The draft Resolution was submitted by the Government, and it will approve the updated National Security Concept of Estonia which describes the deteriorated security environment, the principles of Estonia’s security policy, and the actions necessary to counter threats and mitigate risks.

The national security concept sets goals for strengthening Estonia’s security in five areas: social cohesion and civil protection, economic security and essential services, internal security, military defence, and international engagement. The document addresses security based on the principle of comprehensive national defence, places greater emphasis than before on civil protection, and provides, among other things, that Estonia’s military defence expenditures must continue to be at least five percent of GDP.

The National Defence Committee moves to hold the second reading and also the final vote of the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Approval of “The National Security Concept of Estonia”” (908 OE) on 10 June.

The Riigikogu adopted the current National Security Concept of Estonia at the beginning of 2023.

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Link uudisele: The National Defence Committee amended the draft National Security Concept

Moldova’s natural key partners in national defence and security are its neighbouring countries of Romania and Ukraine.

In Chișinău, Stoicescu met with the Chairman of the parliament’s Committee on National Security, Defense and Public Order Lilian Carp and members of the Committee, and Head of the Friendship Group with the Republic of Estonia Andrian Cheptonar. He also met with the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri, Minister of Defence Anatolie Nosatîi, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the military academy.

The topics included closer cooperation between Estonia and Moldova and preparations for EU integration, but also Russia continuing war of aggression in Ukraine, and regional security situation more broadly.

Stoicescu left Chișinău for Ukraine, where he took part in the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa.

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Link uudisele: Stoicescu: Estonia supports Moldova in EU accession and security enhancement

The state covers the cost of the initial language training, and compensation is also provided for participation in the language course and the proficiency exam. The total costs of taking the language exam and attending the language courses – estimated at EUR 400,000 per year – will be covered from the state budget.

The Act also provides that if a call-up selectee repeatedly fails to attend language training or take a qualification examination without a valid reason, the Defence Resources Agency will be able to take administrative coercive measures against them, including suspend their hunting right and the validity of their driver’s licence, fishing card and weapons-related permits. The same measures can currently be used if a person, repeatedly and without reason, fails to participate in an assessment of the state of health or to report for conscript service. According to the Act, the upper limit for the non-compliance levy imposed for failure to comply with a precept will raise from EUR 640 to EUR 1,280. The implementation of administrative coercive measures will help ensure that call-up selectees would not intentionally delay acquiring the required language proficiency and thereby avoid entering conscript service.

According to the explanatory memorandum, completing conscript service requires sufficient knowledge of Estonian to understand orders, follow safety requirements, and participate in training. The amendment will allow the Defence Forces to focus on their primary task which is providing military training.

The National Defence Committee wanted to set a language proficiency requirement for conscripts with an Act passed last November, but when the President refused to promulgate it, it was decided to resolve the issue with a separate law. The text of the Act was prepared by a working group, which was formed by the National Defence Committee and included representatives from the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Culture, the Defence Resources Agency, the Estonian Education and Youth Board, and the Integration Foundation, as well as members of the Riigikogu.

The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Military Service Act (language requirement for conscript service) (825 SE), initiated by the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu, with 76 votes.

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Link uudisele: The Riigikogu supported setting B1 level language proficiency requirement for conscripts

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu Marko Mihkelson underlined the importance of active diplomacy alongside defence investments in the National Security Concept. “We must strengthen the narrative of victory among our allies, because only a decisive defeat of Russian imperialism in Ukraine will create the conditions for restoring lasting peace in Europe and, with it, strengthening our own security,” he said.

The National Security Concept of Estonia was prepared by the Government, and describes the deteriorated security environment, the principles of Estonia’s security policy, and the actions necessary to counter threats and mitigate risks in five areas: social cohesion and civil protection, economic security and essential services, internal security, military defence and international activity. Among other things, the document emphasizes that Estonia’s military defence expenditure must amount to at least five per cent of GDP, and state funding must be used to maintain the capabilities necessary for fulfilling national defence tasks and to address the most significant non-military capability shortfalls.

At today’s joint sitting of the National Defence Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu, Prime Minister Kristen Michal gave an overview of the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Approval of “The National Security Concept of Estonia”” (908 OE). The National Defence Committee moved unanimously to include the Draft Resolution in the agenda of the 19 May plenary sitting and to conclude its first reading.

The Riigikogu will decide on the approval of the National Security Concept at two readings. Last National Security Concept was approved by the Riigikogu at the beginning of 2023.

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Link uudisele: New framework document on Estonia’s security policy will be submitted to the Riigikogu

Leaders of the Defence Committees of the parliaments of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Poland have been invited to participate in the forum.

The National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu has held annual working meetings with the National Defence Committees of the Baltic States since 1998. From 2011, the representatives of the National Defence Committees of the of the Nordic Countries as well as Germany and Poland have also been taking part in these meetings.

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Link uudisele: Stoicescu and Kunnas attend security and defence forum in Latvia

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson pointed out that while under the current agreement the Prime Minister gave the Riigikogu an overview of Estonia’s security policy once every four years, this was not enough, when considering how dynamic the global security situation was. “A foreign policy debate is held at a plenary sitting of the Riigikogu at the beginning of every year and a European Union policy debate takes place every autumn. Estonia’s security policy must also be discussed in the Riigikogu once a year,” he said.

The National Defence Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee formulated their position while discussing the updating of the fundamental document of Estonia’s security policy. Since last autumn, the Committees have repeatedly discussed the drafting of a new document with representatives of the Government Office and have made several proposals on how to amend the fundamental document. Proposals have been made regarding the wording, and the threats and priorities that the document should address either in additional detail or in greater depth than before.

The National Security Concept, which will be submitted to the Riigikogu in the coming months, describes the deteriorating security environment, and Estonia’s objectives and the actions required to achieve them in five key areas: social cohesion, civil protection and the functioning of the state; economic security and essential services; internal security; military defence, and international activities. Among other things, the document highlights that Estonia’s defence spending must remain at a level of at least five percent of GDP.

The National Security Concept is prepared by the Government and adopted by the Riigikogu. Last National Security Concept was approved by the Riigikogu at the beginning of 2023.

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Link uudisele: Riigikogu committees wish to hold annual security policy debate at plenary sitting

Stoicescu thanked Germany for its commitment to European defence, including for its significant contribution to collective defence on the NATO eastern flank. “German contingent has been positioned in Lithuania, and we are grateful that they are defending the NATO border in all the Baltic states,” he said.

The two defence committees discussed Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and hybrid attacks in Europe, and reiterated the need to continue developing military capabilities, where a close cooperation of defence industry companies also plays an important role. The members of the two committees also stressed the importance of continuing support for Ukraine and of strengthening partnership and allied relations.

In addition to Stoicescu, Deputy Chairman of the Committee Leo Kunnas and member Anti Poolamets were also present at the meeting.

After the Bundestag elections last year, the Defence Committee, headed by Thomas Röwekamp, is on its first foreign visit, which takes in the other Baltic states in addition to Estonia.

Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

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Link uudisele: National Defence Committee discussed enhancing Europe’s defence capability with German colleagues

Member of the National Defence Committee and Chairman of the European Union Affairs Committee Peeter Tali said that to support Ukraine, we needed to unite forces with our allies in the European Union to direct Russia’s frozen assets into reconstructing Ukraine, establish an international tribunal for crimes of aggression, and cease doing business with Russia as soon as possible. “We must not underestimate the impact of Russia’s influencing activities and Russian money in capitals around the world. Trade with Russia will first corrupt our business sector, then our public sector, and eventually this corruption might also infect us, the politicians,” he warned.

The delegation of the Committee is meeting the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Korniyenko, the Chairman of the Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence Oleksandr Zavitnevych, and the Head of the Group for Interparliamentary Relations with the Republic of Estonia Arsenii Pushkarenko. The delegation will also visit the Ukraine Ministry of Defence and the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, and meet with security analysts.

Kunnas and Tali are accompanied at the visit by members of the Committee Meelis Kiil and Priit Sibul.

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Link uudisele: National Defence Committee is visiting Ukraine

In the main text of the report, the Committee presents its proposals in nine areas: strategic management and accountability, parliamentary oversight and ethical management, the management culture at the Ministry of Defence and risk-based planning, energy security as part of national defence, defence industry policy and research and development, performance-based assessment, moral responsibility and management culture, regional management level and crisis cooperation, and national strategy coordination. The report also includes an annex presenting the working group’s vision for the organisation of Estonia’s national defence.

According to the document, the National Defence Committee’s report is a contribution of the legislative branch to ensuring that the executive branch can rely on a consistent, analytical, and forward-looking input, and that those who implement comprehensive national defence are strategically guided and supported.

The National Defence Committee will publish the report on its web page in the beginning of December at the latest, after the members of the Committee have presented their reasoned opinions to the annex of the document,

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Link uudisele: The National Defence Committee unanimously approved the national defence report

Stoicescu expressed his hope that the Eduskunta would soon begin discussing amendments that would allow Finland to enter the airspace of other allies if necessary in response to airspace violations. “Decisive strengthening of cooperation in NATO’s joint airspace will send a strong message to Russia that such violations will not go unpunished,” said Stoicescu, and added that more had to be done to deter the activities of Russia’s shadow fleet in the Baltic Sea.

At the working meeting, the committees discussed Russia’s ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine, support for Ukraine, and the increasing of pressure on Russia. They also spoke about the upcoming withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines, and the future production and use of anti-personnel landmines, as well as about relations with the United States and the security situation more broadly.

The Defence Committee of the Eduskunta is on a two-day visit to Estonia. Yesterday, the 10-member delegation met with Undersecretary for Defence Capability at the Ministry of Defence Kadri Peeters and Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Andrus Merilo, and visited NATO Force Integration Unit in Tallinn. Today the members of the Eduskunta Defence Committee will visit the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) training centre in Nurmsi and get an overview of the activities of the Estonian Defence League.

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

Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

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Link uudisele: The National Defence Committee discussed cooperation and changes related to airspace violations with Finnish colleagues