The Minister of Finance Ivari Padar replied to the interpellation concerning customs control of hazardous loads and the financing of the control of major accidents (No 91), submitted by Member of the Riigikogu Valdur Lahtvee, Marek Strandberg, Aleksei Lotman, Mart Jüssi, Maret Merisaar and Toomas Trapido on 25 September. 

Padar explained that, pursuant to the Chemicals Act, in order to compensate for possible damage, the owner of an enterprise liable to be affected by a major accident shall insure against liability of the owner for damage which may arise from a major accident. The Act does not explicitly provide the amount of the sum insured but it gives a basis for the Government to prohibit, restrict or suspend the activities of a dangerous enterprise liable to be affected by a major accident in the case when the undertaking does not have a liability insurance for compensation for damage caused by a major accident with the worst possible consequences. The Rescue Board, local offices thereof and the Estonian Technical Surveillance Authority act as competent authorities in the issues related to the safety of enterprises liable to be affected by a major accident. 

Petrol, diesel fuel, liquefied petroleum gas used as motor fuel, kerosene, light fuel oil, shale oil and heavy fuel oil shall be imported, exported or sold, and fuel storage services may be provided only by companies registered for operation in the corresponding area of activity in the register of economic activities. The sum insured by a liability insurance contract must be at least 500 000 kroons. A liability insurance contract must cover the compensation for the potential proprietary damage caused to third parties as a result of the activities of the fuel undertaking, stressed the Minister of Finance. 

Padar noted that, as at today, there is environmental damage liquidation capacity as regards pollution collection and restriction of the port basin at larger ports, in particular in Muuga and Sillamäe, and the costs of the liquidation of pollution are borne by the polluter. In order to increase preparedness for mitigation and liquidation of major environmental damages, funds have been planned in the budget of the year 2009 for ensuring sea pollution response capabilities in accordance with the requirements of the Baltic Sea Convention. “In total, two ships with a total cost of 700 million kroons are going to be acquired by the years 2008 – 2010. The planned costs for 2009 amount to 202.5 million kroons. The acquisition of two multifunctional ships will increase pollution response capacity to 53 per cent of the HELCOM requirements. At present, our pollution response capacity amounts to no more than 13 per cent of the requirements,” admitted Padar. 

The Minister of Finance also replied to the interpellation concerning the court action concerning the obligations of the state owned public limited company Ookean (No 97), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kadri Simson, Inara Luigas, Enn Eesmaa, Jüri Ratas, Kalev Kallo, Olga Sõtnik, Vladimir Velman, Toomas Varek, Valeri Korb, Lembit Kaljuvee, Marika Tuus, Aivar Riisalu, Vilja Savisaar, Mailis Reps and Evelyn Sepp on 16 October.

The Riigikogu Press Service