Replying to the interpellation (No. 260) of Member of the Riigikogu Taavi Veskimägi concerning the accession to Euro, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip explained that the priority of the Government had always been the adoption of common currency of the European Union as soon as possible, only the assessments when Estonia would be able to meet all the necessary criteria of Maastricht had been changed. Mr. Ansip said that it would be complicated to have reliable prognoses of inflation for more than a couple of years, therefore it would not be possible to have realistic assessments when Estonia could meet the criteria of price stability.  On its meeting of 30 November of 2006 the Government of the Republic decided that the purpose of the adoption of Euro would not be chronologically specified. Estonia has no problems on meeting other Maastricht criteria. Mr. Ansip said: “As soon as we meet the requirement of price stability, Estonia will apply for the assessment of the European Commission and the Central Bank on whether Estonia is in conformity with the criteria. The Government will continue the implementation of the present economic policy which has brought reliability to Estonia and will accede to the euro zone as soon as it can.” Mr. Ansip stated that the Government would go on with the implementation of its conservative budget policy and avoid excessive administrative increases in prices.

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip replied to three more interpellations: to the interpellation (No. 257) concerning the continuity of the Estonian foreign and security policy, submitted on 21 December by Members of the Riigikogu Marko Mihkelson, Ken-Marti Vaher, Andres Herkel, Juhan Parts, Trivimi Velliste, Helir-Valdor Seeder, Mihhail Lotman and Tiit Matsulevitš, and to the interpellation (No. 259) concerning the issues related to the ferry Estonia, submitted on 21 December by Members of the Riigikogu Evelyn Sepp, Helle Kalda, Nelli Privalova, Eldar Efendijev, Jüri Šehovtsov, Enn Eesmaa, Georg Pelisaar, Ain Seppik, Toivo Tootsen, Elmar-Johannes Truu and Inara Luigas, and to the interpellation (No. 262) concerning the land exchanges, submitted on 11 January by Members of the Riigikogu Andres Herkel and Marko Pomerants.

Minister of Internal Affairs Kalle Laanet replied to the interpellation (no. 256) concerning the funding of the Isamaaliit and Res Publica, submitted on 11 December 2006 by Members of the Riigikogu Koit Pikaro, Evelyn Sepp, Nelli Privalova, Ain Seppik, Enn Eesmaa, Toivo Tootsen, Olev Laanjärv, Elmar-Johannes Truu, Helle Kalda, Kaarel Pürg, Tiit Kuusmik, Inara Luigas, Jüri Šehovtsov, Heimar Lenk, Vladimir Velman and Marika Tuus.

Minister of Agriculture Ester Tuiksoo replied to the interpellation (No. 261) concerning the state supervision over the land improvement project, submitted on 10 January by Member of the Riigikogu Jarno Laur.

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When approving the agenda for the working week it was decided on the motion of the relevant leading committees that the deliberation of the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu On the Use of the Estonian Defence Forces Unit in Performance of International Duties of the Estonian State in Post-Conflict Peacekeeping Missions in Lebanon, Israel and Syria (1100 OE), planned for Tuesday, 6 February, and the deliberation of the Personal Data Protection Bill (1026 SE), planned for Wednesday, 7 February, would be excluded from the agenda for the present working week.

The Riigikogu Press Service