Lang replied to interpellation concerning investments of Ministry of Culture
The Minister of Culture Rein Lang replied to the interpellation concerning investments of the Ministry of Culture (No 60), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Priit Toobal, Tarmo Tamm, Eldar Efendijev, Enn Eesmaa, Inara Luigas, Peeter Võsa, Lauri Laasi, Vladimir Velman, Valeri Korb, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Marika Tuus-Laul, Kadri Simson, Mailis Reps, Ester Tuiksoo, Yana Toom, Viktor Vassiljev and Aadu Must on 7 November 2011.
Lang explained the distribution of culture and sports investments. He admitted that it could not be deemed to be 100 per cent transparent and reasoned. Lang noted that many investments are actually a matter of political agreements. Whether these agreements are always necessarily reasoned will be revealed only after some years have passed. The Minister said that that process had become more transparent and reasoned.
Lang explained that, upon allocation of investment subsidies, the Ministry of Culture is guided by the budget strategy of the state, the development plans of different fields and the priorities approved by the Government, as well as the Government’s action plan and the guidelines for allocation of investments of the Ministry of Culture. Besides, as regards the projects co-financed from the European Union structural funds, then additional materials, including feasibility/profitability analyses, have always been required in the decision-making project, and this practice could be similarly applied in the case of Estonian projects. Lang confirmed that the guidelines for the distribution of investments will continue to be improved in order that everything would be clearly understandable and reasoned.
When answering the question as to which larger objects the Ministry of Culture was going to invest in in the coming years, Lang said: “They are the three cultural objects of national importance determined by the Riigikogu in 1996: the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Kumu Art Museum and the Estonian National Museum. Of them, only Kumu Art Museum has been completed and also paid in full. As is known, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre is not yet completed because the hall complex has as yet not been established there and, as to the Estonian National Museum, then we have the plot and the project.” He added that the Estonian National Museum as well as the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre are definitely particularly important and they will probably also be financed with the help of the Cultural Endowment.
The Minister of Regional Affairs Siim Valmar Kiisler replied to the interpellation concerning termination of the land reform (No 62), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Tarmo Tamm, Eldar Efendijev, Inara Luigas, Peeter Võsa, Lauri Laasi, Vladimir Velman, Deniss Boroditš, Valeri Korb, Lembit Kaljuvee, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Marika Tuus-Laul, Aivar Riisalu, Kadri Simson, Mailis Reps, Ester Tuiksoo, Yana Toom, Viktor Vassiljev, Aadu Must and Jüri Ratas on 8 November 2011.
The Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts replied to the interpellation concerning the increase of home costs (No 66), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Karel Rüütli, Kalvi Kõva, Sven Mikser, Helmen Kütt, Kajar Lember, Rannar Vassiljev, Jaan Õunapuu, Rein Randver, Mart Meri and Kalev Kotkas on 15 November 2011.
The Minister of Internal Affairs Ken-Marti Vaher replied to three interpellations. They were the following:
the interpellation concerning the inactivity of the Police and Border Guard Board (No 67), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kalle Laanet, Lauri Laasi, Lembit Kaljuvee, Rainer Vakra, Jüri Ratas, Deniss Boroditš, Aivar Riisalu and Mailis Reps on 17 November 2011;
the interpellation concerning accidents and crime in Räpina rural municipality (No 76), submitted by Member of the Riigikogu Heimar Lenk on 5 December 2011;
the interpellation concerning non-paid holiday days at the Police and Border Guard Board (No 80), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kalle Laanet, Mailis Reps, Deniss Boroditš, Rainer Vakra, Enn Eesmaa, Tarmo Tamm, Lembit Kaljuvee and Jüri Ratas on 6 December 2011.
During the open microphone, Mihhail Stalnuhhin took the floor.
The Riigikogu Press Service