The second reading of the State Budget of the Year 2006 Bill (741 SE) was resumed at Thursday’s sitting. The legislative proceeding was resumed by reviewing the 89^th motion to amend. The Union for the Republic – Res Public Faction stopped to take a break before the voting at the 96^th motion to amend and at 11.44 a.m. the second reading was concluded. The motion of the Social Democratic Party Faction 741 SE to suspend the second reading was not supported. 15 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 47 members of the Riigikogu against it. The term for submission of motions to amend the Bill is 21 November, 5 p.m.

The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the following Bills, initiated by the Government of the Republic:

The Bill on Amendments to the Legal Deposit Act (711 SE). The purpose of the Bill is to stipulate the network publications as objects of legal deposits and to regulate the issues related to the assignment of these.

The Bill on Amendments to the State Family Benefits Act (755 SE). Pursuant to the Bill, the childbirth allowance and the adoption allowance will be increased to EEK 5,000 per each child born or adopted.

The Bill on Amendments to the Aliens Act (706 SE and 729 SE). The purpose of the Bill is to regulate the issue of single entry visas and visas valid for up to 5 days.

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of the following Bills, initiated by the Government of the Republic:

The Bill on Amendments to the Plant Protection Act and the State Fees Act (757 SE). The purpose of the Bill is to solve the problems emerged in the implementation of the Plant Protection Act, to harmonise the text of the Act and to harmonise it with the legal acts of the European Union.

The Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol, Tobacco and Fuel Excise Duty Act (760 SE). The Bill makes amendments to the procedure for providing aircrafts, ships and diplomats with products subject to excise duties, establishes taxation of biofuel with excise duties and the revenue stamping of alcohol, specifies the wording of sections dealing with exemption from excise duty of biofuel and for handlers of chemicals. The revenue stamping would include alcohol of up to 22 %, from a volume of 0.2 litres upwards sales. Each revenue stamp would get a unique number, making it possible to establish the origin of alcohol. This measure is meant to limit the illegal alcohol market. The motion made by the Union for the Republic – Res Publica Faction to reject the Bill at the first reading was not supported. 18 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion, 37 against it and 1 member of the Riigikogu abstained.

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 Bosnia-Herzegovina (765 OE). Pursuant to the Bill, the unit of the Estonian Defence Forces with a staff of up to 35 members of the Defence Forces would be used in the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, led by the military forces of the European Union.

The Bill on Amendments to the Peace-Time National Defence Act (758 SE). The purpose of the Bill is to specify and update the provisions dealing with mobilisation stockpile.

Although the Riigikogu extended, on the motion of the Reform Party Faction, the time of the sitting up to 2 p.m., the agenda for Wednesday was looked through by 1p.m.

The Riigikogu Press Service