Today, the delegation of the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) goes on a two-day working visit to Finland on the invitation of the Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Eduskunta (Parliament of Finland).
In the opinion of Chairman of the National Defence Committee Enn Eesmaa, the long-time excellent cooperation of the Defence Committees of Estonia and Finland is all the more important now when Finland has recently applied to join NATO. “We strongly support the accession decision of both Finland and Sweden. It has a huge impact on the security of Estonia and our region more widely,” he said. “During the visit, we will discuss with our Nordic neighbours plans for further strengthening of defence capabilities and cooperation between parliaments as well as confirm the readiness of the Riigikogu to ratify the protocols on accession to NATO as soon as they are submitted to the Parliament.”
The delegation of the National Defence Committee will have a meeting with the Defence Committee of the Eduskunta that is chaired by Petteri Orpo. The members of the Committee will also meet with Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces General Timo Kivinen, Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson and representatives of the National Emergency Supply Agency of Finland, and visit the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA).
Besides the Chairman of the National Defence Committee, Deputy Chairman Leo Kunnas and members of the Committee Heiki Hepner, Peeter Rahnel and Mati Raidma participate in the visit.
The National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu has closely cooperated with the Defence Committee of the Eduskunta and held annual working meetings since 1993, which makes it the Committee with the longest bilateral cooperation relations in the Riigikogu.
Today, President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Jüri Ratas starts his three-day official visit to Azerbaijan.
During the visit to Azerbaijan, Ratas will have meetings with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova and Prime Minister Ali Asadov. The President of the Riigikogu also plans to meet with the Minister of Digital Development and Transport and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. At the meetings, the relations between Estonia and Azerbaijan as well as further cooperation between the countries will be discussed.
The President of the Riigikogu is accompanied on the visit by Chair of Estonia-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Friendship Group Sven Sester and Chair of the Environment Committee of the Riigikogu Yoko Alender.
20 April this year marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Estonia and Azerbaijan.
In Saaremaa, the Navy was tasked with taking the entire Kura Kurk (Irbe straights) and the port of Mõntu in Saaremaa in order to ensure the laying of minefields by transmitting information to their units and to detect the movement of opponents.
In order to carry out this task, a radar station was set up with another in reserve to have the widest possible area under observation. The radar will provide the Navy with sufficient observation of both the Kura Kurk and the area around the port of Mõntu. “We can see over 40 kilometers away with what is happening in this area all the way to Latvia, even the smallest fishing boats can be identified,” said Janno-Joosep Naaber, the head of the monitoring group. “In addition, there is also a camera with a very high zoom at the top of the radar, which has thermal performance.
Here at night you can even see, rabbits moving in the grass behind the coast i.e. we have good observation, the detection capability is good and first security is also guaranteed by us.””The force we have here is enough to deal with the first attack, but we are not a combat unit. We are the eyes and ears, then when displaying the situation at sea to our combat units,” he explained. “If we find an opponent, we can get the relevant units to react. The plus of the current position is that we have more power to react. We have the resources to man the posts, patrols and, of course, the radar itself.”
Since SIIL 2022 is the first time that they have actually been on the scene with this unit, consequently many things are still being practiced. “We have written everything down on paper, but it’s now a real practice for this unit to see how these things actually work in the field. How long do they work, how long do they take and how long will it take to pack this whole thing up and move away here,” Naaber said.
A Finnish army infantry company and a group of combat engineers started a cooperation exercise today with the Scouts Battalion in Tapa, and next week the combined unit will take part in the maneuver phase of the exercise Siil/Hedgehog 2022.
The Contingent of the Finnish Army consists of a jaeger company made up of reservists, which uses the armoured vehicles Pasi as well as a group of combat engineers and a close air support controller. The deputy commander of the Scouts Battalion during the exercise is the Commander of the Finnish Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Risto Kohonen.
In total, during the exercise , the size of the Finnish contingent is more than 200 Finnish Defence Forces members.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Eero Aija, commander of the Scouts Battalion, the initial cooperation with the Finnish units has gone very well and a common language has been found. “I’m sure that by the end of the week, the jaegers will be integrated into the scouts,” said Lt. Col. Aija.
The Estonian-Finnish combined unit will conduct cooperation exercises this week, and by the beginning of next week the battalion will be ready to participate in the exercise Siil/Hedgehog in Southern Estonia.
Additional information: 1st Infantry Brigade, Public Affairs Officer captain Ott Aro, 5302 8317
Today, the heads of the delegations of the Nordic Countries and the Baltic States (NB8) to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meet in Tallinn. The meeting will focus on developments in the security situation of the region in light of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
“We have invited our colleagues from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to Estonia in order to discuss together the security situation caused by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and to prepare for the OSCE PA Annual Session that will take place in Birmingham, UK, in July,” Chair of the Estonian Delegation to the OSCE PA Mati Raidma said. “We want to speak with the representatives of the Baltic States and the Nordic Countries about supporting Ukraine, and about war refugees, humanitarian aid and cooperation.”
Representatives of the delegations of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland to the OSCE PA meet at the Riigikogu, the Parliament of Estonia, to discuss the security situation. OSCE PA President Margareta Cederfelt will also participate in the meeting. Heads of the NB8 delegations plan to hold a video conference with Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA Mykyta Poturaiev.
The Riigikogu is represented at the meeting by Chair of the Estonian Delegation to the OSCE PA Mati Raidma and Alternate Member of Delegation Anti Poolamets.
The delegation will also visit the International Centre for Defence and Security to discuss the situation in Ukraine with experts.
Today, President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Jüri Ratas sent a letter to the Speakers of the national parliaments of the European Union, calling on them to support granting Ukraine the status of a candidate state for membership in the European Union.
Ratas pointed out that since 24 February, Ukraine had selflessly been fighting for the European Union values on the frontline, and had demonstrated the utmost determination and courage in resisting Russia’s aggression. At the same time, the country has submitted an application to accede to the EU. The European Commission is rapidly moving forward with the processing of Ukraine’s application and has promised to submit its opinion in June. “I hope that the Commission’s positive opinion will lay a strong foundation for the political support of the EU countries to recognising Ukraine as a candidate state for EU membership under Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union,” he said.
Ratas believes that the EU support is of crucial importance to Ukraine, motivating it to continue with the necessary reforms and inspiring hope in Ukrainian people to hold on. He underlined in the letter that more than 90 per cent of the people of Ukraine supported joining the EU.
Ratas said that Ukraine had expressed its readiness to meet all the conditions for EU membership, and the granting of the status of a candidate state would be the first important step in achieving this aim. “Estonia supports granting Ukraine the status of European Union candidate state. I hope that we will be able to pass this decision together in the European Union in the nearest future. We have to do everything in our power to support Ukraine’s ambitions,” he wrote.
Ratas emphasised that in supporting Ukraine, the EU citizens must not be ignored and their opinion had to be taken into account. He drew attention to the fact that societies of the whole Europe had expressed strong and unconditional support to Ukraine and its ambitions towards the European Union. In his opinion, the current tense security situation is calling for swift and responsible decisions. “I hope that your Parliament will support the proposal to grant the status of a candidate state for EU membership to Ukraine,” President of the Riigikogu wrote in his letter to the Speakers of the national parliaments of the EU.
Today, the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Parliaments of the Baltic States made a Joint Statement in which they express support to the decision of Finland and Sweden to join NATO and confirm the readiness of their parliaments to approve the accession protocols as soon as possible.
In the opinion of the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees, the accession of Finland and Sweden to the organisation is of vital importance in the current European security situation, which is fraught with grave menaces. “Therefore, on behalf of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, we pledge our readiness to engage in even closer cooperation to strengthen the defence capabilities of Finland and Sweden and, through this cooperation, ensure better security in the Baltic Sea region,” they say.
Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees reiterate that it is the sovereign right of every nation to make decisions about joining international organisations and condemn Russia’s threats to block such steps. “Our parliaments are ready to be among the first to approve the accession protocols of Finland and Sweden as soon as the North Atlantic Council has approved these protocols,” they affirm, and call on the parliaments of NATO member states to ensure the smooth ratification of the Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of Finland and Sweden.
The Joint Statement is signed by Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament) of Estonia Marko Mihkelson, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima (Parliament) of the Republic of Latvia Rihards Kols and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania Laima Andrikienė.
At today’s plenary sitting, the Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the Bill that, among other things, will ensure the availability of general medical care and improve the continuity of the servicing of the practice lists of family physicians.
Under the Bill on Amendments to the Health Services Organisation Act and Other Acts (533 SE), initiated by the Government, the health system will be made more flexible and human-centred. According to the Bill, from 1 July, general medical care will be organised by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund instead of the Health Board.
The Bill will specify the bases for registering on the practice list of a family physician. With the amendments, according to the Health Services Organisation Act, persons residing in Estonia on the basis of the right of residence and persons with health insurance who are legally staying in Estonia under a temporary basis for stay will have the right to register on the practice list of a family physician and to change their family physician on the basis of a written application. The Bill will enable, upon the first approval of a practice list, to keep the list shorter than the upper limit for a practice list as provided by law, in order to allow the new family physician time to get to know the practice list.
The Bill also provides for the obligation of a family physician to inform the persons on their practice list at least six months in advance if the place of business of the family physician changes. The aim of the amendment is to enable patients to change their family physician if necessary or to make preparations in the organisation of their life so that they could get used to the fact that their family physician is moving to a new place of business.
The Bill provides for the possibility to ensure medical care in the situations where public competitions to find a family physician for a practice list have failed or a practice list unexpectedly remains without a family physician. The conditions for the application for the beginner’s allowance will also be mitigated: the period for the submission of applications will be extended, and legal preconditions will be created for the payment of the beginner’s allowance in a larger amount and for the beginner’s allowance to be used partially. The Bill will create an opportunity to designate a priority region or specialty and to pay the beginner’s allowance for family physicians in an amount of up to three times the rate of the allowance. The rate of the beginner’s allowance will be EUR 5000.
Under the Bill, nurses who have acquired the specialty of nursing (specialised nurses) will also have the right to issue prescriptions for agreed medicinal products in a limited range to the same extent as currently applies to family nurses. The range of people who have the right to issue certificates of incapacity for work will also be amended and nurses will be given the right to issue certificates of incapacity for work.
During the second reading, in view of the feedback received from stakeholders, it was decided to omit from the Bill the provision that would have allowed the hospitals in the hospital network development plan to service the practice lists of family physicians in a situation where it is impossible to ensure the availability of family physician.
Two other Bills passed the second reading
The Bill on Amendments to the Feed Act (499 SE), initiated by the Government, is intended to bring the Feed Act into conformity with a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the requirements for the manufacture, placing on the market and use of medicated feed. The general principles will remain the same.
According to the Bill, certain feed business operators will be subject to an authorisation obligation because, under a Regulation, in the future, feed business operators will have to hold an activity licence if their establishments engage in the manufacture, transport or placing on the market of medicated feed or intermediate products. According to the current procedure, an activity licence is required only in the case of the manufacture of medicated feed. In the case of other activities related to the handling of medicated feed, for example, upon retail of medicated feed for pets, a notice of economic activities must be submitted.
The Bill will also update the maximum penalty rates in place for legal persons in the Feed Act, which will range from 10,000 to 32,000 euro in the future. It will be possible to impose a fine of up to 50,000 euro on a legal person for violation of the requirements for feed, the requirements for the labelling of feed and the requirements for the handling of feed and feeding to animals.
The Bill on Amendments to the Medicinal Products Act and the Veterinary Act (544 SE), initiated by the Government, will amend the Medicinal Products Act and specify the provisions relating to medicinal products in the Veterinary Act in order to better implement the European Union Regulation applicable to veterinary medicinal products and to achieve its aims.
From 28 January, the activity licences of wholesale distributors of veterinary medicinal products will be valid across the European Union. In view of this, the Bill is intended to grant veterinarians and general and veterinary pharmacies the right to import to Estonia veterinary medicinal products from EU wholesale distributors of veterinary medicinal products. Up to now, veterinarians have been able to buy medicinal products from Estonian wholesale distributors of veterinary medicinal products.
In addition, according to the Bill, veterinarians will no longer have to apply for a separate authorisation from the State Agency of Medicines to use veterinary medicinal products without a marketing authorisation. Upon the use of medicinal products without a marketing authorisation in veterinary activities, the veterinarian will have to be guided by the requirements set out in the abovementioned Regulation. As the first option, however, authorised veterinary medicinal products continue to have to be used according to the terms of the marketing authorisation.
The Bill will specify the tasks of the competent authorities in the field of veterinary medicinal products, i.e. the State Agency of Medicines and the Agriculture and Food Board, update the regulation for the fees of the State Agency of Medicines and give the State Agency of Medicines the right to allow exemptions with regard to the requirements for the packages of veterinary medicinal products.
Three Bills passed the first reading
The Bill on Amendments to the Population Register Act (609 SE), initiated by the Government, is intended to give local governments an opportunity to terminate the validity of the data on residence of a person if his or her residential address is in the population register to the accuracy of city and city district or rural municipality but the local authority has established that the person is not residing in its territory or anywhere else in Estonia and no data of a place of stay specified in the Population Register Act, for example, a social welfare institution, has been entered in the population register as the place of stay of the person.
The explanatory memorandum notes that, in the case of Ukrainian war refugees, there have been cases where local authorities have hesitated whether to enter data on residence to the accuracy of local government into the population register, as there is no possibility to terminate the validity of such data if no new notice of residence is submitted. The amendment of the Population Register Act is necessary in order to give local governments an opportunity to terminate the validity of the data on residence in the population register for people who have left the local authority and Estonia. Besides Ukrainian war refugees, this also applies to all other people who have a place of residence to the accuracy of local government.
During the debate, Mart Helme took the floor on behalf of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction.
The Bill on Amendments to the Fertilisers Act, the Chemicals Act and the Product Conformity Act (614 SE), initiated by the Government, will transpose and implement the European Union Regulation harmonising and updating the manufacturing and quality requirements for fertilizers marketed in the European Union. The new requirements for the manufacturing and marketing of fertilizers will mark a transition to an approach based on circular economy. This means that, in the future, by-products of various branches of industry will be allowed to be recovered as fertilising products. As a result of this, it will be easier for manufacturers to combine products based on different component materials, and the range of fertilising products will be expanded.
For the first time, limit values for heavy metal content for fertilising products will be established. The limit values for heavy metals and pathogens that European Union fertilizers can contain have been set out by product category. The limit values for heavy metals have been established for organic and inorganic fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media and plant biostimulants. The limit values for heavy metals have been established for cadmium, chromium, arsenic, mercury, nickel, lead, copper and zinc. The quality requirements for EU fertilising products ensure that the use of these products does not harm people, animals, plants or the environment.
According to the Draft Resolution “Amendment of the Resolution of the Riigikogu “The Fundamentals of Climate Policy until 2050”” (616 OE), submitted by the Environment Committee, amendments will be made to the Resolution of the Riigikogu “The Fundamentals of Climate Policy until 2050” of 5 April 2017. They provide that, by 2050, Estonia will be a competitive country with knowledge-based society and economy. It will ensure a high-quality living environment rich in species, and willingness and capacity to reduce the adverse effects caused by climate change and to make the best use of the positive effects. The amendment also provides that Estonia’s long-term target is to achieve a balance between greenhouse gas emissions and removals by 2025 at the latest and to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by that time.
The explanatory memorandum notes that the fundamentals were an agreement on the long-term vision of Estonian climate policy, sectoral policy objectives covering the whole economy that set out a clear route to mitigating climate change, that is, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and at the same time adaptation to climate change, until 2050. The interim changes in climate policy and its objectives both in the European Union and in Estonia have caused a conflict with the fundamentals of climate policy in place. The purpose of the draft Resolution is to bring the fundamentals into conformity with the climate targets agreed in the EU.
The current text of the fundamentals sets out that Estonia’s long-term goal is to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 by approximately 80% compared to the 1990 baseline. By now, steps have been taken in the European Union and Estonia to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
During the debate, Andres Metsoja took the floor on behalf of Faction Isamaa, Peeter Ernits on behalf of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction and Yoko Alender on behalf of the Reform Party Faction.
Today and tomorrow, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Marko Mihkelson participates in the visit of the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Parliaments of the Baltic States to Madrid, Spain.
Mihkelson said that the visit would focus on continuing the provision of military, economic and political support to Ukraine, including supporting Ukraine becoming a candidate country for membership of the European Union. “We will also discuss how to contribute to the investigation of the war crimes committed by Russian troops and speak about the possibilities for continuing to put pressure on Russia. Our common aim must be to isolate Russia at international level,” he added.
Mihkelson underlined that the war Russia had started in Ukraine had changed the security situation of the whole Europe. “Therefore, we will also discuss strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and the opportunities for deepening mutual defence cooperation,” he said.
During the visit, the Chairs of the Baltic Foreign Affairs Committees will have meetings with Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Congress of Deputies Pau Marí-Klose, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate Antonio Gutiérrez Limones and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares Bueno. The Baltic Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees will also meet with the representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Spanish think tank Elcano Institute and visit El Goloso military base.
Besides Mihkelson, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima (Parliament) of the Republic of Latvia Rihards Kols and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania Laima Andrikienė participate in the visit.
President of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas is on a one-day visit to Finland today, to express support for Finland’s accession to NATO.
Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine had irreversibly changed the security situation in Europe, as Ratas sees it. “Estonia is a firm supporter of both Finland and Sweden joining NATO. We are ready for a quick negotiation process and immediate ratification of treaties. That would be a big step towards enhancing the security in the whole Baltic Sea region,” the President of the Riigikogu said.
Ratas is meeting the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Matti Vanhanen, Deputy Speakers Antti Rinne and Juho Eerola, Chair of the Finland-Estonia Friendship Group Mikko Savola, and Chair of the Environment Committee Juha Sipilä. Ratas will also meet the Minister of Finance Annikka Saarikko and pay a visit to the Embassy of Estonia where he will meet local Estonians.
The visit is taking place at a time when the Finnish Parliament is discussing and voting on a draft for applying for NATO membership. The two parties will discuss Finland’s further steps towards becoming a member state. Other topics include continuing the pressure on Russia and supporting Ukraine.
Ratas is accompanied with the Chair of the Estonia-Finland Parliamentary Group Helmen Kütt and member of the Group Aivar Sõerd.
Photos of the visit(the gallery is updated starting from noon, author: Erik Peinar, Chancellery of the Riigikogu)