At the beginning of the sitting, the Riigikogu held a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims of the June deportation. 

The Riigikogu passed five Acts: 

The Act on Amendments to the Forensic Examination Act and Other Associated Acts (202 SE), initiated by the Government, which organises the regulation relating to the field of forensic examination, was passed with 83 votes in favour (2 abstentions). The Act provides the basis for establishing the forensic examination information system and brings the regulation concerning the national fingerprint database and the national DNA database into conformity with Estonian legislation in force and also takes into account the conditions and requirements arising from the European Union legislation. The price list of examinations is renewed and updated. The amendments concerning the field of forensic psychiatric examination organise the application of forensic psychiatric examination in civil proceedings and the legislation is brought into conformity with research and application practices. 

The Act on Amendments to the Ambient Air Protection Act, the General Part of the Economic Activities Code Act and the State Fees Act (232 SE), initiated by the Government, which brings the Act into conformity with the EU Regulation on substances that deplete the ozone layer and helps solve the problems which have emerged in the implementation of the current version of the Act, was passed with 88 votes in favour. As a result of the clarification and specification of the regulation, the compliance with the requirements established for ozone-depleting substances will improve in Estonia. The amendments mostly affect personnel and companies handling fluorinated greenhouse gases. On the entry into force of the Act, persons involved in the installation, maintenance or servicing of stationary fire protection systems and fire extinguishers and refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment which contain certain fluorinated greenhouse gases recovering certain fluorinated greenhouse gases from high-voltage switchgear, recovering certain fluorinated greenhouse gas-based solvents from equipment and air-conditioning systems in certain motor vehicles containing certain fluorinated greenhouse gases will have the right to involve in such activities only if they hold a relevant certificate or training attestation or handling permit. 

The Act on Amendments to the Health Insurance Act and the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act (229 SE), initiated by the Government, which improves the availability of medicinal products to patients, was passed with 84 votes in favour. Upon implementation of the Act, patient cost-sharing in the purchase of medicinal products will be reduced by ca 22%. The Act also reduces the workload of specialist doctors by including the monitoring of patients with chronic illnesses in the ordinary work of family physicians. 

The Act on Amendments to the Social Tax Act and Other Acts (222 SE), initiated by the Government, which transposes an EU directive to ensure equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity, or contributing to the pursuit of such an activity, was passed with 74 votes in favour. The Act ensures equal treatment of female and male self-employed workers and an opportunity for equal social protection of spouses participating in the activities of their business. An opportunity for equal social protection is granted without an obligation to enter into a formal contract of employment and a self-employed worker is given the right to reduce his or her business income by the amount of social tax paid for the spouse participating in the activities of the enterprise. 

The Act on Amendments to the Political Parties Act (216 SE), initiated by the Constitutional Committee, which provides the basis of the payment of remuneration to members of the Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee formed on the basis of the Political Parties Act as there is no relevant regulation in the Act which is currently in force, was passed with 84 votes in favour. The remuneration of a member of the Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee is dependent on the work that he or she contributes, calculated on the basis of the time spent on attending the meetings of the committee and on performance of other functions of the Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee. Upon calculation of the remuneration, the amount of the remuneration of members of the National Electoral Committee has been taken as a model. It equals to 25 times the minimum hourly wage rate established by the Government of the Republic (which at present amounts to 1.8 euro per hour upon full-time employment). 

At the end of the sitting, the Vice-President of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas expressed thanks to the Secretary General of the Riigikogu Heiki Sibul for his long and diligent service. 

The Riigikogu Press Service