The Minister of Internal Affairs Ken-Marti Vaher replied to the interpellation concerning budget cuts at the Police and Border Guard Board (No 129), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Aadu Must, Deniss Boroditš, Enn Eesmaa, Inara Luigas, Kalev Kallo, Lauri Laasi, Lembit Kaljuvee, Mailis Reps, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Peeter Võsa, Tarmo Tamm, Valeri Korb, Viktor Vassiljev and Vladimir Velman on 5 March. 

The interpellators wished to know what the Ministry of Internal Affairs was planning to do in order to ensure security for people in the situation where the presence of the police is limited. 

According to Vaher’s explanations, the management of the Police and Border Guard Board has taken into account a possible fuel price rise, when planning its budget and activities. In view of the experience of 2010 and 2011, fuel price may rise by ca 13% per year. The Minister added that a budget of vehicles was going to be prepared which would take into account all maintenance costs relating to vehicles. As compared to the previous year’s budget, the budget of 2012 had increased by 5.2% from public revenues. Vaher highlighted the fact that, under the pressure circumstances of the constant rise of fuel price, the departments of the Police and Border Guard Board and prefectures are guided by the following principles: dispatches have to be serviced, public order has to be ensured, and other activities are planned on an analysis basis. Every dispatch which requires an operative intervention by the police will be serviced; however, the control centre of the police has to clearly specify the actual need for and the character of every dispatch, on the basis of which the resource needs for the resolution of the event are assessed. In the case when the head of a department or a prefecture cannot ensure the performance of priority functions due to the scarcity of resources, the head can apply for additional funds within the Police and Border Guard Board, also for instance in the case of an unforeseeable rise of fuel price. 

Vaher confirmed that traffic supervision will be enhanced this year. This requires changes also in the working processes of the Police and Border Guard Board in order to direct more resources toward traffic supervision. This year, the transition to electronic field procedures, the implementation of the so-called “active e-police” is going to be launched. The economy of working time is estimated to amount to approximately 67,000‒68,000 human hours per year, which means about 31 human work years, and we can use this to increase the efficiency of traffic supervision. In addition, we will change the objectives of the activities of the law enforcement police, putting more emphasis on traffic supervision activities, and more police officers will specialise in traffic supervision. Also, we will engage more persons from among the 1600 assistant police officers in order to input more to traffic supervision. 

The Minister of the Environment Keit Pentus replied to the interpellation concerning a transaction of sale of land to a sponsor of the Reform Party which had been unfavourable for the state (No 138), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Deniss Boroditš, Kadri Simson, Lauri Laasi, Mailis Reps, Tarmo Tamm, Valeri Korb and Viktor Vassiljev on 15 March. 

The Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi replied to three interpellations. They were the following: 

the interpellation concerning the second Greek loan programme (No 136), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Aadu Must, Deniss Boroditš, Enn Eesmaa, Ester Tuiksoo, Inara Luigas, Jüri Ratas, Kadri Simson, Kalev Kallo, Kalle Laanet, Lauri Laasi, Lembit Kaljuvee, Marika Tuus-Laul, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Olga Sõtnik, Priit Toobal, Rainer Vakra, Tarmo Tamm, Valeri Korb, Viktor Vassiljev and Vladimir Velman on 13 March; 

the interpellation concerning the wage gap between women and men (No 143), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Deniss Boroditš, Eldar Efendijev, Enn Eesmaa, Ester Tuiksoo, Heimar Lenk, Kadri Simson, Lauri Laasi, Mailis Reps, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Olga Sõtnik, Tarmo Tamm, Valeri Korb, Viktor Vassiljev, Vladimir Velman and Yana Toom on 3 April; 

the interpellation concerning the removal of the euro coins from circulation (No 144), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Aadu Must, Aivar Riisalu, Eldar Efendijev, Enn Eesmaa, Kadri Simson, Mailis Reps, Tarmo Tamm, Valeri Korb and Viktor Vassiljev on 4 April. 

During the open microphone, Deniss Boroditš and Mihhail Stalnuhhin took the floor. 

The Riigikogu Press Service