At Question Time ministers answered the questions of the members of the Riigikogu.

Prime Minister Juhan Parts answered the question of Tunne Kelam about energy, the question of Mihhail Stalnuhhin about the assimilation of the Estonian society and the question of Mart Laar about patenting the software.

Minister of Education and Research Toivo Maimets answered the question of Arnold Kimber about the cooperation with local government associations and the question of Jaak Allik about the work of the National Examination and Qualification Centre and finding out and making the results of exams known.

Minister of Finance Taavi Veskimägi answered the question of Mark Soosaar about the taxation of the spheres of culture.

The Riigikogu passed the following Acts:

The Riigikogu passed with 43 votes in favour the Housing Associations Act (287 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act establishes legal bases for legal persons, granting exclusive use of dwellings or non-residential premises to their members, in accordance with the present-day economic relations and commerce. The Act establishes the regulation, which grants the named members similar rights with the owners of dwellings and more protection than before.

The Riigikogu passed with 41 votes in favour the Liquid Fuel Act, Fiscal Marking of Liquid Fuel Act and Minimum Stocks of Liquid Fuel Act Amendment Act (349 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act stipulates the bases and procedure for handling the liquid fuel for the purpose of ensuring the receipt of fuel excise duty and the quality of common motor fuels, and the organisation of exercising the state supervision. Restrictions of the Liquid Fuel Act are imposed on the fuel imported from the third country (fuel import) and the principle of free movement of goods is implemented with regard to the fuel imported from a Member State. Requirements established for the fuel in Estonia are in conformity with the requirements set in the European Union and do not impede the free movement of fuel between the Member States.

The Riigikogu passed with 43 votes in favour the Obligation to Leave and Prohibition on Entry Act and Aliens Act Amendment Act (324 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act ensures better protection of public order and social safety. The Act contains amendment provisions mainly of specifying kind. The Act makes the procedure for the application of the prohibition on entry more efficient, also specifies the procedure for arresting a person to be expelled.

The Riigikogu passed with 40 votes in favour the Administrative Cooperation Amendment Act (353 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act specifies the difference between the administrative and civil law contracts and the application of public procurement procedures.

The Riigikogu passed with 38 votes in favour the Strategic Goods Act Amendment Act (354 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act brings the import and export of strategic goods and legal regulation of transit into conformity with the European Union Law. The export of goods of binary use (among them software and technology) from the European Community is harmonized in the European Union. Efficient control is needed to ensure that the international obligations and tasks of the European Union are observed, especially in the regard of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons

The Riigikogu passed with 41 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Ratification of the Second Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and its Additional Protocol (366 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The purpose of the Act is to ratify the second additional protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, to make and amend declarations and abrogate the declarations made in the Act on the Ratification of the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and its Additional Protocol.

The Resolution of the Riigikogu On the Activities of the State Committee on the Investigation of Repressive Policy of Occupations (373 OE), initiated by the Isamaaliit Faction, Estonian Centre Party Faction, Estonian People?s Union Faction, Estonian Reform Party Faction, Social Democratic Party Faction and Union for the Republic ? Res Publica Faction, was passed with 62 votes in favour. The tasks of the Committee were the following: to analyse the repressive policy which was applied in the territory of the Republic of Estonia during the years of soviet and German occupation in the 20^th century; to find out the genocide crimes committed with respect to the citizens of the Republic of Estonia during the periods of occupation; to assess the economic damage inflicted on the Estonian people by occupations; to formulate an objective scientific assessment of the activities of the occupation powers in the 20^th century in Estonia. The decision gives an assessment to the activities of the Committee and envisages the further action plan.

The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the following Bills:

The Bill on Amendments to the Rescue Act, Emergency Preparedness Act, Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act, Code of Misdemeanour Procedure, Hunting Act and State Public Servants Official Titles and Salary Scale Act (250 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Estonian Centre Party Faction moved to suspend the second reading. The results of voting: 21 votes in favour, 52 votes against, 1 abstention. The motion was not supported.

The Bill on Amendments to the Gambling Tax Act (377 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Estonian Centre Party Faction and the Isamaaliit Faction moved to suspend the second reading. The results of voting: 25 votes in favour, 37 against. The motion was not supported. The second reading was concluded.

The Bill on Amendments to § 22 of the Privatisation of Dwellings Act (228 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction.

The Bill on Amendments to the Dwelling Act and to § 12¹ of the Republic of Estonia Principles of Ownership Reform Act (313 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Estonian Centre Party Faction moved to suspend the second reading. The results of voting: 36 votes in favour, 47 against. The motion was not supported. The second reading was concluded.

The Bill on Amendments to the Telecommunications Act (338 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Estonian Centre Party Faction moved to suspend the second reading. The results of voting: 1 vote in favour, 37 against. The motion was not supported. The second reading was concluded.

The Bill on Amendments to the Competition Act and Penal Code (355 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Bill on Amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act (335 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of the following Bills:

The Bill on Amendments to the Nature Conservation Act (390 SE), initiated by the Environmental Committee. The Estonian Centre Party Faction moved to reject the Bill. The results of voting: 3 votes in favour, 53 against. The motion was not supported. The Bill remained in the legislative proceeding. The term for submission of motions to amend to the Environment Committee is 9 June, 17.58.

The Bill on Amendments to the State Fees Act (381 SE), initiated by the Constitutional Committee. The Estonian Centre Party Faction moved to reject the Bill. The results of voting: 1 vote in favour, 34 against. The motion was not supported. The Bill remained in the legislative proceeding.  The term for submission of motions to amend to the Constitutional Committee is 10 June, 10.00.

The Bill on Amendments to the European Parliament Election Act (403 SE), initiated by the European Union Affairs Committee. The Estonian Centre Party Faction moved to reject the Bill. The results of voting: 6 votes in favour, 56 against. The motion was not supported. The Bill remained in the legislative proceeding.  The term for submission of motions to amend to the Constitutional Committee is 10 June, 14.00.

The Riigikogu rejected the following Bill at the first reading:

The Bill on Amendments to the Working and Rest Time Act (333 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Peeter Kreitzberg, Sven Mikser, Eiki Nestor and Kadi Pärnits. The motion to reject the Bill was made by the Social Affairs Committee. The results of voting: 44 votes in favour, 18 against. The Bill was withdrawn from legislative proceeding.

Due to the end of the working hours of Wednesday?s sitting of the Riigikogu

The second reading of the State Legal Assistance Bill (249 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, was suspended. The reading is resumed at Thursday?s sitting.

Because of the missing presenters of reports, the following Bills were not deliberated at Wednesday?s sitting:

The Postal Bill (281 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Bill on Amendments to the Anti-corruption Act and Wages Act (98 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Authorised Public Accountants Bill (118 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Promotion of Local Government Merger Bill (359 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Bill on Amendments to the State Liability Act and Constitutional Review Proceedings Act (357 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Bill on Amendments to the Electricity Market Bill (303 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

* * *

The Government of the Republic as the initiator withdrew from the legislative proceeding the Bill on Amendments to the Working and Rest Time Act and Holidays Act (379 SE).

The sitting ended on June 10, 10.00.

The Riigikogu Press Service