At Question Time ministers answered the questions of the members of the Riigikogu.

Prime Minister Juhan Parts answered the question of Helir-Valdor Seeder about the state budget of the year 2004.

Minister of Social Affairs Marko Pomerants answered the question of Tõnis Lukas about the wage negotiations.

Minister Paul-Eerik Rummo answered the question of Mihhail Stalnuhhin about the citizenship policy. 

The Riigikogu passed 24 Acts:

With 87 votes in favour – the Act on Amendments to the Code of Enforcement Procedure (210 SE), initiated by the Legal Affairs Committee. With the amendment to the Act the Code of Enforcement Procedure is amended in connection with the new Consular Act. Taking into account the Consular Act, the amendment to the Act enables to collect without prior judicial proceeding a financial support given by way of consular assistance from a person in an execution proceeding.

With 87 votes in favour – the Act on Amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, Penal Code and Code of Misdemeanour Procedure (84 SE and 102 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Ain Seppik, Olev Laanjärv, Siiri Oviir and the Government of the Republic. The amendments to the Penal Code establish more severe punishments for drug-related crime than before. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004.

With 89 votes in favour – the Act on Amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (of the ESSR) and Code of Criminal Procedure (147 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. With the amendment to the Act the rate of compensation levies is amended. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004 and one section of it on July 1, 2004.

With 89 votes in favour – the State Budget Act, Accounting Act, State Audit Office Act, Rural Municipality and City Budgets Act, Local Government Organisation Act, Use of Privatisation Proceeds Act Amendment Act (89 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The amendment to the Act regulates the reporting arising from the Accounting Act, resolves the problems encountered upon the implementation of the State Budget Act and also makes editorial corrections. The Foreign Borrowing by the Republic of Estonia and State Guarantees for Foreign Loan Agreements Act is declared invalid. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004.

With 83 votes in favour – the Act on Amendments to the Acts Related to the Merger of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Transport and Communications into the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (156 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. In connection with the merger of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Transport and Communications into the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications since November 1, 2002, the relevant formal amendments are made to many Acts in force.

With 56 votes in favour and 13 votes against – the Act on Amendments to the Government of the Republic Act and Associated Acts, Related to the Merger of the Tax Board and Customs Board (181 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The amendments to the Act are necessary in connection with the planned merger of the Tax Board and Customs Board on January 1, 2004, due to which substantive and technical amendments must be introduced in several Acts. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004.

With 55 votes in favour and 10 votes against – the Act on Amendments to the Acts, Related to the Merger of the Tax Board and Customs Board (182 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The amendments arising from the merger of the Tax Board and Customs Board are introduced in 59 Acts. In the texts of the Acts mostly the name of the Tax Board or the Customs Board will be replaced by its new name – the Tax and Customs Board. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004.

With 87 votes in favour – the Strategic Goods Act (162 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The purpose of the Act is to ensure the control over the transboundary movement of strategic goods in accordance with international requirements. The Act enters into force on the thirtieth day following its publication in the Riigi Teataja.

With 74 votes in favour – the Alcohol, Tobacco and Fuel Excise Duty Act and Fiscal Marking of Liquid Fuel Act Amendment Act (130 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. With the amendments to the Act the Estonian excise legislation is brought into full conformity with the EU standards. The Act enters into force upon Estonia?s accession to the European Union.

With 54 votes in favour – the Income Tax Act, Social Tax Act and Land Tax Act Amendment Act (132 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. Pursuant to the amendments to the Acts, the rate of the income tax will be 24 % since January 1, 2005, 22 % since January 1, 2006 and 20 % since January 1, 2007. Minimum payments exempt from income tax will be raised to EEK 1400 since 2004, to EEK 1700 since 2005 and to EEK 2000 since 2006.

With 70 votes in favour – the Resolution of the Riigikogu On the Extension of the Time Limit of the Use of the Estonian Defence Forces Unit in Performance of International Duties of the Estonian State under the International Peacekeeping Mission in Afghanistan (200 OE), submitted by the Government of the Republic. The Resolution extends the use of the Estonian Defence Forces Unit under the international peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan for another 14 months beginning from January 3, 2004.

With 76 votes in favour – the Broadcasting Act Amendment Act (167 SE), initiated by the Cultural Affairs Committee. The purpose of the Act is to ensure the equal and uniform development of the private as well as the public broadcasting.

With 67 votes in favour – the Packaging Act and Value Added Tax Act Amendment Act (178 SE), initiated by the Estonian Reform Party Faction, Estonian People’s Union Faction and the Union for the Republic ? Res Publica Faction. The Act creates more favourable conditions for the recovery of drinking bottles by furthering their return collection and by the exemption from value added tax of recoverable bottles. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004.

With 59 votes in favour and 10 votes against – the Act on Amendments to § 12 of the Aliens Act (189 SE), initiated by the Constitutional Committee. The purpose of the Act is to clearly stipulate that aliens who are subjects to the Agreement between the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation in the Matters of Social Guarantees to the Pensioners of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the Territory of the Republic of Estonia, conclude between the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation, temporary residence permits are issued pursuant to general procedure. Permanent residence permits for living in Estonia are not issued to them.

With 74 votes in favour -the Victim Support Act (146 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act determines the persons who are entitled to receive the victim support service and state benefits, also the conditions and procedure for the application, determination and payment of benefits. The Act enters into force on February 1, 2004.

With 75 votes in favour the Fisheries Market Organisation Act (157 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act stipulates the quality requirements for fish, the measures for fisheries market organisation, the procedure for the implementation thereof, the implementing agencies and the bases and procedure for the recognition of associations of fishermen and fish farmers. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004.

With 68 votes in favour – the Fishing Act Amendment Act (173 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The amendment to the Act liquidates the dissonances appeared upon the implementation of the Act, reforms the system for giving the right to fish for recreation, for the purpose of making the receiving of the right to catch fish easier for people and at the same time to reduce also the officials? work load. Several amendments are related to strengthening of the control, the list of prohibited activities is also amended.

With 77 votes in favour – the Identity Documents Act and State Borders Act Amendment Act (161 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Identity Documents Act stipulates that an Estonian citizen may submit an application for the issue of his or her first as well as a renewed passport of the Estonian citizen to Estonia?s representation abroad and the representations are also authorised to issue aliens? passports.

With 88 votes in favour – the Persons Repressed by Occupation Regimes Act (21 SE and 187 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party and the Government of the Republic. The notion of an unlawfully repressed person is stipulated and benefits, grants and the right to pension extend to the repressed persons.  The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004.

With 86 votes in favour – the Pressure Equipment Safety Act Amendment Act (160 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The amendment to the Act specifies and amends the regulation of the pressure equipment safety proceeding from the comments of the European Commission and the problems encountered upon the implementation of the Act. The Act enters into force on February 1, 2004.

With 86 votes in favour – the Technical Regulations and Standards Act Amendment Act (172 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The amendments to the Act are due to the necessity to bring the Act into conformity with the law of the European Union, more precisely with the standards which establish the procedure for the exchange of information with regard to such national measures which deviate from the principle of free movement of goods in the territory of the European Community. The Act establishes the procedure for notification according to which a Member State is obliged to inform the European Commission of each national legal act which violates the principle of free movement of goods. The Act enters into force upon Estonia?s accession to the European Union.

With 89 votes in favour -the State Family Benefits Act Amendment Act (207 SE), initiated by the Estonian Reform Party Faction, the Estonian People?s Union Faction and the Union for the Republic ? Res Publica  Faction. The child allowance of the first child is increased from the current EEK 150 to EEK 300. The amendment enters into force on January 1, 2004.

With 85 votes in favour – the Professions Act Amendment Act (201 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, was passed with 85 votes in favour. The Professional Qualifications Foundation will be transferred from the area of governing of the Ministry of Social Affairs to the subordination of the Ministry of Education and Research. The amendment enters into force on January 1, 2004.

With 61 votes in favour and 27 votes against (5 abstentions) – the State Budget of the Year 2004 Act (128 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The volume of the budget revenue is EEK 47.6 milliards and the volume of the expenditure is EEK 47.7 milliards.

The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the following Bills:

The Bill on Amendments to the Political Parties Act and Associated Acts (184 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The third reading of the Bill takes place on Thursday, December 18.

The Organic Farming Bill (183 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of the following Bill:

The Bill on Amendments to the Authorised Public Accountants Act and State Fees Act (118 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The term for submission of motions to amend to the Economic Affairs Committee is 19 January, 18.00.

The sitting of the Riigikogu ended at 18.43.

The Riigikogu Press Service