The Riigikogu passed with 49 votes in favour the Electricity Market Act (1157 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Act regulates the production, transmission, sale, export, import and transit of electricity and economic and technical management of the power system. The Act prescribes the principles of the operation of the power market, proceeding from the need to ensure efficient power supply at justified prices, respect of environment requirements and the needs of consumers, and balanced, environmentally clean and long-term use of the sources of energy. The Act enters into force on July 1, 2003, §§ 15, 16 and 18 enter into force on January 1, 2005; subsection 4 (5), subsection 29 (6), subsection 70 (5) and subsections 74 (4) and 74 (5) enter into force by a separate Act upon Estonia’s accession to the European Union. Pursuant to this Act, the Energy Act is repealed. Nobody voted against the Act, 9 members of the Riigikogu abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 55 votes in favour the District Heating Act (1202 SE), initiated by the Economic Affairs Committee. The Act regulates the activities related to the production, distribution and sale of the heat in the district heating network and connection to the network. The Act enters into force on July 1, 2003. 2 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Act and 3 members of the Riigikogu abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 48 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to § 108¹ of the Telecommunications Act (1110 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The named section stipulates the matters related to the issue of technical authorisations for third generation mobile network. 19 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Act, nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 65 votes in favour the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure Act (1222 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Ignar Fjuk, Liia Hänni, Toomas Savi, Peeter Kreitzberg and Tunne Kelam. The purpose of the new Riigikogu Rules of Procedure is to make the activities of the Riigikogu more understandable and better observable to the public, to ensure that the sittings of the committees as the work format of the Riigikogu would become more significant, to increase the role of factions in the formation of the activities of the Riigikogu. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 33 votes in favour the Heavy Goods Vehicle Tax Amendment Act (1164 SE), initiated by the Estonian People’s Union Faction. Pursuant to the Act, the heavy goods vehicle tax is implemented beginning from January 1, 2004. One member of the Riigikogu voted against the Act, nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 25 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Acts Associated with the Implementation of the Accounting Act (1295 SE), initiated by Member of the Riigikogu Jaak Aab. Editorial amendments concern the Authorised Public Accountants Act, the Estonian Health Insurance Fund Act, the Investment Funds Act, the Defence League Act, the Competition Act and the Credit Institutions Act. The present Act enters into force on the following day after its publication in the Riigi Teataja. Nobody voted against the Act, one member of the Riigikogu abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 24 votes in favour the Act on Prevention of Importation and Exportation of Goods Infringing Intellectual Property Rights Amendment Act (1264 SE), initiated by the Finance Committee. The amendment to the Act enables to transfer the seized counterfeit clothing and footwear after the removal of unlawful signs and with the written permission of the possessor of the rights, to state or local government health care and social welfare institutions. The procedure for the transfer of seized clothing and footwear to health care and social welfare institutions is established by a regulation of the Minister of Finance. The present Act enters into force retrospectively as from September 1, 2002. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 25 votes in favour the Legal Chancellor Act and Associated Acts Amendment Act (1265 SE), initiated by the Constitutional Committee. The present Act extends the Legal Chancellor’s competence regarding the subjects under supervision in guaranteeing constitutional rights and freedoms to persons and the authorization is given to solve the discrimination disputes between private persons. The amendments concern also the Code of Enforcement Procedure and the Individual Labour Dispute Resolution Act. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004. Nobody voted against the Act, one member of the Riigikogu abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 55 votes in favour the Judicial Proceedings Acts Amendment Act (1266 SE), initiated by the Constitutional Committee. The present Act is connected with the Act on Amendments to the Legal Chancellor Act and Associated Acts and concerns the Code of Civil Procedure as well as the Code of Administrative Court Procedure. The provision of amendments by a separate Act is due to the existing practice of the Riigikogu to proceed separately the acts mentioned in § 104 of the Constitution (the so-called constitutional Acts) and simple acts. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 33 votes in favour the Rural Development and Agricultural Regulation Act Amendment Act (1292 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction and the Estonian Reform Party Faction. The present Act stipulates the liability for the failure to observe the determination of quality class requirements and the requirements for the submission of the data. The obligation to conduct extrajudicial proceeding for misdemeanours is imposed on the Veterinary and Food Board and the Agricultural Registers and Information Board. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 27 votes in favour the Bill on Amendments to § 24 of the Working and Rest Time Act (1239 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Tõnu Kauba, Peeter Kreitzberg, Endel Paap, Nelli Privalova, Viive Rosenberg, Ants Ruusmann, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Vladimir Velman and Jüri Võigemast. The purpose of the Act is to raise the number of blood donors and thus increase the blood reserve. Pursuant to the amendment, an employer is obliged to allow employees who are blood donors to be absent from work during the period of blood donation. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 34 votes in favour the Permanently Populated Small Islands Bill (1234 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Ignar Fjuk, Liia Hänni, Kalev Kotkas, Kalev Kukk, Andres Lipstok, Laine Tarvis and Toomas Vilosius. The present Act provides the specifications arising from the specific character of the insular conditions of small islands with permanent population and which are not stipulated by other Acts. The small islands with permanent habitation are Abruka, Kihnu, Manija, Piirissaar, Prangli, Ruhnu, Vilsandi and Vormsi. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2004. 1 member of the Riigikogu voted against the Act and 1 member of the Riigikogu abstained.

The Riigikogu Press Service