Today, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip made a political statement before the Riigikogu concerning the coming year’s state budget Bill. In his words, when preparing the budget, the Government has focused on investments and creation of such environment as would support new rise of economy without at the same time destroying social cohesion. The expenditure of the coming year’s state budget will amount to 6 billion euro. It exceeds this year’s 89.6 billion kroons budget by five per cent. The revenue of the state budget is planned to amount to 5.7 billion euro. Thus, the deficit of the coming year’s budget is roughly 250 million euro which constitutes 1.6 per cent of our gross domestic product.

 

Then, replies to interpellations submitted by Members of the Riigikogu were heard.

 

The Minister of the Environment Jaanus Tamkivi replied to the interpellation concerning problems of mines (No 494), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Lembit Kaljuvee, Tiit Kuusmik, Olga Sõtnik, Lauri Laasi and Valeri Korb on 3 August.

 

Tamkivi explained that the Ministry of Environment generally cannot agree to establish a situation where the state would pay for environmental impacts assessment for miners. Fair distribution of assessment costs means that the person who receives income will have to pay for measures of prevention of damage, explained the Minister. Environmental impact assessment is an extensively used means for analysing significant environmental impact of planned activities and for prevention of the potential damage arising from such activity or for finding solutions to mitigate the damage. “Here, the principle of “polluters pay” applies, according to which the expenses occurred in avoiding and restricting pollution and in prevention of pollution are covered by the polluter and, as a rule, state aid is not permitted in such cases in the European Union,” noted the Minister of the Environment. He added that, as is known, all authorities assessing environmental impact are licensed. The Minister believes that they do their work honestly and with conscience.

 

Tamkivi explained that the proceeds from environmental charges are distributed between the local government budget and the state budget. If the environment money which goes to the state budget has an intended purpose which is maintaining of environmental situation and compensation for damage to the environment, then the use of the local government budget is decided by the council. The activities of the Ministry of the Environment are aimed at ensuring balanced development of the use of natural resources and environmental protection, including organisation of national environmental protection and nature conservation and organisation of use, protection and registration of natural resources. The Ministry of the Environment is not competent to decide how local governments use the proceeds from environmental charges, said Tamkivi.

 

The Minister of the Environment replied to three more interpellations. They were the following:

 

the interpellation concerning completion of public water supply and sewerage facilities (No 455), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kalle Laanet, Kadri Simson, Kalev Kallo, Ain Seppik, Lembit Kaljuvee and Valeri Korb on 2 June;

 

the interpellation concerning waste management (No 467), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Toomas Varek, Valeri Korb and Rein Ratas on 2 August;

 

the interpellation concerning construction of a wind farm on Vormsi island (No 474), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Ain Seppik, Tiit Kuusmik, Kalle Laanet, Valeri Korb, Mailis Reps, Inara Luigas, Toivo Tootsen, Vladimir Velman and Nikolai Põdramägi on 2 August.

 

President of Eesti Pank Andres Lipstok replied to the interpellation concerning adoption of the euro (No 471), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Inara Luigas, Enn Eesmaa, Olga Sõtnik, Nikolai Põdramägi, Rein Ratas and Aivar Riisalu on 2 August.

 

The Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi replied to the interpellation concerning assuming of obligations for 2011–2012 (No 472), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kadri Simson, Kalev Kallo, Toivo Tootsen, Mailis Reps, Valeri Korb, Helle Kalda, Inara Luigas, Eldar Efendijev, Vladimir Velman, Jüri Ratas, Arvo Sarapuu, Jaak Aab, Nikolai Põdramägi, Rein Ratas and Evelyn Sepp on 2 August.

 

The Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts replied to three interpellations. They were the following:

 

the interpellation concerning failure of domain reform (No 475), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Olga Sõtnik, Kadri Simson, Mailis Reps, Inara Luigas, Kalle Laanet, Eldar Efendijev, Vladimir Velman, Kalev Kallo, Arvo Sarapuu, Nikolai Põdramägi, Rein Ratas and Evelyn Sepp on 2 August;

 

the interpellation concerning the rating of Eesti Energia (No 489), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Lembit Kaljuvee, Tiit Kuusmik, Toomas Varek, Vladimir Velman, Evelyn Sepp, Olga Sõtnik, Kalev Kallo, Toivo Tootsen, Arvo Sarapuu and Nikolai Põdramägi on 3 August;

 

the interpellation concerning alcohol, sales restrictions and economy (No 492), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Nelli Privalova, Marika Tuus, Valeri Korb, Tiit Kuusmik, Eldar Efendijev, Lembit Kaljuvee and Kadri Simson on 3 August.

 

The Minister of Social Affairs Hanno Pevkur replied to five interpellations. They were the following:

 

the interpellation concerning family physicians (No 456), submitted by Member of the Riigikogu Heimar Lenk on 2 June;

 

the interpellation concerning safety of electronic cigarettes (No 500), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Mai Treial and Ester Tuiksoo on 14 September;

 

the interpellation concerning home nursing (No 498), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Nikolai Põdramägi, Jaak Aab, Eldar Efendijev, Marika Tuus, Kadri Simson, Valeri Korb, Aivar Riisalu, Heimar Lenk, Tiit Kuusmik, Mailis Reps, Vladimir Velman, Toivo Tootsen and Arvo Sarapuu on 13 September;

 

the interpellation concerning Estonian residents’ leaving their homeland (No 497), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kadri Simson, Aivar Riisalu, Marika Tuus, Lembit Kaljuvee, Tiit Kuusmik, Valeri Korb, Georg Pelisaar, Mailis Reps and Inara Luigas on 13 September;

 

the interpellation concerning medical staff leaving Estonia (No 499), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Nikolai Põdramägi, Jaak Aab, Eldar Efendijev, Marika Tuus, Aivar Riisalu, Tiit Kuusmik, Lembit Kaljuvee, Valeri Korb, Toomas Varek, Georg Pelisaar, Mailis Reps, Vladimir Velman, Toivo Tootsen, Arvo Sarapuu and Evelyn Sepp on 13 September.

 

The Minister of Economy and Communication Juhan Parts did not have to reply to the interpellation concerning aircraft ordered by Estonian Air (No 477), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Aivar Riisalu, Evelyn Sepp, Mailis Reps, Kalle Laanet, Eldar Efendijev, Vladimir Velman, Olga Sõtnik, Kalev Kallo, Toivo Tootsen, Arvo Sarapuu, Nikolai Põdramägi and Valeri Korb on 2 August, because the interpellators withdrew it.

 

During the open microphone, Kalle Laanet took the floor.

 

The sitting ended at 10.05 p.m.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service