The Riigikogu passed with 88 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act (453 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, the Estonian Reform Party Faction, the Estonian Green Party Faction, the Estonian People’s Union Faction, the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union Faction and the Social Democratic Party Faction. According to the amendment, the reporting system of the Riigikogu is created and the obligation to prepare an explanatory memorandum of the Committee when submitting draft legislation in the legislative proceeding for the second reading is provided. The Act also amends the procedure for participation of members of the Government in Question Time of the Riigikogu, and factions are given the possibility to initiate deliberation of a matter of significant national importance. The Act enters into force as of the plenary working week of the Riigikogu following its publication in the Riigi Teataja. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

 

The Act on Amendments to § 74 of the Public Service Act (521 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Mark Soosaar, Valdur Lahtvee, Mart Jüssi, Marek Strandberg, Toomas Trapido, Eiki Nestor, Peeter Kreitzberg, Hannes Rumm and Kalev Kotkas, was passed with 72 votes in favour. The Act amends the section which provides restrictions on entry into service and on membership. A state official who is released from office cannot, within three years as of the date of release from office, enter into the service of an employer over whom, or join a commercial association over which, he or she exercised supervision regularly within the last three years. Nor may he or she receive income from such employer or commercial association within three years. Nobody voted against the Act, 5 members of the Riigikogu abstained.

 

The Act on Amendments to the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act, the State Pension Insurance Act and the Social Welfare Act (567 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 85 votes in favour. The amendment extends the term for identification of a degree of severity of a disability and the term of validity of the rehabilitation plan. At the same time, terms for identification of a degree of severity of a disability and permanent loss of incapacity for work and duration of the rehabilitation plan are harmonised. The Act also extends the term for filling in the description of the state of health and regulates the procedure for providing special welfare services for people with mental disorder. This Act enters into force on 1 January 2010; clause 1 2) and clause 2 2) of the Act enter into force pursuant to general procedure and clause 3 3) enters into force on the day following publication in the Riigi Teataja. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

 

The Act on Amendments to the Income Tax Act (550 SE), initiated by the Government, which restricts deductions from the taxable income of resident natural persons, was passed with 44 votes in favour. The amendment eliminates the right to deduct from income study loan interests and trade union entrance and membership fees. The Act enters into force on 1 January 2010; clauses 1 1), 3) and 11) enter into force on 1 December 2009 and they apply retroactively as of 1 August 2009. 40 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Act, nobody abstained.

 

The State Export Guarantees Act (565 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 88 votes in favour. The Act provides the bases and principles for state export guarantees in Estonia and its purpose is to create additional opportunities for development of the Estonian export through state export guarantees and to protect undertakings operating in Estonia from possible damage arising from export transactions. The Act provides totally new bases for granting state guarantees for export transactions as compared to the Act which is currently in force, including issue of export guarantees [eksporditagatis] instead of export guarantees [ekspordigarantii], issue of export guarantees by companies, and new principles in participation of the state in fulfilment of claims of guarantee holders. The Act also enables to significantly increase the total amount of export transactions to which state guarantee is granted. According to the Act, the person granting state export guarantees, that is, an insurance undertaking established with state participation engaging in credit insurance, organises state export guarantees on the basis of the special right provided in the Competition Act. This Act repeals the State Export Guarantees Act. This Act enters into force on the following day after its publication in the Riigi Teataja. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

 

The Act on Amendments to the Accounting Act and Associated Acts (517 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 86 votes in favour. This Act amends the Accounting Act, the Commercial Code, the Trade Unions Act, the Political Parties Act, the Churches and Congregations Act, the Local Government Associations Act, the Apartment Associations Act, the Land Improvement Act, the Non-profit Associations Act, the Notaries Act, the Foundations Act, the Consumer Protection Act and the Commercial Associations Act. The Act specifies the regulation of the submission of the annual reports of companies, non-profit associations and foundations to the registration departments of county courts and provides the basis for establishing a taxonomy of the annual report. The Act enters into force on 1 January 2010. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

 

On the motion of the Finance Committee as the leading committee, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to § 4 and § 23 of the Income Tax Act (553 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction and the Social Democratic Party Faction, was concluded. The amendments intend to fix income tax rate to 21 per cent in 2010 and the rate of basic exemption up to 27 000 kroons. The Bill was sent to the second reading.

 

On the motion of the Finance Committee as the leading committee, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the State Fees Act (604 SE), initiated by the same Committee, was concluded. The amendments concern paying of the state fee upon submitting appeals on the decisions of the appeal committee at the Public Procurement Office. The Bill was sent to the second reading.

 

On the motion of the Finance Committee as the leading committee and the Estonian Reform Party Faction, the Bill on Amendments to § 4 and § 23 of the Income Tax Act (554 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, was rejected at the first reading. 45 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 36 members voted against, one member abstained. Thus, the Bill was dropped from the legislative proceeding.

 

 

The Riigikogu Press Service