Bill on amendments to the Maritime Safety Act and the Sport Act passed the first reading and the replies to two interpellations were heard in the Riigikogu.

The Bill on Amendments to the Sport Act (518 SE), initiated by the Government, will update compliance with the rules of sports ethics, the requirements for the organization of sports events and the threshold for the allowance paid to volunteer referees.

In addition to the anti-doping rules, the rules against match-fixing and abuse, as well as other rules of sports ethics laid down by international sports organisations, the National Olympic Committee or sports federations will have to be followed in the future. Along with athletes, referees and background staff will also have to follow the anti-doping rules. The Bill will also provide for the bases for reclaiming paid-out amounts from those who have violated the rules of fair sport.

The Bill will specify the list of sports for which it is necessary to apply for a permit from the local government when organizing competitions. According to an amendment, it will not be necessary to apply for an organisational permit from the municipality for sports that do not have problems in practice but currently require application for a permit. At the same time, in the future, a permit will have to be applied for organising motor sport events where there have been problems with safety and where risks are higher.

According to the Bill, the threshold for the allowance of volunteer referees will increase from EUR 20 to up to EUR 45 per day. The rate of the fine for legal persons for violation of requirements for the organisation of sports events will be increased from EUR 2,000 to EUR 20,000.

During the debate, Madis Kallas (Social Democratic Party), Tõnis Lukas (Isamaa) and Vadim Belobrovtsev (Centre Party) and Arvo Aller (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor.

The Bill on Amendments to the Maritime Safety Act (526 SE), initiated by the Economic Affairs Committee, will reduce the rate of fairway dues in place in 2025 in order to maintain the international carriage of goods and passengers by sea.

Under the Bill, the fairway dues paid by all ships entering Estonian ports and the roadstead of Estonian ports will be reduced by 14 per cent from 1 January to 31 December next year. The purpose of the amendment is to continue supporting international maritime transport and to motivate consignors to direct their trade flows through Estonian ports where possible. Fairway dues have been reduced by 15 per cent this year.

According to the explanatory memorandum, the maritime and logistics sector has not fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused a significant drop in passenger and freight traffic on waterways and in Estonian ports since the beginning of 2020. In addition, the freight volumes of Estonian maritime transport and ports decreased in 2023, primarily in connection with the war against Ukraine and, as a result, the sanctions imposed by the European Union on the transport of goods from Russia. The decrease in freight volumes has continued this year as well.

On the motion of the initiators,  the Bill on Amendments to the Identity Documents Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (497 SE) was excluded from the agenda for the day.

Minister of Health Riina Sikkut replied to the interpellation concerning the spread of drugs (No.  650) and Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Piret Hartman replied to the interpellation concerning state agencies leaving rural areas (No.  653) submitted by members of the Riigikogu.

During the open microphone, Anti Allas, Rain Epler and Igor Taro took the floor.

The sitting ended at 6.45 p.m.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Gunnar Paal
+372 631 6351, +372 5190 2837
[email protected]
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