The Minister of the Environment Jaanus Tamkivi replied to the interpellation concerning the European Union structural funds (No 285), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Inara Luigas, Lembit Kaljuvee, Valeri Korb, Helle Kalda, Toomas Varek, Kadri Simson and Eldar Efendijev on 22 April.

 

In Tamkivi’s words, the first priority direction of the living environment development implementation plan includes a total of nine water economy and waste handling development measures with a total volume of 9.8 billion kroons. “By the present moment, the obligations assumed within the framework of the whole priority direction amount to circa 5 billion kroons which means that half of the funds of the whole priority direction are covered by projects,” noted the Minister of the Environment. While preparing the implementation plan, the Ministry of the Environment is planning to make more extensive payments in about two years after the entry into force of the requirements of the measure, that is, in 2010.

 

Tamkivi explained that, during the period of 2007–2013, the Ministry of the Environment would be able to allocate circa 7 billion kroons to the financing of water economy projects, with the assistance of the Cohesion Fund. For implementation thereof, the Ministry of the Environment has developed a Regulation concerning the relevant measure on the basis of which the foundation Environmental Investment Centre has made financing decisions to the extent of circa 5 billion kroons by today. In addition, over the years, water economy projects have also been financed within the framework of a programme of the Environmental Investment Centre. “Within the framework of the infrastructure development measure which has been launched by now, an average of 74 per cent of the cost of the investment is taken as non-returnable aid from investment support. In addition, the Ministry of Finance has applied for a loan with state guarantee from the European Investment Bank with a view to covering projects and self-financing in order to enable the applicants for assistance from the Cohesion Fund to take low interest loan for covering self financing in infrastructure projects,” said the Minister of the Environment. Local governments and their enterprises have to be able to cover the operational costs of their assets, and partially also investments, from own funds, and for that purpose local governments can regulate the local price of water and fix it at the level which would secure economic sustainability in those enterprises of the local government.

 

The Minister of the Environment explained that, upon application for assistance within the framework of structural funds, it is permitted to take loans in order to cover self financing if this is possible in view of the budget and the loan burden of the local government.

 

The Minister of Agriculture Helir-Valdor Seeder replied to the interpellation concerning the alcohol policy in Estonia (No 280), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Jaanus Marrandi, Marek Strandberg and Ester Tuiksoo on 13 April, and the interpellation concerning the unlawful dismissal of the Director General of the Plant Production Inspectorate (No 289), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Villu Reiljan, Karel Rüütli, Ester Tuiksoo, Tarmo Mänd, Jaanus Marrandi and Mai Treial on 5 May.

 

The interpellators withdrew the interpellation concerning the work measures of the Security Police (No 277), submitted to the Minister of Internal Affairs Jüri Pihl by Members of the Riigikogu Evelyn Sepp, Vilja Savisaar, Ain Seppik, Kadri Simson, Kalev Kallo, Toivo Tootsen, Vladimir Velman, Inara Luigas, Toomas Varek, Lembit Kaljuvee, Jüri Ratas, Olga Sõtnik and Lauri Laasi on 26 March. Consequently there was no reply to the interpellation.

 

On the motion of the Legal Affairs Committee, the resumption of the second reading of the Family Law Bill (55 SE) was excluded from the agenda for the working week.

 

On the motion of the Social Affairs Committee, the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Health Care Services Organisation Act and Other Associated Acts (452 SE) was excluded from the agenda for the working week.

 

The verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian) is available at:

 

The Riigikogu Press Service