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)
At today’s meeting with First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniyenko and the delegation accompanying him, President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Jüri Ratas said that Ukraine’s victory in the war with Russia was of key importance and Estonia wished to actively contribute to it.
Ratas underlined that Ukraine was fighting not only for its freedom and independence, but for the whole Europe and the free world. “You have given us all the hope that good will win over evil, light will win over darkness and Ukraine will win this war. The people and the state of Estonia clearly and unanimously support Ukraine on all issues. We would like to do even more in order to give you military, economic and diplomatic aid,” Ratas emphasised at the meeting with the Ukrainian delegation.
Ratas said that one of the aims of the meetings of the Ukrainian delegation in Tallinn was to map both Estonia’s possibilities and Ukraine’s needs in the reconstruction of the country. “I am very happy that Estonia has started cooperation with Zhytomyr Region. I hope that the meetings will lead to specific agreements on how we can contribute to building up the region in the best way,” he added.
Ratas also reconfirmed Estonia’s support to Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. “In the nearest future, I will call on the Speakers of the national parliaments of the European Union countries to encourage the Member States to decide quickly, clearly and unambiguously to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate state of the EU,” he said.
Together with Korniyenko, the 22-member Ukrainian delegation includes five members of the Verkhovna Rada. Other members of the delegation are representatives of the local governments and businesses of Zhytomyr Region.
The Estonian Defense Forces large military exercise SIIL 2022 (Hedgehog) started on Monday, in which nearly a total of 15,000 members of the Defense Forces and soldiers of the Allied and Partner countries will participate.
The strength of our Defense Forces is the reservists. By involving them and recalling the necessary skills, we will strengthen the defense capabilities of our country, “said Major General Veiko-Vello Palm, the general leader of the exercise. “This exercise gives us the opportunity to raise the awareness of reservists about military tasks and to practice the activities necessary for the units operations.
The main goal of SIIL 2022 is to check the combat readiness of the Defense Forces and their ability to respond to threat scenarios in an international framework.
The main units controlling the exercise are the 2nd Infantry Brigade and the Strategic Communication Center of the Cyber Command.
This year’s exercise will take place from May 16 to June 3, and the activities will take place through out almost all of Estonia. The main maneuvering activities of the units will take place in Southern Estonia, combat shooting exercises at the Central Training Area of the Defense Forces as well as in Saaremaa.
In addition to SIIL, several other exercises are being conducted in Estonia and its immediate vicinity at the same time. Latvia is organizing the exercise Namejs, within the framework of which, among other things, cross-border co-operation and command procedures with the Estonian Defense Forces will be practiced. As part of the Defender Europe exercise of the US Armed Forces, the US Marines (USMC) are operating in Saaremaa in cooperation with the Allies. Combat artillery exercises are also being carried out at sea. NATO’s Northern Division staff will be conducting the Knight Legion exercise.
The Army, the Air Force and the Navy, the Defense League, the Cyber Command, as well as the Support Command and the Special Operations Command, will take part of SIIL. In addition, the NATO Battlegroup located in Estonia as well as the Allied units arriving here during the exercises will take part of the exercise.
Nearly 7,100 reservists and participant from Estonian Defence League , 2,500 conscripts, 2,000 active duty members and 4,200 allied soldiers from ten countries will take part of SIIL. The exercise uses hundreds of types of equipment, including armoured vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, tanks, ships, helicopters and airplanes.
During the three weeks of the exercise, more combat equipment and vehicle columns will be moving on Estonian roads than usual. The Defense Forces are asking drivers to follow temporary traffic management measures and the warnings of regulators, we also hope that fellow road users will maintain an understanding attitude during the exercise.
Chairman of the Constitutional Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Toomas Kivimägi said at the Interparliamentary Conference on Migration Challenges in Paris, France, today that Estonia did not support mandatory quotas for refugees but expected greater support from the European Union in compensating the costs relating to war refugees from Ukraine.
Kivimägi pointed out in his speech that, from 24 February, Estonia had received more than 38,000 war refugees from Ukraine. “This is 2.9 per cent of our population. To better understand the proportions, this would equal to France giving shelter to 1.9 million refugees,” he said at the Conference held in the French Senate. He added that the Riigikogu was preparing to adopt an additional budget at the end of May, where nearly 250 million euro were planned for the expenses relating to refugees.
“Despite the big challenge we are facing, Estonia still does not support mandatory quotas for refugees in the EU. We find that it is better for refugees, if possible, to stay in their neighbouring countries and not to flee thousands of kilometres from their homeland. Most of the refugees are planning to return to Ukraine after the end of the war,” said Kivimägi, who thinks it is humane to let refugees choose for themselves the country where to stay in this tragic time.
He also said that Estonia expected the European Union to take a bigger role in compensating the costs relating to refugees to those member states that have accepted more refugees. In his opinion, the role of the European Union in strengthening its external border should also grow. “It is not fair to leave the Member States on their own with these costs. We have to protect our borders well, and we have to do it together,” Kivimägi said at the Conference.
Deputy Chair of the Constitutional Committee Eduard Odinets attends the Interparliamentary Conference on Migration Challenges together with Kivimägi.
Today and tomorrow, Chairman of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu Siim Kallas participates in the meeting of the Chairs of the European Union Affairs Committees of the parliaments of the Baltic States and Poland in Warsaw.
“As close neighbours of Ukraine, we in the Baltic States and Poland are well aware of the consequences Russia’s aggression. More than 37,000 Ukrainian war refugees have arrived in Estonia, and that number is even greater in Lithuania and Poland,” Kallas said. “At this meeting, we can discuss together how to continue supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainians, how to overcome the challenges caused by the crisis and which positions we should defend together in the European Union.”
The meeting of the Chairs of the European Union Affairs Committees of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland will focus on the objectives and challenges of the European Union in the face of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. The impacts of the war on economy, migration and humanitarian situation will also be discussed.
Minister for European Affairs of Poland Konrad Szymański will also take part in the discussion on urgent EU issues. The migration problems and humanitarian challenges caused by the war will also be discussed with Government Plenipotentiary for war refugees from Ukraine, Secretary of State Paweł Szefernaker.