At today’s extraordinary session, the Riigikogu decided with 76 votes against not to repass the Act on Amendments to the Traffic Act and Associated Acts in unamended form.

 

In connection with renewed deliberation of the Act on Amendments to the Traffic Act and Associated Acts which the President of the Republic refused to proclaim (874 UA), the President of the Riigikogu Ene Ergma convened an extraordinary session of the Riigikogu today at 10 a.m. When justifying his refusal to proclaim the Act, the President of the Republic had pointed out that, upon the entry into force of the Act, it would not be clear which rules regulating traffic would be in force in Estonia as of 1 January 2011. The unanimous aim of the Riigikogu had been to postpone the entry into force of the new Traffic Act and to enforce the new Traffic Act as a whole as of 1 July 2011. According to the explanation of the President, proceeding from the section concerning the entry into force of the Act would lead to an outcome which would be in conflict with the aim of the Riigikogu: clause 1 48) and subsection 4 (1) of the Act on Amendments to the Traffic Act and Associated Acts are in conflict with each other. It is a grave mistake in terms of technical norms which brings along serious substantial problems resulting in a conflict with the Constitution.

 

In the words of Chairman of the Constitutional Committee Väino Linde and Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee Urmas Klaas, both the Constitutional Committee and the Economic Affairs Committee made a proposal to not to pass the abovementioned Act in unamended form. 76 Members of the Riigikogu voted against passing the Act in an unamended form and thus the Riigikogu decided to make amendments to this Act. The motions to amend must be submitted to the Economic Affairs Committee within one hour after the end of the extraordinary session.

 

The next extraordinary session for the second reading of the Bill (874 UA) begins at 1 p.m.

 

 

 

The Riigikogu Press Service