The Riigikogu passed six Acts and a Resolution:

The Riigikogu passed with 77 votes in favour the Natural Gas Act and State Fees Act Amendment Act (709 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, the purpose of which is to bring the Act into conformity with the Directive 2003/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas. The Act harmonises the requirement, proceeding from the Directive, to legally distinguish between the activities related to network provision of natural gas enterprises and their sales activities. The purpose of distinguishing between these activities, is to ensure efficient and non-discriminating access to the networks and to create possible competition between the gas providers.

The Riigikogu passed with 65 votes in favour (1 abstention) the National Defence League Act Amendment Act (666 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, the purpose of which is to organise the structure of the National Defence League as a militarily organised national defence organisation, in order to gain control over the economic activities of the units, at the same time preserving the necessary economic independence of the units.

The Riigikogu passed with 69 votes in favour the Act on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Kingdom of Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Austria, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the Member States of the European Union) and the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania on the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union (733 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, the purpose of which is to fulfill the prerequisites necessary for Bulgaria’s and Romania’s accession to the European Union – the ratification of the Treaty of Accession and the Accession Act or the Accession Protocol added to it, depending on whether the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe enters into force prior to Bulgaria’s and Romania’s accession to the European Union or not.

The Riigikogu passed with 66 votes in favour the Act on the Accession to the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel (705 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The accession to the Convention is performed pursuant to the Act, because the legal rights protected by the Convention concern Estonia’s international communication and the ensuring of peace and international security. The regulation included in the Convention is in compliance with the constitutional law, but still needs to be implemented as a law. Pursuant to subsection 10(2) a declaration will be made, according to which the Republic of Estonia establishes its jurisdiction over any crime committed against an Estonian citizen.

The Riigikogu passed with 64 votes in favour the Act on the Ratification of the European convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes (715 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. Pursuant to the Convention, the Parties commit to apply necessary measures to ensure that their present and future legal acts dealing with compensation to victims of violent crimes adhere to the Convention.

The Riigikogu passed with 61 votes in favour the Act on the Accession to the Nuclear Safety (739 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Convention contains the measures necessary in order to achieve a high global level of nuclear safety. Acceding to the Convention, Estonia assumes an international obligation to ensure the fulfilment of requirements stipulated by the Convention. Some provisions of the Convention cannot be applied to Estonia at present, because we have no nuclear structures. However, it is still of crucial importance that we know the purposes of the Convention, principles of safety and obligations in connection with nuclear structures located in our neighbourhood. The status of a Contracting Party gives us a chance to express our opinion about the formation of the nuclear safety policy. By participating in the meetings of Contracting Parties, we shall get a better overview and more up-to-date information about the safety of nuclear structures located in the territories of other Contracting Parties as well as a good possibility to ask additional questions and demand explanations.

The Riigikogu passed with 56 votes in favour the Resolution of the Riigikogu On the Approval of the Consolidated Report of the Economic Year of 2004 of the State (727 OE), submitted by the Government of the Republic. Pursuant to subsection 37 (2) of the Accounting Act, the objective of the report on the economic year of the state is to enable the Riigikogu to exercise a supervisory function over the Government, to afford the Government an opportunity to explain its activities in the accounting period and submit necessary information to the Riigikogu for making new budgetary decisions.

The sitting of the Riigikogu was resumed with the second reading of the State Budget of the Year 2006 Bill (741 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. There was a review of and voting on motions to amend. By the end of the working hours of the sitting, by 10 a.m. on Thursday, 88 motions to amend were put to the vote. There are 105 of them in all. The legislative proceeding of the Bill will be resumed on Thursday’s sitting.

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At Question Time Minister of Finance Aivar Sõerd answered the questions about the transition to Euro, education policy and specifications of the value added tax. Minister of the Environment Villu Reiljan answered the questions about the use of animal fat as a raw heating material, and about private forestry. Minister of Social Affairs Jaak Aab answered the question about social benefits.

The sitting ended on Thursday, 17 November at 10 a.m.

The Riigikogu Press Service