The Climate Resilient Economy Bill (928 SE), initiated by the Government, sets out a path for gradually reducing Estonia’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. The Bill will strengthen the resilience of the economy and society to climate change. It will establish a clear framework to guide economic development towards the adoption of clean energy, resource efficiency and climate-neutrality.

The Bill will support the competitiveness of businesses and promote innovation and the development of low-emission technologies.  Greater valorization of local resources and the implementation of the principles of circular economy are important, as they help reduce costs and dependence on external inputs. The emphasis on environmentally sustainable development will also improve businesses’ access to financing and strengthen their position in international markets.

In drafting the bill, an effort has been made to strike a balance between various constitutional values as no fundamental right, interest or objective has automatic precedence over others. This means that when the principles of the Climate-Resilient Economy Bill are implemented, other interests and objectives, including those related to national defence, will also have to be considered. The Bill will define climate-related terms and set out climate targets and principles that support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to the impacts of climate change.

Rain Epler from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, Urmas Reinsalu from Isamaa Parliamentary Group, Tiit Maran from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group and Yoko Alender from the Reform Party Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate. Peeter Ernits presented a comment on behalf of the Centre Party Group.

Isamaa Parliamentary Group, the Centre Party Group and the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 19 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 47 were against. The motion was not supported, and the first reading of the Bill was concluded.

The Bill on Amendments to the Electricity Market Act and Other Acts (892 SE), initiated by the Government, also passed its first reading at today’s sitting. It will transpose the amendments made with an EU directive with the aim of improving the organisation of electricity market so that the energy market would be well integrated.  This will enable Member States to gain economic benefits from a single energy market under all market conditions, and at the same time also ensure security of supply and support the reduction of CO₂ emissions to achieve the Union’s climate neutrality target.

In the context of the energy crisis, the current structure of the electricity market has revealed various bottlenecks that are related to the impact of high and volatile fossil fuel prices in short-term electricity markets and are forcing households and businesses to face sharp price fluctuations and their impact on electricity bills. The amendments proposed in the Bill will ensure that consumers are protected against energy price crises and against disconnection from the grid during out-of-court dispute resolution proceedings.

The ability of network connection users to enter into flexible connection agreements in regions where the capacity of electricity network for new connections is limited also encourages network operators to develop sparsely populated areas, as they can be confident that reinforcement of the planned network is a priority. Flexible connections will be permitted as a permanent solution in areas where reinforcement of the network is not effective, and the expected restrictions applicable to flexible connection agreements will be made as visible as possible to network users applying for a network connection.

Mart Maastik from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

No motions to amend the Bill had been submitted and the first reading was concluded.

Two Bills passed the second reading

The Bill on Amendments to the Electronic Communications Act and the Information Society Services Act (862 SE), initiated by the Government, aims to ensure more effective functioning of criminal proceedings and international cooperation.

The Bill will provide that providers of electronic communications services and information society services located outside the European Union but providing services within the European Union, as well as for service providers located in a European Union Member State but providing services in another Member State, will have an obligation to designate or appoint a company or legal representative in order to ensure the adoption and enforcement of decisions and orders for the purposes of criminal proceedings.

Information on the appointment of companies and representatives will be forwarded to the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority which, as a central authority, cooperates with the central authorities of other Member States and the European Commission.

No motions to amend the Bill had been submitted between two readings. The second reading was concluded.

The Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol Act, the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fuel and Electricity Excise Duty Act and the Statutory Fees Act (881 SE), initiated by the Government, also passed its second reading. It provides that the operation of the state register of alcohol will terminate on 1 November. The purpose of the amendment is to reduce the administrative burden on economic operators and simplify bringing alcoholic beverages to the market.

In the future, producers and importers of alcoholic beverages will no longer have to enter their products in the state register of alcohol; instead, they will be able to bring them to the market directly, provided that the products meet the requirements and are safe. Several additional reporting requirements will also be eliminated, such as the obligation to submit laboratory test reports and wine movement reports.

An amendment will also reduce the administrative burden of the state because the Agriculture and Food Board will no longer need to maintain the register and will be able to direct the freed-up resources to supervision.

No motions to amend the Bill had been submitted and the second reading was concluded.

A Resolution was passed

Under the Resolution of the Riigikogu “Appointment of a Member of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Council from among the Members of the Riigikogu” (938 OE), submitted by the Cultural Affairs Committee, Member of the Riigikogu Evelin Poolamets is appointed as a new member of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Council. The amendment is necessary because the mandate of the current council member Varro Vooglaid ended prematurely due to his leaving the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group on 14 May.

The Estonian Public Broadcasting Council consists of members of the Riigikogu and acknowledged experts in the field of activity of the Public Broadcasting. On the proposal of the Cultural Affairs Committee, the Riigikogu appoints one representative from each faction of the Riigikogu until the date of termination of the authority of the composition of the Riigikogu, and four experts from among the acknowledged experts in the field of activity of the Public Broadcasting whose authority continues for five years.

The council also includes Vadim Belobrovtsev from the Estonian Centre Party Group, Raimond Kaljulaid from the Social Democratic Party Group, Valdo Randpere from the Estonian Reform Party Group, Marek Reinaas from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group and Priit Sibul from Isamaa Parliamentary Group. Paavo Nõgene, Raul Rebane, Rein Veidemann and Chairman of the Council Sulev Valner are members of the Council who are experts in the relevant field of activity.

Urmas Reinsalu from Isamaa Parliamentary Group and Lauri Läänemets from the Social Democratic Party Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

73 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the draft Resolution and no member of the Riigikogu was against and there were no abstentions. The Resolution was passed.

The sitting ended at 1.27 p.m.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

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Link uudisele: The Climate Resilient Economy Bill passed the first reading in the Riigikogu

The Bill on the State’s Supplementary Budget for 2026 (910 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its second reading in the Riigikogu. It will reduce state revenues by EUR 24 million and increase expenditures by EUR 4.4 million. According to the bill, investments will decrease by EUR 1.5 million and the budget for financing transactions will increase by EUR 37.9 million.

The bill will direct EUR 10.98 million in expenses and investments to Eesti.ai projects, which, among other things, aim to improve people’s AI skills and make the public sector more efficient. EUR 17 million will be allocated for the construction of the eastern border to pay for contractual obligations already undertaken. The investments of the State Real Estate Ltd and Hexest Materials Ltd will also be specified. The allocation to the Estonian Cultural Endowment will be increased by the amount of voluntary payments made to the state budget by gambling operators and the income tax paid on those payments.

The cancellation of the fuel excise duty increase starting from 1 May will lead to the largest decrease in revenue, amounting to EUR 36 million. To increase revenues, an additional 20 million in dividends will be taken from the State Forest Management Centre from net profit.

The budget deficit will remain at 4.3 percent of GDP, i.e. at the same level as in the Ministry of Finance’s spring forecast. Next year’s budget deficit will decrease by 0.1 percent of GDP as a result of the proposals.

For the second reading, the Finance Committee included a provision to increase the single parent’s child allowance from EUR 80 to EUR 100 starting from 1 September 2026. The amendment will result in additional expenditure of approximately EUR 600,000 for the state budget in 2026 which will be covered from the budget for IT investments in the area of government of the Ministry of Social Affairs, with projects being postponed until next year. Starting from 2027, the additional expenditure will be taken into account during the preparation of the state budget strategy for 2027–2030.

In the 2026 state budget adopted by the Riigikogu last December, revenues totalled EUR 18.6 billion and expenditures EUR 19.5 billion, while investments totalled EUR 1.3 billion and financing transactions EUR 1.5 billion.

Aleksandr Tšaplõgin (Centre Party), Aivar Kokk (Isamaa), Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa), Helmen Kütt (Social Democratic Party), Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart (Centre Party) and Vladimir Arhipov (Centre Party) took the floor during the debate.

Isamaa Parliamentary Group and the Centre Party Group moved to suspend the second reading of the Bill. The motion was not supported because 17 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of it and 41 voted against.

The second reading of the Bill was concluded and the deadline for submission of motions to amend was set for 5.15 p.m. on 10 June.

Three Bills passed the first reading

The Bill on the Ratification of the Agreement on the Interpretation and Application of the Energy Charter Treaty (921 SE), initiated by the Government. Estonia has signed the Agreement on the Interpretation and Application of the Energy Charter Treaty, but it still needs to be ratified.

Challenges have arisen for the European Union in situations where the Energy Charter Treaty has been interpreted as an instrument covering intra-EU relations, even though that has never been the intention of the Energy Charter. The EU, Euratom, and the Member States have not wanted to, and have not been able to, establish mutual obligations through the Energy Charter, because the Energy Charter has been designed as a foreign policy instrument for energy cooperation with third countries. The EU’s internal energy policy is based on extensive and detailed internal market provisions that regulate relations between Member States.

The European Union and the Member States are showing through the agreement that an arbitral tribunal established under Article 26 of the Charter cannot resolve disputes between an EU Member State and an investor from the EU in matters of energy cooperation; instead, such disputes must be resolved in accordance with EU law. Arbitral tribunals may hear cases in which the other party to the dispute is a third country or an investor from a third country. Arbitral tribunals do not have jurisdiction to resolve intra-EU disputes.

The purpose of concluding the agreement is to establish a clear international legal instrument that arbitral tribunals and other dispute resolution bodies must take into account in international disputes. The agreement follows a declaration concerning the legal consequences arising from the judgment of the Court of Justice in the Komstroy case (Moldova v Komstroy, case C-741/19).

Hungary is not a party to the agreement, as it did not agree to the legal basis of the European Union’s founding treaties referred to in the agreement. The first reading of the Bill was concluded.

The Bill on Amendments to the Taxation Act, the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act and the Code of Civil Procedure and the Code of Enforcement Procedure Implementation Act (924 SE), initiated by the Government, will specify the rights of the Tax and Customs Board and the Financial Intelligence Unit to obtain data necessary for tax controls and for carrying out anti-money laundering tasks, in particular regarding bank accounts and account data. It will be clearly provided that the Tax and Customs Board will also have the right to request information from credit institutions in tax proceedings and this right will also include bank secrecy.

 It will be specified and delimited what data the Tax and Customs Board may request through the information exchange channel of the enforcement register. If the Tax and Customs Board requests information through the enforcement register, in the future, the order will have to include an explanation of the factual circumstances, including a justification as to why it was not possible to obtain the necessary data from the taxable person. This will make requesting data more transparent and help limit unjustified interference with individuals’ rights.

With regard to the Financial Intelligence Unit, it will be specified that it has the right to obtain account data, including account balances and account statements, through the enforcement register in justified cases. It will also be provided that a natural person must be notified of a request for an account statement after five years have passed once the grounds provided for in the law preventing notification have ceased to exist.  This obligation will apply to queries that are made after the Act enters into force.

According to the bill, the current retention periods will be shortened in order to reduce the infringement of personality rights.  Some of the provisions concerning data retention will enter into force later, on 30 June 2027.

The background to the amendments lies in the Chancellor of Justice’s observations that the Tax and Customs Board’s access to the enforcement register outside criminal proceedings is unclearly regulated in the current Act and that the Financial Intelligence Unit’s right to obtain bank account statements is not sufficiently clearly provided. The bill aims to write these rights more clearly and specifically into the Act.

In addition, the rights of the data subject when accessing data processing will be delimited, and the grounds for when and which rights the FIU may restrict will be established in accordance with European Union law. The regulation of the supervision by the Financial Intelligence Unit will also be revised and the wording of the provisions will be improved in light of a recent interpretation by the Supreme Court and the need to make the regulation of anti-money laundering supervision more precise in terms of terminology.

Urmas Reinsalu took the floor behalf of Isamaa Parliamentary Group during the debate.

The first reading of the Bill was concluded.

The Insurance Undertaking Crisis Prevention and Resolution Bill (925 SE), initiated by the Government, will transpose into Estonian law two EU insurance directives. The aim is to establish a framework for early intervention and crisis resolution in the financial difficulties of insurance undertakings and to update insurance regulation in order to strengthen financial stability, protect policyholders, and make the regulation more proportionate and future-proof.

The bill will simplify the requirements and market entry conditions particularly for small and non-complex insurance undertakings. For example, they will not have to draw up a liquidity risk management plan or climate change scenarios, and their risks and solvency will be assessed every two years, rather than annually. Nor will they need to assess macroeconomic factors.

The bill will extend the deadlines for supervision and public reporting for all insurance undertakings and update the capital and investment rules for insurance undertakings to encourage long-term equity investments and reduce the impact of market fluctuations.

The amendments will strengthen risk management and supervision and increase attention to taking climate and sustainability risks into account. Insurance undertakings will be required to develop climate change scenarios if climate change-related risks have a significant impact on them. Insurance undertakings will also have to draw up action plans on how to measure, monitor and reduce environmental, social, and other sustainability-related risks. In addition, insurance undertakings will have to increase the diversity and gender balance of the composition of their management bodies.

A regulation of crisis resolution in the insurance sector will create the opportunity to intervene early in the case of an insurance undertaking in difficulty in order to restore the insurance undertaking’s financial position before serious problems arise and, if necessary, implement measures that protect policyholders and financial stability.  Crisis resolution will be initiated only if other solutions are insufficient and it is necessary in the public interest.

The first reading of the Bill was concluded.

An interpellation was replied

Minister of Energy and the Environment Andres Sutt replied to the interpellation concerning the conflicts of interest arising from the “revolving door” effect within the area of administration of the Ministry of Climate (No. 1004), submitted by members of the Riigikogu.

The interpellation concerning the deterioration in the livelihoods and financial health of Estonian people (No. 960), submitted to Prime Minister Kristen Michal, was excluded from the agenda. The deliberation was cancelled due to changes in the Prime Minister’s schedule and with the consent of the interpellators.

A sheltering exercise, which brought about a recess in the sitting of the Riigikogu, was held at Toompea Castle as part of the large-scale nationwide comprehensive defence exercise ILVES 2026 (LYNX2026).

The sitting ended at 6.52 p.m.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
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Link uudisele: The Riigikogu sent the draft supplementary budget to its third reading

Member of the committee Mihkel Lees began his report by stating that children were not physically active enough. “The World Health Organisation recommends that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. In Estonia, less than half of children meet this recommendation,” he said. “This has consequences. Approximately 78% of schoolchildren experience health problems every week. Already in the first grade, more than one in four children are overweight or obese, and by the fourth grade, their number rises to one in three. At the same time, nearly 70% of young people are unable to meet the minimum requirements of the Defence Forces’ physical fitness test at the start of their conscript service,” he noted. He added that these figures reflected not only the physical capabilities of children and young people, but also their health and future prospects.

Lees pointed out that it had been scientifically proven that regular physical activity improved concentration, academic performance, and mental well-being. Physically active children experience fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression and cope better with daily stress. “Physical activity is not just a sporting activity; it is one of the most efficient preventive measures we have for mental health problems. The same applies to physical health. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and many other chronic diseases,” he said.

The member of the Social Affairs Committee described the ongoing initiatives, including the physical activity action plan, the movement education reform in schools, the “Schools in Motion” programme led by the University of Tartu’s Move Lab, and the “Sports at School” programme developed by the Estonian Olympic Committee. Lees proposed expanding these programmes to all schools in Estonia. He also stressed the need to monitor children’s physical activity and to place greater focus on increasing physical activity among preschool children. Lees said that at the same time the central government and local governments had to continue investing into public space that supported physical activity.

Lees also pointed out that the state currently invested less than one million euros per year in these programmes in total. “At the same time, estimates indicate that full implementation of these programmes would require an investment of around 13 million euros per year. I can see that some of my colleague’s eyes have gone wide. You understand that this is not a small sum. This will need funding from both the central government and local governments, and most likely also support from European funds. I know that the Ministry of Culture is already planning this, for instance for the “Sports at School” programme. But if we know that every euro invested in prevention will bring us about 16 euros in return, then this money is actually being spent wisely,” he said.

In her presentation, Representative of Move Lab at the Institute of Sport Sciences and Physiotherapy of the University of Tartu Merike Kull said that low levels of physical activity were very costly for society. “Our Finnish neighbours have calculated the cost to the state. The cost of insufficient physical activity to the state has been estimated at nearly 3.2 billion – billion! – euros per year. Therefore, insufficient physical activity is not only a health problem, but also an economic challenge.”

Kull noted that parents should not be left alone with the problem of children’s insufficient physical activity, but that solutions had to be systemic. She gave an overview of four areas where children’s and young people’s physical activity could be most efficiently influenced in a systemic way. These are schools, organised sport, public space, and data-based decision-making.

Kull pointed out that it was in schools that it was possible to reach all children over a long period of time. “If we want to systematically improve the physical activity of children and young people, then movement must be a natural part of every child’s and young person’s school day. The ‘Schools in Motion’ programme is one of the evidence-based solutions that offers a comprehensive, systemic approach to the whole school day and school environment – from how the school day is organised and whether there are opportunities for movement, to creating movement opportunities across all elements of the school day, including school activities, hobby activities, and even active commuting to school,” she said. Kull added that physical activity also supported mental health, relationships between students, and thereby overall school satisfaction and motivation to learn. “This is also confirmed by a large-scale study with a sample of over 100,000 children, which shows that more opportunities for physical activity during the school day are associated with better relationships and greater enjoyment of school across all age groups,” she said. “Therefore, our first proposal is that all children and young people in Estonia should learn in schools that support physical activity and health. To achieve this, the ‘Schools in Motion’ programme should reach most schools in Estonia”.

According to Kull, the second important area affecting all children and young people is physical education. Estonia’s physical education curriculum is one of the strongest in Europe, but the curriculum alone is not enough. The speaker pointed out that while primary school students had three physical education lessons per week, from sixth grade the number of lessons decreased to two, and in upper secondary school there was on average less than one lesson per week. “It is not surprising that when upper secondary students graduate, they do not meet the minimum requirements of the physical fitness test,” she noted. “The third school stage and upper secondary school are particularly critical, and we need quick solutions there. There is no system-level support to ensure that children are healthy and strong and that their physical abilities develop.”

As a third important area, Kull highlighted participation in organised sport. On the one hand, the problem is that children from families with the most difficult economic situation participate the least. This shows that access to hobby education in Estonia is not equal for all children. On the other hand, a significant number of children stay away from sport because they do not wish to participate in competitive sport. According to Kull, transition between competitive sport and recreational sport should be smooth and possible.

Fourth, according to Kull, public space should support active movement and sports for all age groups. “This means safe school routes, cycling paths, schoolyards, and various play and activity areas that encourage movement both during and after the school day, as well as alone and with family. This is also an answer to how we can support parents,” she noted. Finally, Kull highlighted the importance of data-based decision-making, namely the need to launch a nationwide monitoring system for children’s and young people’s physical abilities. 

Director General of the Defence Resources Agency Anu Rannaveski confirmed that national defence was not merely military capability; it was the resilience of society. “This means that our defence capability depends significantly and directly on the state of our people’s health, and especially on young people’s physical readiness, mental resilience, and willingness to contribute to something greater than themselves. Young people are the ones whose task it will be to ensure the sustainability of our reserve army”, she said. 

Rannaveski gave an overview of a comprehensive study conducted among conscripts and noted that only a quarter of them were able, at the beginning of their service, to meet the physical fitness standards expected by the Defence Forces. “Although by the end of service nearly two-thirds are able to meet them, this shortfall still means a significant compromise in ensuring actual defence capability,” she noted.

Rannaveski also pointed out that, based on health assessments, nearly 5,000 young men each year are either not called up for conscript service or granted a deferment in order to treat a health condition. In both cases, the main reasons continue to be mental and behavioural disorders, as well as musculoskeletal diseases. In addition, approximately 10,000 call-up selectees undergo a health assessment each year. This means that, over the past three years, one in five assessments has resulted in a finding that the call-up selectee was either temporarily or permanently unfit for conscript service because of a mental health problem.

Director of the Defence Resources Agency noted that the most worrying trend was the polarisation of young people into two extremes. “At one end, there are young people whose life has become too comfortable and passive. They are not physically active and lack interests, responsibilities, and social skills because nothing is expected of them. As conscripts, they are characterised by a lack of motivation, anxiety, difficulties with adaptation and concentration, low resilience, and difficulty making an effort. At the other end, there are young people expected to give their best at all times – good grades, constant training, self-development, and social success. As conscripts, they show signs of burnout, anxiety, sleep problems, and difficulties adapting. The low psychological resilience is what the two extremes have in common, as part of society places no particular demands on young people, while the other part exerts constant pressure,” she explained.

“A strong state does not only mean a well-armed state. A strong state means a society that is prepared to endure physically, mentally, and within a shared value space. Each of us individually, and all of us together should ask ourselves what we can do to ensure that the next generation is stronger than the previous one. Taking care of young people’s health and their mental and physical resilience is a shared responsibility of society as a whole, just like national defence,” said Rannaveski.

The Acting President of the Estonian Olympic Committee Gerd Kanter said that Estonia was facing a silent but devastating crisis, the solution to which required a movement revolution. In his report, Kanter pointed out that physical activity was not just about the muscles – it was also a vital fuel for brain development. “Dopamine and endorphins play an important role – they are the brain’s natural way of relieving stress. A child who does not engage in physical activity is biologically vulnerable to anxiety and depression,” he noted.

According to Kanter, the role of parents in encouraging children to be physically active has been overlooked and underestimated. “If physical activity is not valued at home, and if a parent’s only way of spending their free time is in front of a screen, no school reform will be able to get a child physically active. The state must also support and educate families. An active lifestyle and spending time in fresh air should be a normal part of family life, not a punishment or obligation,” he stressed, and highlighted the need for digital hygiene. “A gadget-free school day is not about punishing children. It is the protection of their mental and physical health. If we take screens away during breaks, we will give children back their creativity, social interaction, and need for physical movement. By limiting screens, we force the brain to seek new stimuli from the physical world,” he said, and called for introducing gadget restrictions in schools at the legislative level.

Kanter also acknowledged the achievements of the “Schools in Motion” programme, whose changes increased children’s daily step counts by thousands without any coercion, and called for the creation of a “Kindergarten in Motion” programme. He also highlighted the contribution of the programme “Sports at School”, and the need to introduce it in the first stage of study. “The programme “Sports at School” in the first stage of study is our best weapon against inequality. It ensures that even children from disadvantaged backgrounds or remote areas receive professional physical education and lifelong habits,” he said.

Kanter stressed that one of the key issues in terms of building a habit of physical activity was ensuring a safe route to school. “If we want to encourage children’s independent physical activity habits, the environment and infrastructure have a very significant impact on this. Driving children door to door by car, the so-called personal taxi service, takes away their last bit of daily basic physical activity. At the same time, walking or cycling to school can provide for up to half of a child’s daily physical activity needs,” he said, and stressed the need for proper cycling paths and bicycle parking facilities around schools.

Jaanus Karilaid (Isamaa), Kristina Šmigun-Vähi (Reform Party), Tanel Kiik (Social Democratic Party), Arvo Aller (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Tanel Tein, Timo Suslov, Anti Poolamets ja Jüri Jaanson took the floor during the debate.

Photos (will be uploaded after the sitting,  Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

The video recording of the sitting will be available on  the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

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Link uudisele: The Riigikogu discussed increasing children’s physical activity as a matter of significant national importance

The Act abolishes the requirement for a surety or an immovable property guarantee when applying for a student loan from September 2026, so that young people who have so far not been able to find a suitable surety can also apply for a loan. Instead of guarantee, the loan applicant’s payment behaviour will be assessed in the future, and if they have not fulfilled their other obligations to the bank or another lender, the bank may refuse to grant a student loan.

The Act also makes loan terms more favourable. According to an amendment, the interest rate for student loans will be up to 1.5 percent instead of the current up to three percent, plus six-month Euribor. The state will continue to guarantee both the maximum student loan rate, which is up to EUR 6,000 from this academic year, and the interest payable.

While until now a student loan had to be repaid within twice the standard period of study, according to the Act, the term will be extended by four times, and the maximum repayment period will increase from 20 to 25 years. A longer repayment period makes it possible to reduce monthly loan payments and spread the financial burden over a longer period. Currently, about 1,800 students take out student loans annually, which is four percent of potential recipients of loan. The number of recipients of loans is expected to increase as a result of the amendments.

 Parliament specified the transition to the new student loan system during the proceedings. Student loan agreements concluded before the 2026/2027 academic year will generally remain valid under the terms in force at the time they were concluded. However, if the repayment obligation has not yet arisen for a recipient of a loan, they may, by agreement with the credit institution, transfer their agreements to the new regulation. A person for whom the repayment obligation has already arisen and who has not continued their studies will not be granted such a right, but they retain the option to change the interest rate by agreement with the credit institution.

Margit Sutrop from the Reform Party Group, Lauri Läänemets from the Social Democratic Party Group and Vadim Belobrovtsev from the Centre Party Group took the floor during the debate.

77 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Act.

The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Fishing Act (859 SE), initiated by the Rural Affairs Committee. Its aim is to ensure the sustainable use of the fish stocks of Lake Peipus, Warm Lake and Lake Pskov and to avoid situations where fishing is concentrated in unsuitable conditions solely due to a general restriction on vessel departures.

Currently, a total of up to 600 fishing vessel departures per year are allowed on Lake Peipus, including 300 using small-mesh fishing gear and 300 using large-mesh fishing gear, under an intergovernmental agreement. However, the individual quotas implemented from 2023 have shown that the general cap on departures is not compatible with the new system: it can create pressure to catch the allowed catch as quickly as possible, which in turn increases the risk of overfishing, discards, and concealment.

The Act specifies the data to be entered in the commercial fishing register, the conditions for issuing fishing authorisations and how departures to water areas with fishing gear will be counted. The amendments will allow fishermen to better choose when to fish based on weather and water conditions and reduce the need to fish as quickly as possible for fear of reaching the overall quota. The new fishing arrangement is planned to be implemented from the second half of this year.

During the proceedings, among other things, the exercise of the right to add a fishing vessel was specified in the Act and the validity of this right was extended to 66 months, including providing clarity on the retroactive application of the right. The distribution of fishing capacity was also specified, and clearer grounds were established for determining the number of departures to waters with fishing gear and how that was calculated, distinguishing them from fishing opportunities. In addition, the principles for allocating additional fishing opportunities were adjusted to better take into account the actual fishing usage by operators.

68 members of the Riigikogu supported the passing of the Act and six were against it.

The Riigikogu also passed the Act on Amendments to the Health Services Organisation Act and the Medicinal Products Act (886 SE), initiated by the Social Affairs Committee. According to it, health care professionals are given the right to prescribe medicinal products subject to medical prescription to themselves in exceptional circumstances for routine treatment of minor illnesses and for continuation of the treatment of previously diagnosed chronic diseases. The Act currently in force allows health care professionals to prescribe medicinal products subject to medical prescription only for the treatment of other persons.

According to the explanatory memorandum, the amendment is based on the presumption that, even when treating themselves, healthcare professionals must act professionally on the basis of the treatment guidelines in place, the regulations governing medicinal products, and the requirements of professional ethics. Health care professionals will have to assess the limits of their competence as objectively as possible even when treating themselves and, if necessary, turn to another health care professional as a patient.

An amendment includes a provision delegating authority in the Medicinal Products Act under which the minister will be able to establish a list of active substances of medicinal products that health care professionals will be able to prescribe to themselves as patients on a restricted basis or will be prohibited to prescribe to themselves as patients.

74 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of passing the Act.

Five Bills passed the second reading

The Bill on Amendments to the Penal Code (consent-based approach to sexual violence) (727 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the second reading in the Riigikogu. The Bill marks a shift from the force and coercion-based approach to a consent-based approach in the case of sexual crimes, and sexual intercourse without consent will be considered to be rape.

Currently, rape is only considered to take place if violence is used against the victim or if the victim is in a helpless state, i.e. unable to resist or understand what is happening. According to the bill, however, non-consensual intercourse will be punishable as rape even if no violence is used against the victim. According to the Bill, it will have to be clear to both parties that their partner consents to sexual activity.

 During the proceedings, provisions were included in the bill that defined what consent was within the meaning of the Act.  According to an amendment, four conditions will need to be met simultaneously: consent will need to be given knowingly and voluntarily, and it will need to be expressed verbally or in another clearly understandable way before sexual intercourse or any other act of a sexual nature, and it will need to be present throughout the entire act.

An amendment was also introduced into the bill to define an act of a sexual nature.  According to an amendment, an act of a sexual nature within the meaning of the Penal Code is sexual intercourse and other physical activity that has an objectively sexual meaning and in which another person’s right to sexual self-determination is significantly impaired.

 In addition, the entry into force of the bill will be postponed by half a year, so that if adopted, the Act will come into force at the beginning of next year.

 Helle-Moonika Helme and Rain Epler from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, Timo Suslov and Madis Timpson from the Reform Party Group, Stig Rästa from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group and Riina Sikkut from the Social Democratic Party Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate. Non-attached Members of the Riigikogu Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski, Züleyxa Izmailova and Varro Vooglaid also took the floor.

The Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group moved to suspend the second reading of the Bill, but the plenary did not support the motion. Nine members of the Riigikogu supported suspension of the deliberation but 51 were against.

 The Credit Information Sharing Bill (652 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the second reading. It is a preparation for the establishment of a credit information registry. The registry will allow banks and other lenders to better assess the solvency of the recipients of loans and help prevent people taking excessive loans.

The registry will consolidate information on all financial obligations of a person, be it housing loans or consumer loans, car leases, consumer credit, or express loans. According to the bill, lenders who are supervised by the Financial Supervision Authority will have to forward information on the loans taken by each person to the registry and they will have to check what liabilities the person already has before granting a new loan. Consolidating this information into a single registry will give a clearer picture of the actual solvency of a person and prevent people from taking more loans than they can afford.

During the proceedings, amendments were included in the bill regarding the obligation of credit servicers to submit data to the credit information registry. This will be necessary to ensure that the information contained in the registry is complete, up-to-date, and consistent with the registry’s purpose of enabling creditors to assess a consumer’s creditworthiness as accurately as possible.

The bill will grant access to the proposed registry to persons who have a legal obligation to assess a loan applicant’s creditworthiness, and information may be requested from there only about people who have applied for credit or wish to modify a credit agreement. The bill will also regulate the storage of loan information and allow people to impose a loan ban on themselves.

It is planned to delegate the task of maintaining the registry to private sector and to cover the costs by fees.  Similarly to other economic operators in the financial sector, clear requirements and rules will be set for the registrar and its activities.

The Bill on Amendments to the 2021–2027 European Union Cohesion and Internal Security Policy Funds Implementation Act and the Repeal of the 2004–2006 Structural Assistance Act (883 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its second reading. Its aim is to streamline the regulation of personal data processing and the support administration register.

According to the bill, beneficiaries of support will not be able to claim interest under the State Liability Act if a decision to recover the support is later annulled, but no damage has arisen as a result. The current procedure allows for interest to be claimed even if the beneficiary has not actually suffered any damage; in the future, claims for damages will be based on actual damage arisen.

The bill will also specify the categories of personal data processed in the register. Regarding data retention, it will be specified that personal data will be anonymized after the initial retention period and after the end of the main period the data will be stored in the register solely for statistical purposes for another five years, after which it will be deleted.

 English will be provided for at the legislative level as the procedural language in the case of Interreg programmes so that the procedural language in cross-border cooperation would be uniform.

The Bill on Amendments to the State Cultural Awards and Culture Grants Act and the Sport Act (824 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its second reading. It will streamline the system of awards and grants awarded in the areas of culture and sports.

As regards cultural awards, a maximum number of awards will be provided in the Act instead of a specific number. According to the Bill, in the future, up to three awards for long-term outstanding creative activity (lifetime achievement awards) and up to five awards for outstanding works that have reached the public in the preceding calendar year (annual awards) will be given for outstanding creative achievements in the field of culture. The Minister of Culture will decide on the number and amounts of the awards to be granted.

According to the Bill, the Government will establish the categories of sports awards and the procedure for granting them, and the minister in charge of the policy sector will determine the amounts of awards. For both types of awards, the minister will submit candidates to the Government according to the proposals of committees. The Minister of Culture, instead of the Government, will appoint the members of the Cultural Awards Committee in the future.

Under the Bill, existing athlete scholarships will be abolished, and their funds will be reallocated. It will be possible to apply for athlete grants from the Estonian Olympic Committee instead of athlete scholarships.

The abolition of culture grants was omitted from the Bill during the proceedings. According to an amendment, grants will remain, but their purpose and target group will change.

Currently, culture grants are intended for students; however, since there are numerous grants and scholarships for acquiring education either in Estonia and abroad, according to the Bill, culture grants will be restructured so that young creative persons who are up to 35 years of age and have already obtained a higher education degree could apply for the grants to support them in launching their professional careers in their field, in their professional development, and in establishing international contacts.

It will also be easier to apply for culture grants in the future, as it will no longer be necessary to do so through artistic associations. Grants will be awarded on the basis of a regulation of the minister. According to the explanatory memorandum, the planned amount of the culture grant will be EUR 10,000 instead of the current EUR 2,300 and a total of EUR 50,000 per year will be allocated for culture grants.

The Bill on Amendments to the Vocational Educational Institutions Act, the Youth Work Act and the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act (830 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the second reading. It will specify the regulation of admissions, exclusions, and sanctions at schools.

According to the Bill, when admitting students to upper secondary schools and vocational schools, the student candidates’ preferences for school and specialty may be asked and taken into account. This voluntary option will have to be provided for in the school’s admission conditions and procedures in order to use it. Schools will be able to decide whether and to what extent they will take preferences into account and how they will relate to other admission criteria, such as interviews, tests and exam scores.

In the case of vocational education institutions, it will be specified that student candidates will be able to apply to up to three curricula in one school during the main admission period in order to limit excessive applications. Once the main admission is over, there will be no such restriction during the additional admission.

The bill will also amend the regulation on exclusion from school. Under the bill, an adult upper secondary school student may be excluded from school due to lack of academic progress if over a half of the course grades the student receives are “poor” in more than two subjects over the academic year. Moreover, in the future, the grounds for exclusion will be provided solely by law, and it will not be possible to establish additional grounds for exclusion from school in the rules of procedure of upper secondary schools.

Schools will be able to retrieve data on graduation from basic school and on graduation certificates directly from the Education Information System. Until now, student candidates have had to submit their graduation certificates to schools themselves. The amendment will reduce bureaucracy, save time and resources, and constitute a proportionate infringement on the learner’s privacy as it will be possible to request only the data that is absolutely necessary, namely the fact of graduation from basic school and the grades on the graduation certificate.

Discussion of the student’s behaviour with the student in the teachers’ council will be omitted from sanctions. The bill will provide that only the head of the school or a person authorized by the head of the school will decide on the imposition of sanctions. Currently, the teachers’ council can decide on sanctions in certain cases.

In addition, the bill will amend the provisions concerning the tests database and provide implementing provisions for the case that, for technical reasons, it is not possible to use the admissions data sub-register of the education information system (SAIS) in this year’s admissions process for upper secondary schools and vocational education institutions, because the new information system (SAIS3) will not be completed on time.

Heljo Pikhof from the Social Democratic Party Faction took the floor during the debate.

Four Bills passed the first reading

The Bill on Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (888 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, passed the first reading. Its aim is to reduce the administrative burden on both employers and the Labour Inspectorate.

 The bill will eliminate duplicative obligations, reduce reporting, and make the occupational safety system clearer, while at the same time preserving employee protection. Among other things, the amendments will specify the organization of first aid, allowing for joint solutions between companies, and provide that employers will no longer be required to notify the Inspectorate of the appointment of a working environment specialist or working environment representative. Nor will a company with fewer than 10 employees be required to submit a risk assessment of the working environment or conduct an analysis of the occupational health situation.  The administrative burden on employers will also be reduced with regard to posted workers.

 To strengthen oversight, the bill will grant the Labour Inspectorate access to data from the employment register and the subcontracting chain, which will help more effectively detect undeclared work and violations, especially in the construction sector.

The Bill on Amendments to the Consular Act and Other Acts (896 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the first reading. Its purpose is to direct the focus of the work of foreign missions to their core functions and to make the provision of consular services more efficient.

According to the bill, the provision of consular services in foreign missions will be discontinued for services for which alternatives exist in the form of online services or direct applications, such as the issuance of driving licenses and official authentications, or which have been used very rarely, such as translation services and the initiation of succession proceedings. This will give foreign missions the opportunity to fulfil their foreign policy responsibilities to a greater extent.

The bill will abolish the requirement for special qualifications for consular officers which previously required a higher education in law and allowed them to perform notarial acts. According to the explanatory memorandum, there are currently seven consular officers with special qualifications working in foreign missions, but they have not performed a single notarial act of attestation in the past two years. In exceptional cases, the possibility of performing acts of attestation at foreign missions remains, for example, if the health of an Estonian citizen does not allow them to leave a foreign country or they are in prison there.

In addition, the bill will bring the statutory fees for consular services into line with actual costs. A higher fee will be imposed on people whose place of residence according to the population register is in Estonia, but who use a service at a foreign mission.

The Bill on Amendments to the Prosecutor’s Office Act (909 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its first reading. It will modernize the organization of the work of the prosecutor’s office, strengthen the management system, and make the career and accountability system more transparent.

The bill will provide that the term of office of the Prosecutor General will be limited to a single seven-year period with no possibility of running for a second consecutive term. A five-year term will be established for the positions of chief state prosecutors and senior prosecutors, and the possibility will be created to transfer prosecutors from one position to another more flexibly within the territorial jurisdictions of district prosecutor’s offices. The bill will also create the possibility of increasing the salaries of prosecutors in Ida-Viru County by up to 20 percent in order to support the retention and recruitment of qualified staff in the region.

The bill will provide that filing an appeal to the Supreme Court will require even more serious substantive consideration, as well as the approval of a chief prosecutor and the Prosecutor General in order to improve the organization of the Prosecutor’s Office. The purpose of the amendment is to ensure consistent decisions in criminal proceedings, especially in matters of appeal, which is an institutional responsibility of the prosecutor’s office rather than that of individual prosecutors. In addition, the bill will establish longer probationary periods for prosecutors, specify the procedure for disciplinary proceedings, and provide for new grounds for release from office.

Urmas Reinsalu from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

The Bill on Amendments to the Building Code and an Act to Implement the Building Code and the Planning Act (923 SE), initiated by the Environment Committee, also passed the first reading in the Riigikogu. Its aim is to help develop algae and mussel farming in the Baltic Sea.

Under the bill, in the case of encumbering a public water body with the farming of algae and mussels, no superficies fee will be applied during the development period, that is, for three years from the issuance of a building permit. According to the explanatory memorandum, regenerative aquaculture, in particular the cultivation of mussels and macroalgae, removes excess nutrients, improves the condition of the marine ecosystem, and restores valuable marine habitats. However, the current regulation for superficies fee provides no exemption for activities related to the restoration of the natural environment.

The purpose of the bill is to address the situation in which activities necessary to meet national environmental and European Union objectives are economically unprofitable during the development phase. The economic revenue potential of restorative aquaculture is low due to the specific characteristics of the Baltic Sea, but the environmental benefits it provides are high.

Five drafts were dropped from legislative proceedings

The Riigikogu rejected the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic to resolve the confusion that has arisen in the funding of school-organized study trips” (867 OE), submitted by Isamaa Parliamentary Group. It requested a solution from the Government to continue the tradition of students’ extracurricular study trips. The presenters noted that parents’ contributions to fund study trips needed to be voluntary but a blanket ban on involving donations significantly limited the availability of cultural institutions and events to students.

Heljo Pikhof from the Social Democratic Party Group, Kadri Tali from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group, Margit Sutrop from the Reform Party Group and Tõnis Lukas from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

23 members of the Riigikogu supported the draft Resolution in the final vote. A majority of the votes of the membership of the Riigikogu, that is, at least 51 votes, would have been needed for the Resolution to be passed.

The Riigikogu rejected the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic” (875 OE), submitted by the Social Democratic Party Group. It was intended to make a proposal to the Government to raise the subsistence level to at least EUR 350 per month. The presenters noted that the subsistence level had been increased twice in recent years: to EUR 200 in June 2022 and to EUR 220 in January this year, and that a further increase was urgently needed given the rising cost of the food basket.

Tanel Kiik took the floor behalf of the Social Democratic Party Group in the debate.

22 members of the Riigikogu supported the draft Resolution in the final vote. A majority of the votes of the membership of the Riigikogu, that is, at least 51 votes, would have been needed for the Resolution to be passed.

The Riigikogu rejected the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to submit a negative supplementary budget bill to reduce government spending in 2026” (884 OE), submitted by Isamaa Parliamentary Group. It requested that the government submit a negative supplementary budget of at least EUR 300 million to cut public government expenditure.  According to the presenters, the state of Estonia’s public finances has deteriorated significantly in recent years, and the budget deficit has grown to a level that is no longer sustainable.

 Urmas Reinsalu from Isamaa Parliamentary Group, Annely Akkermann from the Reform Party Group and Lauri Laats from the Centre Party Group took the floor during the debate.

Six members of the Riigikogu supported the draft Resolution in the final vote. A majority of the votes of the membership of the Riigikogu, that is, at least 51 votes, would have been needed for the Resolution to be passed.

The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendments to the Value-Added Tax Act (885 SE), initiated by the Centre Party Group. It was intended to lower the VAT rate on basic foodstuffs from 24 per cent to 13 per cent. According to the initiators, the amendment would help ease price pressure, support residents’ livelihoods, and improve the competitiveness of the Estonian economy. According to them, the Estonian Traders’ Association has also made a similar proposal.

Andrei Korobeinik from the Centre Party Group and Anti Allas from the Social Democratic Party Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

The Finance Committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 40 members of the Riigikogu supported the rejection, and 18 were against it.

The Riigikogu also rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendments to the Atmospheric Air Protection Act (839 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group. It was intended to end the national enforcement of the European Union Emissions Trading System. According to the initiators, the amendment would make it possible to prioritize preserving Estonia’s companies, jobs, and competitiveness.

Martin Helme from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group took the floor during the debate.

The Environment Committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 34 members of the Riigikogu supported the rejection, 15 were against and there was one abstention.

The sitting ended at 12.25 a.m.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu passed three Acts

The Act increases clarity regarding roles during a crisis, i.e., who does what during a crisis. This way, state agencies, municipalities, critical entities, and other critically important companies will know their role in preparing for and resolving crises. The principle remains that everyone prepares to perform their duties in different crises, and crisis resolution also begins at the same level.

The Prime Minister, as the head of a crisis situation, will intervene in the performance of crisis tasks by agencies if a decision affects the achievement of the goal of resolving the crisis situation or the unity and coordination of the government’s activities in resolving the crisis situation. In terms of military defence, the Defence Forces will have greater freedom of action in the event of an immediate threat, including in order to bring allies to Estonia more quickly.

Local governments are assigned specific crisis tasks. They include ensuring the provision of essential services such as water supply, sewage disposal, district heating, and road maintenance; preparing evacuation sites and supporting evacuation; providing essential social and educational services; and informing local residents.

To increase clarity of roles, the government will create a nationwide crisis plan that will bring together preparations for and resolution of crises, and on the basis of which other agencies will draw up their own plans.

During the proceedings, extensive amendments were introduced into the bill, including amendments to several chapters and provisions, as well as the title and the date of entry into force of the bill. According to an amendment, the Act will enter into force on 1 October instead of 1 July so that the executive branch has time to prepare the necessary implementing acts.

Among other things, the bill was amended to include the responsibilities of the Riigikogu and the President of the Republic, the existing national security concept was transformed into a security strategy, and the composition of the National Defence Council was specified. The procedure for the appointment of the Commander of the Defence Forces will also change: in the future, the appointment of the Commander of the Defence Forces will require the consent—that is, substantive and binding approval—of the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu, preceded by a presentation by the candidate for Commander of the Defence Forces before the plenary assembly of the Riigikogu. Among other amendments, a separate chapter on the treatment of prisoners of war was included in the bill.

Mati Raidma from the Reform Party Group, Kalev Stoicescu from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group, Riina Sikkut from the Social Democratic Party Group and Urmas Reinsalu from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

64 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Act and 14 voted against.

Annual report by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Villu Kõve gave an overview of courts administration, administration of justice and uniform application of Acts in Estonia at today’s sitting. He summed it up as follows: “Independent, impartial, and high-quality administration of justice is guaranteed in Estonia.” He acknowledged however that the burden on the system was growing and that proceedings were taking longer.

According to Kõve, the number of court cases is on an upward trend, “The number of court cases has begun to rise compared to earlier, which has not been the case before.”   He added that the situation was not critical, but the trend was still worrying.

Regarding the performance of the courts, he noted that it had declined and cases were piling up, “We can’t resolve as many cases in a year as keep coming up.”  Furthermore, the length of proceedings has been increasing for the sixth year running.

Kõve specifically highlighted the high rate of appeals in administrative cases, “This number is nearly 39% in administrative court proceedings. That’s too high a number.” He pointed to the increasing workload in the judicial system.

Regarding the next generation of judges, he described the problem in stark terms, “It must be acknowledged that we do not have as many candidates as there are judicial positions available in the court of first instance.” According to him, the job of a judge is no longer attractive enough, even though the position comes with benefits.

Based on international comparisons, Kõve admitted that the Estonian system may not be as efficient as previously thought, “A seemingly archaic court session in an old, worn-out courthouse can resolve matters much more efficiently and quickly than in our flashy, high-tech digital proceedings.” He cited Norway and Ireland as examples, where a large share of disputes is resolved out of court or through simpler procedural models.

As the main problems, he named the delays in proceedings and the workload of judges, “Judges are often tired and stressed.” He also highlighted the problem of trust between the state and judges, “A deeper concern is that we have a lack of basic trust between the state and judges. “

Kõve emphasized the need to make changes to the system even if they are unpopular, “One must be prepared to make painful and unpopular choices for the sake of a better future.”

Above all, he expects the legislature to make clear decisions and implement reforms, “We are waiting for the Riigikogu to adopt a package of amendments to courts administration and procedure.” He also considered it important to motivate judges and ensure more stable funding for the courts.

In conclusion, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court noted that reforms were inevitable, “Streamlining the management of courts and concentrating responsibility will be essential in the interests of the entire system.” He called on the Riigikogu to support the development of the judicial system.

Pipi-Liis Siemann from the Reform Party Group and Anti Poolamets from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group took the floor during the debate. Peeter Ernits presented a comment on behalf of the Centre Party Group.

 Today’s sitting was also attended by the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Niko Peleshi, who was greeted with applause by members of the Riigikogu.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Maiki Vaikla
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu passed the Crisis Situation and National Defence Act

Under the bill, starting in March 2027, the identities of e-residents will be verified and checked remotely using biometric data. For this, applicants’ biometric data and travel document information will be compared with data held in national databases. Starting in March 2028, there will be a transition to a cardless electronic identification tool, meaning that instead of the current digital ID, e-residents will have the right to use a digital identity solution without a physical card. 

The right to use the electronic identification tool will be granted by the Police and Border Guard Board, and the technical solution will be organized by the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency.

Seven interpellations were replied

Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur replied to the interpellation concerning the risk of corruption related to the movement of top managers in the defence sector into the private sector (No. 1000), submitted by members of the Riigikogu.

Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi replied to the interpellations concerning public finance policy (No. 991), the secret sale of oil shale reserves to a private company (No. 1008), and political interference in economic research (No. 964).

Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller replied to the interpellations concerning the availability of the special care service (No. 954), the crisis in special care and the responsibility of the Minister of Social Affairs (No. 996), and the dangers of social media for children, and the Government’s plans (No. 1001).

Following the plenary session, a meeting was held to form a support group for the advertising tax on digital platforms, convened by Andre Hanimägi.

Helmen Kütt took the floor during the open microphone session.

The sitting ended at 22.51 p.m.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Gunnar Paal
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: A bill specifying e-residency passed its first reading in the Riigikogu

According to the initiators, the draft Resolution would have given the Government guidelines to address the construction of new electricity generation capacities as a national priority, which in its turn would have helped improve security of electricity supply, reduce dependence on imports, increase the production of clean energy, lower electricity prices, and strengthen the competitiveness of the Estonian economy.

During the debate, Jaak Aab and Evelin Poolamets (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor.

At the final vote, 10 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of the draft Resolution, 6 were against, and there was one abstention. At least 51 votes in favour were needed for the Resolution to be passed.

The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to develop a solution for compensating for property damage incurred by Estonian citizens and residents as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war” (863 OE), submitted by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, was rejected at the first reading. The draft Resolution called on the Government to create a mechanism to compensate Estonian residents for property damage caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The authors of the draft Resolution noted in the explanatory memorandum that if a drone, a part of a drone, or another object related to military activity were to damage a person’s home, car or other property, the victim currently had no possibility of getting a compensation for the damage incurred. Therefore, in their view, the Government had to find a fast and efficient solution to the situation.

At the final vote, 9 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of the draft Resolution. At least 51 votes in favour were needed for the Resolution to be passed.

The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to mitigate the effects of the increase in motor fuel prices on users of vehicles registered in the Republic of Estonia“ (874 OE), submitted by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, was rejected at the first reading. The draft Resolution called on the Government to develop measures that would ensure the availability of 95-octane petrol and diesel fuel for Estonian consumers at a price of up to 1.4 euros per litre. According to the authors, the draft Resolution stemmed from the need to reduce the burden of everyday expenses for people, limit the impact of rising fuel prices on transportation expenses, and provide consumers with greater price certainty.

Martin Helme (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor during the debate.

At the final vote, 9 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of the draft Resolution. At least 51 votes in favour were needed for the Resolution to be passed.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording of the sitting will be available on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Maris Meiessaar
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu rejected three draft Resolutions

The amendments will enable local governments to respond to developments more quickly and flexibly, to terminate outdated and stalled spatial plans, and to reduce formal and time-consuming obligations. For example, in future, the effect of a detailed spatial plan will automatically expire if no development activity is started on the basis of it within 10 years. If the period of effect still needs to be extended, this can be done without a new public procedure.

The Act abolishes municipal designated spatial plans which have so far been used, for example, in the planning of wind farms and in the future such construction works with a significant impact can be planned on the basis of detailed spatial plans. While the average processing time for a municipal designated spatial plan has been four years, the same result can be achieved in an average of 2.2 years with a detailed spatial plan. At the same time, the stage of approving county-wide spatial plans will be omitted.

Several amendments were included in the Act during the proceedings which would allow the authority that organises spatial planning work to set a reasonable deadline for carrying out an operation in spatial planning proceedings where it has not been provided for in law or other legislation. Provisions preparing for the introduction of a new information system of spatial plans on the basis of which the collection and storage of personal data would begin to take place were also included. In the future it will be possible to send mass notifications about the initiation of spatial plans and other procedural operations related to spatial plans to people within planning areas and the impact areas thereof through an information system being established in order to ensure better engagement.

The amendments give the Land and Spatial Development Board the right to monitor the timeliness of the activities of both local governments and other authorities that organise spatial planning work and authorities, as well as the activities of local governments in conducting spatial planning proceedings by requesting information and, if necessary, issuing precepts to eliminate wrongfulness and unjustified delays. In addition, the obligation to take into account utility lines and civil engineering works in both comprehensive spatial plans and detailed spatial plans is specified and the setting of a deadline for making decisions to bring detailed spatial plans into effect or to refuse to do so, as well as the inclusion of the possibility of amending detailed spatial plans are provided for. Among other things, the amendments that were planned to abolish the obligation to publish notices concerning spatial plans in nation-wide and county newspapers were abandoned.

Amendments were also introduced into the Act which leave the arrangement of the creation of national designated spatial plans and county-wide spatial plans within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and provide that, upon failure to comply with a precept issued by the Land and Spatial Development Board in the course of administrative supervision, the upper limit for the non-compliance levy is EUR 9,600.

Evelin Poolamets from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and Tarmo Tamm from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

51 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of passing the Act, seven were against and there was one abstention.

The Riigikogu also passed the Act on Amendments to the Social Tax Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (860 SE), initiated by the Government. It amends the rules for the taxation of remunerations where a service is provided on the basis of a contract under the law of obligations entered into between private individuals.

The current procedure provides that if a private individual purchases services, such as housing maintenance and repair services and childcare services, on the basis of a contract under the law of obligations from another private individual, they must enter the person providing the service in the employment register, submit an income tax and social tax declaration, and pay social tax and social insurance contributions on the remuneration. The Act eliminates these obligations and imposes the obligation to pay social tax and social insurance contributions, similarly to income tax, on the recipient of the service fee.

The burden on non-resident employers will also be reduced by exempting them from registration and tax obligations if their employee is staying in Estonia for a short period and the employer does not have a permanent place of establishment here. The amendments are primarily aimed at digital nomads, as well as short-term performers, trainers, athletes, and film crew members.

Martin Helme from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and Aivar Kokk from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

47 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of passing the Act and 17 voted against.

Six Bills passed the second reading

The State of Crisis and National Defence Bill (668 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the second reading in the Riigikogu. Its aim is to increase crisis preparedness by creating a unified legal space. The Bill will combine three existing crisis law acts—the Emergency Act, the State of Emergency Act and the National Defence Act—into a single whole in order to improve crisis preparedness and the resolution thereof.

The bill will increase clarity regarding roles during a crisis, i.e., who does what during a crisis. This way, state agencies, municipalities, critical entities, and other critically important companies will know their role in preparing for and resolving crises. The principle remains that everyone prepares to perform their duties in different crises, and crisis resolution also begins at the same level.

The Prime Minister, as the head of the crisis situation, will intervene in the performance of crisis tasks by agencies if the decision affects the achievement of the goal of resolving the crisis situation or the unity and coordination of the government’s activities in resolving the crisis situation. In terms of military defence, the Defence Forces will have greater freedom of action in the event of an immediate threat, including in order to bring allies to Estonia more quickly.

According to the bill, local governments will be assigned specific crisis tasks. They will include ensuring the provision of essential services such as water supply, sewage disposal, district heating, and road maintenance; preparing evacuation sites and supporting evacuation; providing essential social and educational services; and informing local residents.

To increase clarity of roles, the government will create a nationwide crisis plan that will bring together preparations for and resolution of crises, and on the basis of which other agencies will draw up their own plans.

During the proceedings, extensive amendments were introduced into the bill, including amendments to several chapters and provisions, as well as the title and the date of entry into force of the bill.  According to an amendment, the bill will enter into force on 1 October instead of 1 July so that the executive branch has time to prepare the necessary implementing acts.

Among other things, the bill was amended to include the responsibilities of the Riigikogu and the President of the Republic, the existing national security concept was transformed into a security strategy, and the composition of the National Defence Council was specified. The procedure for the appointment of the Commander of the Defence Forces will also change: in the future, the appointment of the Commander of the Defence Forces will require the consent—that is, substantive and binding approval—of the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu, preceded by a presentation by the candidate for Commander of the Defence Forces before the plenary assembly of the Riigikogu. Among other amendments, a separate chapter on the treatment of prisoners of war was included in the bill.

Meelis Kiili from the Reform Party Group, Kalev Stoicescu from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group, Lauri Läänemets from the Social Democratic Party Group and Urmas Reinsalu from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

Isamaa Parliamentary Group moved to suspend the second reading of the Bill, but the plenary did not support the motion. 11 members of the Riigikogu supported suspension of the deliberation but 53 were against.

The Bill on Amendments to the Study Allowances and Study Loans Act and the Credit Institutions Act (767 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the second reading in the Riigikogu. It will make the student loan system more flexible and student loans more available to students.

The bill will abolish the requirement for a surety or an immovable property guarantee when applying for a student loan from September 2026, so that young people who have so far not been able to find a suitable surety can also apply for a loan. Instead of guarantee, the loan applicant’s payment behaviour will be assessed in the future, and if they have not fulfilled their other obligations to the bank or another lender, the bank may refuse to grant a student loan.

The bill will also make loan terms more favourable. According to the Bill, the interest rate for student loans will be up to 1.5 percent instead of the current up to three percent, plus six-month Euribor. The state will continue to guarantee both the maximum student loan rate, which is up to EUR 6,000 from this academic year, and the interest payable.

While until now a student loan had to be repaid within twice the standard period of study, according to the bill, the term will be extended four times, and the maximum repayment period will increase from 20 to 25 years. A longer repayment period makes it possible to reduce monthly loan payments and spread the financial burden over a longer period.  Currently, about 1,800 students take out student loans annually, which is four percent of potential recipients of loan. The number of recipients of loans is expected to increase as a result of the amendments.

Parliament incorporated specifications into the bill at the second reading to more clearly regulate the transition to the new student loan system.  An amendment provides that student loan agreements concluded before the 2026/2027 academic year will generally remain valid under the terms in force at the time they were concluded. However, if the repayment obligation has not yet arisen for a recipient of a loan, they may, by agreement with the credit institution, transfer their agreements to the new regulation. A person for whom the repayment obligation has already arisen and who has not continued their studies will not be granted such a right, but they retain the option to change the interest rate by agreement with the credit institution.

 Madis Kallas from the Social Democratic Party Group, Helle-Moonika Helme from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and Vadim Belobrovtsev from the Centre Party Group took the floor during the debate. Non-attached Member of the Riigikogu Jaak Valge also took the floor.

The Bill on Amendments to the Fishing Act (859 SE), initiated by the Rural Affairs Committee, passed the second reading. Its aim is to ensure the sustainable use of the fish stocks of Lake Peipus, Warm Lake and Lake Pskov and to avoid situations where fishing is concentrated in unsuitable conditions solely due to a general restriction on vessel departures.

Currently, a total of up to 600 fishing vessel departures per year are allowed on Lake Peipus, including 300 using small-mesh fishing gear and 300 using large-mesh fishing gear, under an intergovernmental agreement. However, the individual quotas implemented from 2023 have shown that the general cap on departures is not compatible with the new system: it can create pressure to catch the allowed catch as quickly as possible, which in turn increases the risk of overfishing, discards, and concealment.

The bill will specify the data to be entered in the commercial fishing register, the conditions for issuing fishing authorisations and how departures to water areas with fishing gear will be counted. The amendments will allow fishermen to better choose when to fish based on weather and water conditions and reduce the need to fish as quickly as possible for fear of reaching the overall quota.  The new fishing arrangement is planned to be implemented from the second half of 2026.

At the second reading, among other things, the exercise of the right to add a fishing vessel was specified in the bill and the validity of this right was extended to 66 months, including providing clarity on the retroactive application of the right.  The distribution of fishing capacity was also specified, and clearer grounds were established for determining the number of departures to waters with fishing gear and how that was calculated, distinguishing them from fishing opportunities.  In addition, the principles for allocating additional fishing opportunities were adjusted to better take into account the actual fishing usage by operators.

The Bill on Amendments to the Health Services Organisation Act and the Medicinal Products Act (886 SE), initiated by the Social Affairs Committee, passed the second reading. According to it, health care professionals will be given the right to prescribe medicinal products subject to medical prescription to themselves in exceptional circumstances for routine treatment of minor illnesses and for continuation of the treatment of previously diagnosed chronic diseases. The Act currently in force allows health care professionals to prescribe medicinal products subject to medical prescription only for the treatment of other persons.

According to the explanatory memorandum, the amendment is based on the presumption that, even when treating themselves, healthcare professionals must act professionally on the basis of the treatment guidelines in place, the regulations governing medicinal products, and the requirements of professional ethics. Health care professionals will have to assess the limits of their competence as objectively as possible even when treating themselves and, if necessary, turn to another health care professional as a patient.

The Bill will include a provision delegating authority in the Medicinal Products Act under which the minister will be able to establish the list of active substances of medicinal products that health care professionals will be able to prescribe to themselves as patients on a restricted basis or will be prohibited to prescribe to themselves as patients.

Diana Ingerainen from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

The Bill on Amendments to the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Imprisonment Act (773 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the second reading. It will allow for vacant prison spaces in Estonia to be leased to foreign countries. According to the bill, prison sentences imposed by foreign courts can be enforced in Estonian prisons if a relevant international agreement has been concluded. The parliaments of both countries will have to ratify the agreement.

According to the explanatory memorandum, the maintenance of Estonian prison buildings is too costly as they are emptying out. Prison rental would help keep prisons operating, ensure jobs for trained prison staff, and reduce the state’s cost of maintaining empty prison spaces by making them generate revenue for the state budget.

According to the bill, it will be possible to take a prisoner to serve their sentence in an Estonian prison if similar crimes are punishable under Estonian law, the sentence to be enforced is not unreasonably severe, and the period between the entry into force of the court judgment and the start of its enforcement does not exceed three years. At the same time, the bill provides that the regulation for early release will not apply to foreign prisoners.

Lea Danilson-Järg and Urmas Reinsalu from Isamaa Parliamentary Group, Helle-Moonika Helme, Rene Kokk, Martin Helme, Evelin Poolamets, Siim Pohlak and Anti Poolamets from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and Stig Rästa from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

Isamaa Parliamentary Group and the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group moved to suspend the second reading of the Bill, but the motion was not supported. 16 members of the Riigikogu supported suspension but 43 were against it.

The Bill on Amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure and the Law of Obligations Act (transposition of the directive on the protection from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs)) (865 SE), initiated by the Government, also passed the second reading in the Riigikogu. It will transpose into Estonian legal space the directive on the protection from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).

The aim of the new regulation is to safeguard freedom of expression and protect democratic debate from strategic court proceedings against public participation. Until now, it has been difficult to distinguish strategic lawsuits against public participation from regular defamation lawsuits, which is why the European Union directive provides courts with clearer criteria for identifying manifestly unfounded claims.

 The bill will give courts specific tools to stop malicious proceedings at an early stage.  In the future, the court will be able to immediately dismiss an evidently unfounded claim, with all procedural costs being borne by the plaintiff, and the defendant gaining the right to claim compensation for damages caused by an abusive lawsuit.  The court will also have the right to impose a fine of up to EUR 9,600 on the plaintiff and to publish the court decision along with the plaintiff’s personal data.

In addition, the bill will establish protection against third countries, which means that Estonian courts will not recognize, for example, court judgments made in Russia if they result from SLAPPs.

Annely Akkermann from the Reform Party Group took the floor during the debate.

11 Bills and draft Resolutions passed the first reading

 The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Approval of “The National Security Concept of Estonia”” (908 OE), submitted by the Government, passed the first reading in the Riigikogu.  The draft Resolution 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 Riigikogu will decide the approval of the National Security Concept, drafted by the Government, in two readings. The Riigikogu adopted the last National Security Concept at the beginning of 2023.

The first reading of the draft Resolution began at yesterday’s sitting but was adjourned due to the end of working hours. Today the deliberation continued with the debate. Vladimir Arhipov from the Centre Party Group, Urmas Reinsalu from Isamaa Parliamentary Group and Lauri Läänemets from the Social Democratic Party Parliamentary Group participated. Alar Laneman made a speech on behalf of the Reform Party Parliamentary Group.

The Bill on Amendments to the Law Enforcement Act and Amendments to Other Acts arising therefrom (role allocation for the monitoring and countering of unmanned vehicles) (902 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its first reading. It will expand the opportunities for monitoring and countering unmanned aerial vehicles, including drones and balloons, in peacetime.

The Bill will establish the allocation of roles among agencies in responding to threats arising from unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as in monitoring and detecting such threats. Among other things, the Bill provides which actions and coercive measures various agencies will be authorised to apply in the event of threats posed by unmanned aerial vehicles. The Bill also provides for the mutual exchange of information between parties involved in airspace surveillance to create a common surveillance picture.

As a result of the amendments, the Defence Forces will be better able to detect and counter drones with military purposes, as well as actively participate in the monitoring and countering of unmanned aerial vehicles that pose a threat to law enforcement. The Bill will create opportunities for the Police and Border Guard Board to respond more effectively than before to risks arising from new drone threats.

Under the Bill, the Estonian Internal Security Service and the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service will be granted the right to counter unmanned aerial vehicles within their fields of activity. The Defence League will also be granted the right to respond to dangerous drones in order to protect itself and the facilities under its guard; in the future, it will also be possible to call upon both the Defence Forces and the Defence League to help maintain public order in the case of drone threats at large events.

In addition, the Bill will create opportunities for the owners of national defence facilities, particularly companies providing essential services of key importance, to better protect their infrastructure, including by using surveillance equipment. Security firms and internal security service providers responsible for protecting national defence facilities will be granted the right to counter drones at the facilities guarded by them and to use special equipment for this purpose.

Andre Hanimägi took the floor on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Group in the debate. Urmas Reinsalu from Isamaa Parliamentary Group and Kristo Enn Vaga from the Reform Party Parliamentary Group also took the floor.

The Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol Act and Other Acts (reduction of bureaucracy) (853 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its first reading. Its purpose is to reduce the administrative burden on economic operators in various sectors.

According to the explanatory memorandum, alcohol retail trade companies, communications undertakings, transporters of explosives, travel agencies, manufacturers and importers of precious metal articles, and, with regard to the amendments concerning the Consumer Disputes Committee, all traders who provide services to consumers or sell goods, will be released from observing excessively bureaucratic requirements. In addition to reducing requirements, the Bill will amend several statutory fees.

Amendments to the Alcohol Act will, among other things, eliminate the requirement for sales areas for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages in e-commerce and at public events, and replace the obligation to have a cash register with a requirement to record the times of transactions. In the Electronic Communications Act, the validity periods of radio and frequency licenses will be harmonised, and reporting requirements will be reduced. The amendments to the Explosives Act will simplify the procedure for the domestic transport of explosives by replacing the licence obligation with a notification requirement.

In addition, the Bill will enhance the work of the Consumer Disputes Committee, make the registration of sponsor’s marks for precious metal articles a one-time process, and simplify the procedure for travel companies for submitting documents to the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority.

The Bill on Amendments to the Planning Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (express lane for strategic investments) (906 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its first reading. It will establish an accelerated procedure for strategically important investments to make the implementation of large-scale projects in Estonia faster and more predictable. The aim of the amendments is to strengthen the competitiveness of Estonia’s investment environment, support the attraction of foreign investment, the development of the defence industry, energy security, and the achievement of climate goals.

The Bill will establish criteria for determining the strategic investment status and create special procedures for projects whose location has not yet been finalised or that fit into existing spatial plans. The Bill will also simplify national designated spatial planning procedures: the separate initiation phase will be eliminated, duplicate assessments will be reduced, and earlier and more flexible environmental impact assessment will be allowed for.

In addition, the Bill will create a single point of contact for strategic projects, which will coordinate proceedings and monitor compliance with deadlines.

Tarmo Tamm from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

The Bill on Amendments to the Animal Protection Act and the Veterinary Act (899 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its first reading. It will prohibit the permanent keeping of dogs on chain, and zoophilia, in order to protect animal welfare, and increase the sanctions provided for violations of the Animal Protection Act.

The Bill will ban the keeping of dogs permanently on chain from 1 January 2027. As an exception, those who have kept their dogs on chain until now and cannot safely let them off the chain may continue this until 2032.

The Bill will establish stricter requirements for animal shelters, which will be subject to an operating license requirement from 2028. Among other things, the Bill will specify what data a shelter will have to provide to a new owner of an animal.

The Bill will also specify the role of a veterinarian in performing euthanasia on an animal and explicitly prohibit zoophilia and the production and distribution of material depicting it. The Bill will also increase the sanctions provided for violations of the Animal Protection Act.

Tiit Maran from the Social Democratic Party Group took the floor during the debate.

The Bill on Amendments to the Anti-corruption Act, the Penal Code and the Taxation Act (900 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its first reading. It will specify the regulation relating to procedural restrictions for officials, including the necessary elements of the crime of violation of a restriction.

The Bill will formulate more clearly the definitions of “procedural restriction” and “connected person” and amend the procedures for notifying of exceptions and for disclosure. Among other things, it will be specified that an official must withdraw themselves even when they are required to make a decision regarding themselves as a private individual or in a matter involving a benefit related to themselves.

The Bill will create exceptions for health care professionals, researchers, and lawyers in cases where the existing restrictions unreasonably hinder their professional work. Health care professionals will not have to apply procedural restrictions in respect of connected persons where the provision of a healthcare service does not create a significant undue advantage for them or a person connected to them. Nor will procedural restrictions be applied to attorneys-at-law and assistant attorneys-at-law when they provide legal services, or to employees of public universities and state-owned professional higher education institutions when research results are implemented in practice in the process of knowledge transfer.

The Bill will specify the necessary elements of the crime of violation of a procedural restriction so that criminal liability will apply only in cases where the conduct of an official creates unequal or unjustified advantages from the point of view of public interest. In addition, the bill will impose an obligation on people who submit declarations of interests to declare their holdings and claims in crowdfunding projects, as well as whether they are beneficial owners of companies.

Ando Kiviberg from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

The Bill on Amendments to the Child Protection Act and the Code of Enforcement Procedure (901 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its first reading. Its aim is to ensure that the assistance provided for children would be based on their actual needs and that the provision of assistance would be coordinated and transparent.

The amendments will more clearly distinguish between situations where intervention requires a leading role by a local government child protection worker, and cases where support for the child’s welfare can be provided primarily in the area where the child’s difficulties arose. The Bill will support networking in child protection and amend the grounds for initiating child protection case management by child protection workers, thereby reducing the workload of child protection workers.

In addition, the Bill will specify the duties of child protection workers in assessing a child’s need for assistance and providing assistance to them, including in enforcement procedures regarding the transfer of a child and allowing communication with a child. The Bill will also specify the roles of enforcement agents and the police in such enforcement procedures and establish grounds for suspending enforcement acts in cases where continuing them may harm the child’s well-being.

The Bill on Amendments to the Estonian Defence Forces Organisation Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (898 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its first reading. It aims to improve situational awareness at sea, enhance the measures to protect the restricted military areas of the Defence Forces, and create opportunities to involve Allies in border guard and law enforcement.

The Bill provides for measures to ensure the Defence Forces’ situational awareness at sea in Estonia’s maritime area. According to the Bill, the Defence Forces would be granted the right to regulate vessel traffic in the event of an increased threat and to impose restrictions, or to delegate the relevant task to the Transport Administration. A Maritime Safety Commission will also be established at the Defence Forces.

The Bill will also provide the Defence Forces with better opportunities to protect facilities that are important from a security perspective. Among other things, the immediate proximity of the restricted military area of the Defence Forces will be defined to expand the Defence Forces’ rights to monitor the activities there.

In addition, the Bill will establish clear conditions for involving Allies in Estonian border guard and law enforcement activities where necessary.

Kalev Stoicescu from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group and Meelis Kiili from the Reform Party Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

 The Bill on Amendments to the Estonian Defence Forces Organisation Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (alert duty) (907 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its first reading. Its purpose is to regulate alert duty and the tasks performed during it as part of overall defence readiness.

According to the bill, alert duty is defined as a peacetime activity of the Defence Forces, the purpose of which is to keep Defence Forces units in readiness in order to ensure a rapid response to heightened threats and attacks, thereby increasing the Defence Forces’ overall preparedness and capability to defend the country.

According to the amendments, conscripts and reservists will be able to perform real service duties while performing their mandatory duty to serve in the Defence Forces, in addition to training. The performance of duties within the framework of standing readiness of the Defence Forces will take place only if the necessary training is available, under the command of an active-duty commander, and on the bases of and pursuant to the procedure provided by law.

The bill will also specify the rights and obligations of conscripts and reservists when participating in alert duty, including the bases for the use of force, direct coercion, special measures, and special equipment. The amendments to the Estonian Defence League Act will specify the involvement of the Estonian Defence League in the activities of the Defence Forces.

In addition, the bill will make the procedure for catering conscripts and reservists more flexible and exempt reimbursements for travel and catering expenses related to the performance of national defence obligation from income tax.

During the debate, Kalev Stoicescu took the floor on behalf of Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group and Alar Laneman spoke on behalf of the Reform Party Group.

The Bill on Amendments to the Cybersecurity Act (897 SE), initiated by the National Defence Committee, passed the first reading. It will specify the terms used in the Act following the transposition of the Network and Information Security Directive 2 as well as the scope of the implementation of security measures for network and information systems.

The Bill will harmonise the terms of the Network and Information Security Directive 2 and the Cybersecurity Act and will provide parties with a clearer understanding of the scope of the Information System Authority’s supervision regarding network and information systems. In addition, with the bill, the security requirements established by the implementing regulation of the directive will be more clearly linked to the services covered by the implementing regulation.

The European Union’s Network and Information Security Directive 2 transposed into Estonian law aims to harmonize the rules for managing cyber threats and enhance the level of cybersecurity in the EU.

The Bill on Amendments to the Anti-corruption Act (851 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, also passed the first reading. It will expand the scope of the data to be disclosed in declarations of interests in order to increase transparency in the exercise of public authority.

The bill provides that, in their declarations of interests, officials will also have to provide data about which organizations registered in Estonia or other countries they belong to and whether they hold citizenship of any other country in addition to Estonian citizenship. According to the initiators, the amendment will help the public better understand the background of those exercising public authority and better assess their possible ties to organizations and other countries.

Anti Poolamets from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group took the floor during the debate.

A bill was dropped from the proceedings

The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fuel and Electricity Excise Duty Act and the Value-Added Tax Act (844 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group. It was intended to lower the excise duty on petrol, diesel, gas, and fuel oil to the European Union minimum rate and to lower the VAT rate on foodstuffs to five per cent. According to the initiators, the aim of the bill was to reduce the decline in purchasing power caused by the rise in fuel prices and to curb the rise in foodstuff prices.

The Finance Committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 35 members of the Riigikogu supported the rejection and eight were against. Thus, the Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.

The sitting ended at 12.04 a.m.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu passed an Act to speed up spatial planning proceedings

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 Riigikogu will decide the approval of the National Security Concept, drafted by the Government, in two readings. Last National Security Concept was approved by the Riigikogu at the beginning of 2023.

Mart Helme from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group took the floor during the debate.

Due to the end of the working hours of the sitting, the debate will continue at tomorrow’s sitting. In addition, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Law Enforcement Act and Amendments to Other Acts arising therefrom (role allocation for the monitoring and countering of unmanned vehicles) (902 SE), the Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol Act and Other Acts (reduction of bureaucracy) (853 SE) and the Bill on Amendments to the Planning Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (express lane for strategic investments) (906 SE) is also deferred to tomorrow.

After the sitting ends, a meeting to establish the Support Group for Pärnu Multiarena of National Importance will take place in the session hall.

The sitting ended at 12.55 p.m.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Maiki Vaikla
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Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The first reading of the draft of the updated National Security Concept was adjourned in the Riigikogu

Due to the large volume of amendments, a new consolidated text of the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens has been drafted and the current Act is repealed. The Act will improve control over immigration, and illegal entry from the EU’s external border and unauthorized movement within the Schengen area will become more difficult. As a significant innovation, the Act provides for the implementation of a border procedure which will allow decisions to be made at the border. Applicants will not become entitled to stay in Estonia during the procedure, and it will be possible to return a person more quickly if protection is not granted.

The Act will also make procedures in the EU more uniform. Member States will start to mutually recognise each other’s acts in order to avoid situations where asylum applications are lodged successively in different countries. Additionally, an EU-wide migration information system will be created which will improve data collection and exchange and help streamline procedures.

The Act also specifies the obligations of asylum seekers and provides for clearer consequences for non-compliance therewith. For example, if necessary, it will be possible to restrict applicants’ freedom of movement, including by requiring them to live in an assigned place or to register regularly. At the same time, the legal protection of applicants will be strengthened by allowing for free legal assistance from the very beginning of the procedure.

In addition, a permanent solidarity mechanism will be launched in the EU, through which countries will be able to support one another in the event of migration pressure by providing financial assistance, deploying experts and equipment, and, if necessary, relocating people.

During the second reading, an amendment was incorporated into the Act that expanded the definition of a refugee’s family member. This spring, the Supreme Court ruled that the current Act was unconstitutional insofar as it did not recognize as a family member of a refugee a de facto partner who lived with the refugee in a de facto cohabitation prior to their arrival in Estonia, with whom marriage or registration of a partnership was legally impossible in the refugee’s country of origin regardless of the partners’ will.

During the debate, Mart Helme took the floor on behalf of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and Helir-Valdor Seeder on behalf of Isamaa Parliamentary Group.

53 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of passing the Act and 20 voted against.

A Bill passed the first reading

The Bill on the State’s Supplementary Budget for 2026 (910 SE), initiated by the Government, will reduce state revenues by EUR 24 million and increase expenditures by EUR 4.4 million.  According to the bill, investments will decrease by EUR 1.5 million and the budget for financing transactions will increase by EUR 37.9 million.

The bill will direct EUR 10.98 million in expenses and investments to Eesti.ai projects, which, among other things, aim to improve people’s AI skills and make the public sector more efficient.  Under the bill, EUR 17 million will be allocated for the construction of the eastern border to pay for contractual obligations already undertaken.  The bill will also specify the investments of the State Real Estate Ltd and Hexest Materials Ltd and compensate the Cultural Endowment of Estonia for the support it did not receive from the gambling tax.

The cancellation of the fuel excise duty increase starting from 1 May will lead to the largest decrease in revenue, amounting to EUR 36 million. To increase revenues, an additional 20 million in dividends will be taken from the State Forest Management Centre from net profit.

According to the explanatory memorandum, the general government budget position will improve by EUR 15 million as a result of the amendments, but the budget deficit will remain at 4.3 percent of GDP, i.e. at the same level as in the Ministry of Finance’s spring forecast.  Next year’s budget deficit will decrease by 0.1 percent of GDP as a result of the proposals.

In the 2026 state budget adopted by the Riigikogu last December, revenues totalled EUR 18.6 billion and expenditures EUR 19.5 billion, while investments totalled EUR 1.3 billion and financing transactions EUR 1.5 billion.

During the debate, Martin Helme took the floor on behalf of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, Diana Ingerainen on behalf of Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group, Andrei Korobeinik  on behalf of the Centre Party Group, Urmas Reinsalu on behalf of Isamaa Parliamentary Group, Riina Sikkut on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Group and Annely Akkermann on behalf of the Reform Party Parliamentary Group.

The Estonian Centre Party Group, Isamaa Parliamentary Group and the Social Democratic Party Parliamentary Group moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. The motion was not supported because 31 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of it and 45 were against. The first reading of the Bill was concluded. The deadline for submission of motions to amend was set at 29 May.

Five interpellations were replied

Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi replied to the interpellations concerning the mitigation of price increases and people’s livelihoods (No. 969) and the expenditures by partially state-owned companies on motivational and appreciation events (No. 972).

Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Hendrik Johannes Terras replied to the interpellation concerning the privatisation of the logistics and postal services group Omniva and the continuation of the universal postal service and home delivery of periodicals (No. 971).

Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta replied to the interpellations concerning the state’s policy on registers (No. 970) and the penal policy regarding sexual offences against children (No. 973).

The sitting ended at 10.49 p.m. 

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Gunnar Paal
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gunnar.paal@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu passed the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens