The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Märt Rask gave an overview of the courts administration, administration of justice and uniform application of acts. To begin with, Mr. Rask stated that giving an overview of the courts work was a new phenomenon, which so far was not known in the culture of the European administration of justice. ?I hope that Estonia?s initiative on the cooperation between the legislative and the judicial powers finds understanding and further development also in other European countries, in order to serve the objectives to develop the rule of law,? he stated. In the framework of the survey the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court highlighted several proposals concerning the development of the legal sphere. In the words of Mr. Rask, among other things, a well-planned translation system of court decisions should be created, providing a basis for a sustainable development of Estonian legal language. Mr. Rask also suggests to remove the first and second instances of the court system from the administrative competence of the executive power. For better coordination of law-making and uniform application of acts, a system for the analysis of judicial practice and legal conflicts should be created; as regards the penal law, Mr. Rask stated that criminalizing of less important offences should be avoided.

The Riigikogu passed the following Acts and resolutions:

The Riigikogu passed with 76 votes in favour the Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act Amendment Act (641 and 646 SE), initiated by the Cultural Affairs Committee. The Act makes amendments to the requirements set to the Commander of an institution of professional higher education for national defence; upon the entry of the Act into force a candidate to Rector?s office need not have a research degree. In changing the so far valid order the Scandinavian countries have been served as examples, where the head of a military school is as an example for his/her cadets, first of all, because of his/her personality, military training, battle experience and ranks.

The Riigikogu passed with 53 votes in favour (39 votes against) the European Parliament Election Act, Local Government Council Election Act and Riigikogu Election Act Amendment Act (620 SE). The Act prohibits any political outdoor advertising during the active election campaigning period.

The Riigikogu passed with 65 votes in favour (2 vote abstentions) the Resolution of the Riigikogu On the Appointment of the Representative of Estonia to the Control Committee of the Nordic Investment Bank (671 OE), submitted by the Finance Committee. Meelis Atonen was appointed as the representative of Estonia to the Control Committee, his authority will last from 1 July 2005 to 31 May 2006.

The Resolution of the Riigikogu On the Appointment of a Member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (661 OE), submitted by the Social Affairs Committee, was passed with 47 votes in favour (26 votes against). Member of the Riigikogu Tõnis Kõiv will become a member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund.

Due to the end of the working hours of the sitting, the second reading of the Local Government Council Election Act Amendment Act, which the President of the Republic refused to proclaim and which is in the second legislative proceeding in the Riigikogu, was adjourned.

The Riigikogu Press Service