may designate border crossing points where applications for international protection are registered. In an emergency, the Police and Border Guard Board may refuse to accept applications submitted outside such locations. At the same time, the Act provides that, in a mass immigration emergency, in the event of a threat to public order or national security, an alien who submits an application at a designated location may also be deemed to be an applicant for international protection. The Act also provides that the Police and Border Guard Board can allow an alien to Estonia for humane considerations.
Among other things, the Act provides for more flexible involvement of the Defence Forces and the Defence League in situations where the resources of the Police and Border Guard Board are insufficient. Currently, the Defence Forces or the Defence League can be involved in prevention and obstruction of an illegal crossing of the state border or a temporary control line for a period not exceeding 30 days, but if a need arises to extend the involvement in a changed security situation it will be possible to do this by 30 days as a maximum in the future.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Cybersecurity Act and Other Acts (531 SE), initiated by the Government, under which the Government will be authorised to establish, by a Regulation, the requirements necessary to ensure the cybersecurity of systems, and the new Estonian Information Security Standard (E-ITS) will be part of them. The Act also regulates the nomination of the national cybersecurity industrial, technology and research coordination centre and the organisation of its tasks, and defines the national cybersecurity certification authority, its supervisory powers and the liability relating to breach of the certification requirements.
Under the amendments made before the second reading, the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority will have the right to eliminate or restrict access to the information disseminated to the public through an information society service. The restriction of information is allowed only in the case when it incites hatred, violence or discrimination because of citizenship, ethnic origin, language, religion or other circumstances. At the same time, it is allowed to restrict access to the information disseminated to the public through an information society service in the case when the information incites war or justifies war crimes. In the amendment, the possibility of restricting information is further restricted by the condition that the restriction of information inciting hatred must be necessary to ensure national security.
The purpose of the amendment is to ensure domestically the existence of measures with which it is possible to restrict content that propagates war and incites hatred, which is used within the framework of informational influence activities directed against Estonia to shape the attitudes of the people residing or staying in Estonia.
51 members of the Riigikogu supported the passing of the Act and 17 were against.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Government of the Republic Act and Other Acts (reorganisation of the National Centre for Defence Investments into a governmental authority) (590 SE), initiated by the Government, under which the division of tasks in the area of government of the Ministry of Defence is changed and the National Centre for Defence Investments will be reorganised into a governmental authority. The purpose of the amendments is to consolidate the administration of the assets necessary for national defence and the ensurance of the functional capacity of the construction works that serve national defence purposes into a single whole.
In order to ensure more effective independent defence capability, the functions and the exercise of supervision related to the duties imposed in the interests of national defence will be transferred from the Defence Resources Agency to the National Centre for Defence Investments. The acts relating to the ensurance of the functional capacity of the construction works that serve national defence purposes will be transferred from the Ministry of Defence to the National Centre for Defence Investments.
The Defence Resources Agency, which so far engaged with the resources necessary for national defence, including the imposition of duties on assets and resources necessary for national defence, will be organising only the services and tasks related to human resources in the future. According to the Act, the Ministry of Defence, which thus far has been performing the acts relating to the ensurance of the functional capacity of the construction works that serve national defence purposes, including the approval of spatial plans and the Earth’s Crust Act, will be focusing mainly on shaping the sectoral policy and on capability planning. Since the functions to be transferred are connected with the exercise of public authority, the National Centre for Defence Investments will be reorganised from an administered state agency into a governmental authority.
In addition, the Act will allow for more flexible and faster transfer of or grant of temporary use of state assets to authorities who need them for the resolution of an emergency, increased defence readiness or a state of war, or for supporting a mobilisation or a demobilisation or for the organisation thereof.
52 members of the Riigikogu voted for the Act, and there was one abstention.
The Riigikogu passed with 71 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Performing Arts Institutions Act and the National Opera Act (419 SE), initiated by the Government. It will make the funding of performing arts institutions clearer and more flexible and will update the working processes of performing arts institutions.
The purpose of the Act is to better support the diversity of the performing arts institutions sector and the availability of performing arts across Estonia. The amendments will reduce the obligations and administrative burden of performing arts institutions. At the same time, all organisers of public performances and concerts will have an additional obligation to disclose information on the accessibility of performances and concerts and their venues to people with special needs. The amendment of the Act will affect all performing arts institutions in Estonia, which number about 50.
In order that it would not become complicated for residents to acquire theatre tickets, performing arts institutions will be supported from the state budget in the future as well, and this will also be done in the case of municipal and private performing arts institutions, besides performing arts institutions operating as foundations established by the state. According to the amendments made during the second reading, when granting subsidies to performing arts institutions, the volume of work relating to the creative activity of a performing arts institution will also be used as a reference unit in order to ensure that the subsidies granted to performing arts institutions will be mutually comparable as units. The more detailed description of the funding system will be provided for by a regulation of a minister, in order that it would be easier to keep the regulation up to date.
The list of the objectives for subsidising performing arts institutions was amended as well. According to the Act, the objective for subsidising municipal performing arts institutions and private performing arts institutions will be to ensure the diversity of the performing arts sector and regional availability of performances. During the second reading, the objective of the promotion of national culture was added. During the proceedings, a provision was also included under which the body granting the subsidy will form a committee for the allocation of the subsidy granted to performing arts institutions from the state budget.
In addition, an amendment was made that will allow the director of a performing arts institution to be appointed without competition for up to one year if a vacant position of the director of a performing arts institution operating as a foundation cannot be filled under public competition for a good reason.
Üllar Saaremäe from Faction Isamaa took the floor during the debate.
The Riigikogu passed with 72 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Criminal Records Database Act, the Penal Code and the Child Protection Act (581 SE), initiated by the Government. The purpose of the Act is to enhance the control over the people to whom the prohibition on working with children is applied, that is, who are not allowed to work with children because of the offences they have committed.
According to the Act, in the future, checks on whether a person is allowed to work with children will have to be carried out at the time of hiring, as well as once every 12 months. Systematic failure to comply with the obligation to carry out the checks will be punishable under misdemeanour procedure, and a legal person may be imposed a fine of up to 32,000 euro for failing to carry out the checks. The amendments also give the legal representatives of children the right to check with a query, without having to pay a state fee, if, for example, the person to be employed as a child carer is allowed to work with children.
The Act also updates the list of offences in the case of which the names of the persons punished for such offences are not replaced by initials or letter combinations in court decisions, as well as the list of offences in the case of which the persons punished for such offences are not allowed to work with children. Besides that, the Act resolves a legal impediment that prevents imposing the supervision of conduct after service of sentence on persons who fail to inform the court of their place of residence.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Imprisonment Act and the Probation Supervision Act (580 SE), initiated by the Government. The Act specifies the provisions relating to the organisation of work of the prison service with a view to organising the work of the prison service more flexibly where necessary. This means, for example, the possibility of organising some of prison’s tasks through a central structural unit or place of service.
The amendments will give the Minister of Justice more opportunities to organise the work of the prison system and to allocate the tasks provided for by law. The Act also updates the provisions on service law in the Imprisonment Act and eliminates specifications where it is more expedient to follow the Civil Service Act.
54 members of the Riigikogu supported the passing of the Act and 18 were against.
The Riigikogu passed with 70 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Law Enforcement Act, the Child Protection Act and the Act on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Precursors thereof (573 SE), initiated by the Government. According to the Act, a new government committee, a prevention council, will be formed of the Child Protection Council, the Offence Prevention Council and the Government Committee on Drug Prevention for better coordination of cross-sectoral prevention. At present, the prevention of offences and risk behaviour is fragmented, and the resource is directed particularly at the consequences of risk behaviour.
The prevention council will begin to manage cross-sectoral prevention, which will involve the development of purposeful prevention policies and the organisation of cooperation on prevention between ministries and other partners. The function of the council will be to strategically prioritise, set the directions of and coordinate cross-sectoral activities in organising drug, criminal and child protection policies, including advising the Government on these issues.
The Riigikogu also passed the Act on Amendments to the Government of the Republic Act (595 SE), initiated by the Government. It updates the regulations relating to the Government. The Act organises the restrictions on activities in place for members of the Government for the time they are in office and explicitly prohibits members of the Government to be members of the management boards and supervisory boards of public limited companies, private limited companies and commercial associations.
Under a new restriction, a member of the Government may not, within half a year after he or she is released from office, act as a member of the management or controlling body in a legal person governed by private law that falls within the area of government of the ministry he or she has been directing if, during his or her term of office, he or she has made decisions with a significant impact concerning the activities of the legal person or if the legal person has contractual relationships with the ministry he or she has been directing.
Under the amendments, no dwelling provided by the employer will be granted to members of the Government anymore. According to the Act, from 2023, this will be substituted with a possibility to receive a housing expenses allowance to the extent of up to 15 per cent of the salary in the case when a minister is residing outside the municipality that is the location of the ministry or the municipalities bordering on it. Thus, the regulation will become more similar to the compensation of housing expenses for members of the Riigikogu. The payment of the compensation paid upon termination of the authority of a member of the Government will also change. The Act amends the bases in the case of which no compensation is paid and makes the amount of the compensation dependent on the time served as a member of the Government.
In addition, the Act specifies the tasks of the Government Office, and the employment contracts of heads of administered state authorities entered into for an unspecified term are made employment contracts entered into for a specified term.
53 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Act and 16 were against.
At its first extraordinary session today, the Riigikogu heard the political statement of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, in which she announced the resignation of the Government.
At the beginning of the sitting, Vice-President of the Riigikogu Hanno Pevkur announced his resignation.
The second extraordinary session of the Riigikogu will begin today, one hour after the end of the first session, that is, at 10.07 a.m. The agenda of that session will include authorisation of the candidate for Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to form a Government, and the third reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Fertilisers Act, the Chemicals Act and the Product Conformity Act (614 SE), initiated by the Government.
At the debate on the authorisation to form a Government, Kaja Kallas will present a twenty-minute report on the bases for the formation of the Government. Each member of the Riigikogu may pose up to two oral questions to the candidate for Prime Minister. After the questions and answers, voting will be held. The candidate for Prime Minister will be authorised by the Riigikogu to form the Government if more members of the Riigikogu vote in favour of it than against.
If the candidate for Prime Minister is authorised by the Riigikogu to form the Government, the third extraordinary session will be held on Monday, starting at 3 p.m. The agenda for the session will include the Government’s oath of office, and the third reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Law of Ship Flag and Registers of Ships Act and the Maritime Safety Act (571 SE), initiated by the Government.
Today, President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Jüri Ratas convened the extraordinary sessions of the Riigikogu for Friday, 15 July and Monday, 18 July on the proposal of the Government of Estonia and 29 members of the Riigikogu.
On the proposal of the Government, the first extraordinary session will take place in the Session Hall of Toompea Castle on Friday at 9 a.m. The agenda for the session includes the political statement by the Prime Minister on resignation of the Government.
The second extraordinary session will be held on the proposal of 29 members of the Riigikogu on Friday one hour after the end of the first session. The agenda of the session will include authorisation of the candidate for Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to form a Government, and the third reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Fertilisers Act, the Chemicals Act and the Product Conformity Act (614 SE), initiated by the Government.
If the candidate for Prime Minister is authorised by the Riigikogu to form the Government, the third extraordinary session will be held on Monday, starting at 3 p.m. The agenda for the session will include the Government’s oath of office, and the third reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Law of Ship Flag and Registers of Ships Act and the Maritime Safety Act (571 SE), initiated by the Government.
At the second sitting of the extraordinary session today, the Riigikogu passed the Act that approves the protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty on the accession of Finland and Sweden.
79 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Act.
During the debate, Marko Mihkelson from the Reform Party Faction, Jaak Aab from the Centre Party Faction, Jaak Juske from the Social Democratic Party Faction, Urmas Reinsalu from Faction Isamaa and Leo Kunnas from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction took the floor. Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology Andres Sutt, acting as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, also made a speech.
The Act on Approval of Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden (643 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, approves the protocols that regulate Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty. The permanent representatives of NATO member states signed the accession protocols in Brussels yesterday. After signing, NATO member states have to approve the protocols according to their national legislation. Besides Estonia, Iceland, Canada, Norway and Denmark have approved the protocols by now.
Upon the entry into force of the protocols, NATO Secretary General will communicate to Finland and Sweden a formal accession invitation. During the accession negotiations and ratification process, Finland and Sweden have a special status of an observer, which means a position similar to that of the allies, but without the right to vote. For the period between the accession invitation and accession, both countries have received defence guarantees from the US, the UK, France, Germany and the Nordic Countries that cover joint defence activities, including exercises.
According to the explanatory memorandum, Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO will enhance security in the North Atlantic region and contribute to a united, free, democratic and peaceful Europe. It will also significantly strengthen the security situation of Estonia and the whole Baltic Sea region.
The Bill on the approval of protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty on the accession of Finland and Sweden passed its first reading at the first sitting of the extraordinary session of the Riigikogu today. The second reading of the Bill is scheduled for the sitting Riigikogu starting at 3.30 p.m. today.
Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology Andres Sutt, acting as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said before the Riigikogu that the last two weeks of June, when Ukraine together with Moldova was given the status of candidate country of the European Union and Georgia a clear EU perspective, and historical decisions were adopted at the summit of NATO leaders in Madrid, would stand out in the history of the world.
He pointed out that by inviting Finland and Sweden to join, NATO had opened its doors for the seventh time since the end of the Cold War. “It is in Estonia’s interests that Finland and Sweden join NATO quickly and that both countries integrate smoothly into the political and military structures of NATO. I assure you that NATO’s doors will remail open also to other countries, including Ukraine, and no third country, least of all Russia, can decide who will join NATO and who will not,” he said.
In Sutt’s opinion, Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO will directly strengthen Estonia’s security. “Naturally, this enlargement will not solve all security concerns of Estonia and all three Baltic states. It is clear that the ongoing work within NATO to enhance the security situation of Estonia and our region will continue. It is important to swiftly implement the decisions taken at the Madrid Summit, and today’s ratification is part of this,” he said, and asked the Riigikogu to make a historical decision and vote for the approval of the NATO Accession Protocols with Finland and Sweden. “It is entirely appropriate that Estonia should be among the first countries to complete this process. As a symbol, it is very meaningful and sets an example for other acceding countries. After all, Finland and Sweden are our neighbours and like-minded countries, and we share a long history.
During the debate, Leo Kunnas from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction, Mihhail Lotman from Faction Isamaa, Enn Eesmaa from the Centre Party Faction, and Indrek Saar from the Social Democratic Party Faction took the floor.
According to the Bill on Approval of Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden (643 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, the Riigikogu approves the protocols that regulate Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty. The permanent representatives of NATO member states signed the accession protocols in Brussels on 5 July. After signing, NATO’s member states have to approve the protocols according to their national legislation.
The second reading of the Bill will take place at the second sitting of the extraordinary session that starts two hours after the end of the first sitting. At the second sitting, a representative of the foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu will present a report and members of the Riigikogu may each pose up to two oral questions to the presenter. After that, a debate will be held, where all members of the Riigikogu may participate, and after possible motions to amend are reviewed, the final vote on the Bill will be held. A majority vote of the members of the Riigikogu will be needed for the Act to be passed.
Upon the entry into force of the protocols, NATO Secretary General will communicate to Finland and Sweden a formal accession invitation. During the accession negotiations and ratification process, Finland and Sweden have a special status of an observer, which means a position similar to that of the allies, but without the right to vote. For the period between the accession invitation and accession, both countries have received defence guarantees from the US, the UK, France, Germany and the Nordic Countries that cover joint defence activities, including exercises.
According to the explanatory memorandum to the Bill, Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO will enhance security in the North Atlantic region and contribute to a united, free, democratic and peaceful Europe. It will also significantly strengthen the security situation of Estonia and the whole Baltic Sea region.
At its extraordinary sitting tomorrow, the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) will discuss ratification of the NATO Accession Protocols with Finland and Sweden.
At the proposal of the Government of the Republic, President of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas has convened an extraordinary session of the Riigikogu in the Session Hall of the Toompea Castle on 6 July.
The first sitting of the extraordinary session will start at 12 noon and continue until all items on the agenda have been deliberated. The agenda of the first sitting includes the first reading of the Bill on the Ratification of the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden (643 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
One hour after the end of the first sitting, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu will hold its sitting.
The second sitting of the extraordinary session will begin two hours after the end of the first sitting and continue until all items on the agenda have been deliberated. The agenda of the second sitting includes the second reading of the Bill on the Ratification of the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden (643 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The delegation of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) participates in the Annual Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Birmingham, UK. The Session takes place from today until next Wednesday and focuses on European security. The Riigikogu is represented at the Assembly by Mati Raidma, Heljo Pikhof, and Marko Šorin.
Head of the Estonian delegation Mati Raidma pointed out that this year the OSCE PA Annual Session was held at the time the member states of the Assembly were facing very complicated challenges due to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. “The debates at the Assembly will focus on war in Ukraine and its impact on European politics,” said Raidma, who participates in the work of the Committee on Political Affairs and Security at the Annual Session. “We must stand firmly by the Ukrainians and support their positions. There must be no room for hesitation in the current European security environment,” he added.
Member of the Estonian delegation Heljo Pikhof underlined that dialogue and cooperation between parliamentarians were essential for overcoming security challenges because a more secure world and stronger democracies could be achieved only by acting together. At the Annual Session, Pikhof participates in the work of the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions that will also cover the issues of migration, freedom of the media and combating disinformation.
Member of the delegation Marko Šorin said that besides the war and its impacts, the debates of the parliamentarians will focus on economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. Šorin participates in the work of the Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment.
The 2022 meeting is the first in-person Annual Session since 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Session was cancelled and the 2021 Session was held remotely. The Annual Session will be livestreamed on the Facebook and the YouTube channel of the Assembly.
The aim of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is to increase the involvement of its participating states in resolving European political and security issues in order to enhance civilian control over military affairs and to strengthen the responsibility and influence of members of parliament.
The Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Parliaments of the Baltic States, the Nordic Countries, the United Kingdom and Ireland today made a joint statement in which they call on speeding up the delivery of military aid to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, increasing financial support to the Ukrainian Government and to neighbouring countries hosting the war refugees, as well as beginning of planning for the long-term reconstruction of Ukraine.
In the Statement, the Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees affirm their continuing solidarity with the people of Ukraine and pay tribute to their extraordinary sacrifices in the pursuit of freedom, the territorial integrity of their country and the sovereignty of their democracy. “It is incumbent on us to respond collectively and decisively to a war that seeks to change the status quo through force, and which is already redefining the future of Europe,” they say.
They call on continuing and intensifying the international community’s support to Ukraine—speeding up the delivery of heavy weapons and other military assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in addition to increasing financial support to the Ukrainian Government for its day-to-day spending and to neighbouring countries hosting nearly 5 million Ukrainian refugees. “We further call on governments to begin planning, in close cooperation with the Government of Ukraine, for the long-term reconstruction of Ukraine,” the Statement emphasises.
The Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees condemn the serial breach of international law and the perpetration of war crimes in Ukraine by the Russian Armed Forces and their proxies. They call on the international community to take all necessary steps to deter Russian military personnel from the further terrorisation of the people of Ukraine, ensuring that those responsible are held to account. “This includes the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Punishment of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine,” the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees say, and consider it necessary to ensure the investigators resources and immediate access to the sites connected with crimes in Ukraine.
The Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees also condemn Russia’s weaponisation of food and hunger as tools to increase its power and leverage. “The UN Secretary-General has warned that hundreds of millions of people are at risk of “hunger and destitution” because of food shortages caused by the war. Some 750,000 are already experiencing starvation and acute malnutrition in Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. Yet Russia continues its blockade of Black Sea ports, is conducting sustained attacks on grain silos, fertiliser stores and farming infrastructure, and is stealing grain from occupied areas for its own consumption or profit.,” the Statement points out.
The Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees call on their governments to work with likeminded partners to enhance our collective security against military and nuclear threats in Europe, linking the High North with the Baltics and the Black Sea, and urgently acting to reduce nuclear risks. They also invite their governments to establish horizon-scanning mechanisms for insidious state threats to our democracies and free-market economies, and to share the insight generated with allies and likeminded partners to create a common threat picture.
The Statement has been signed by the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Parliaments of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu Marko Mihkelson signed the Statement on behalf of Estonia.
At today’s extraordinary session, the Riigikogu did not deliberate the Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fuel and Electricity Excise Duty Act that was on the agenda, because there were not enough members of the Riigikogu present at the session.
During extraordinary sessions, the Riigikogu has a quorum if more than one half of the members of the Riigikogu, that is, at least 51 members of the Riigikogu are present. However, only 25 members of the Riigikogu registered their attendance at the beginning of today’s session. Thus, the session ended due to lack of quorum.
According to the agenda, the Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fuel and Electricity Excise Duty Act (548 SE), initiated by Faction Isamaa, was going to be deliberated at the session. Initially, it provided for lowering the rate of excise duty on unleaded petrol to the minimum level of the European Union, that is, to 359 euro per 1000 litres. The lowering of the excise duty was proposed for one year, that is, from 1 May this year to 1 May 2023.
Before the second reading, the Finance Committee had incorporated into the Bill an amendment involving the entire text of the Bill according to which the excise duty rates on unleaded petrol and diesel fuel would be lowered to the minimum level of the EU from 1 August. The excise duty rates on the components of such fuels will also be lowered to the same level. The excise duty rates on fuels comparable to diesel fuel will be adjusted as well. The excise duty on light heating oil will be reduced to a rate equal to the excise duty on diesel fuel, and the excise duty on diesel-like heavy fuel oil and shale-derived fuel oil will fall proportionally to the excise duty on diesel fuel. In addition, according to an amendment, the increases in the excise duty rates for these fuels that have been published but have not entered into force will be cancelled.
President of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas had convened the extraordinary session at the proposal of 24 members of the Riigikogu.