The Riigikogu heard replies to five interpellations.

Prime Minister Kristen Michal replied to the interpellation concerning the Estonian Recovery and Resilience Plan and the use of oil shale (No. 668).

Members of the Riigikogu Lauri Laats, Vadim Belobrovtsev and Andrei Korobeinik asked the Prime Minister whether he considered it reasonable that it was necessary for Estonia to have the ability to generate oil shale power, if necessary, in today’s security situation.

Michal explained that it was necessary to ensure fixed capacities to the extent of at least 1000 MW in the Estonian electricity system until 2030. Most of these capacities today are oil shale power plants, which unfortunately are not in a good competitive position in the electricity market today. “The first opportunity to get new controlled stations will come at the end of 2028, or in 2029, when some gas power stations should be completed as a result of Elering’s frequency reserve procurement. Until then, we are ready to keep our oil shale power plants in the electricity system,” Michal said.

The Prime Minister referred to the fact that the Estonian Recovery and Resilience Plan had been prepared and negotiated with the European Commission in 2020-2021. Final agreements were concluded in autumn 2021. The Centre Party has played a particularly significant role in what the recovery plan turned out to be. The Centre Party was leading the Government when the negotiations started, and the Centre Party had the role of the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure when the recovery plan agreement was concluded. “The Recovery and Resilience Plan is a bilateral agreement that was agreed by both the Republic of Estonia and the European Commission,” Michal stressed. He added that a unilateral desire to withdraw from one or another of the agreed objective of the reform was not possible. “Practice has shown that the European Commission does not allow changing the objectives related to reforms. It is only possible to change objectives related to investments,” Michal said.

“In addition, a unilateral revision of the agreement would also have a significant impact on the negotiations on future funding periods with the European Commission. In other words, if Estonia abandons important reform promises, this will affect Estonia’s credibility as a contractual partner,” Michal noted.

Prime Minister also replied to interpellations concerning the activities of the members of the Government in raising taxes (No. 665) and the stability and price of electricity generation (No. 670).

Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta replied to the interpellation concerning the closing down of the courthouse in Jõhvi (No. 666), and the planned cuts regarding courts (No. 669).

Rain Epler took the floor during the open microphone.

The sitting ended at 6.50 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
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Questions: [email protected]