Minister of Regional Affairs replied to interpellation concerning Narva-Jõesuu electoral committee
The Minister of Social Affairs Hanno Pevkur took the oath of office before the Riigikogu.
The Minister of Regional Affairs Siim Valmar Kiisler replied to the interpellation concerning a resolution of Narva-Jõesuu electoral committee (No 120), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Tiit Kuusmik, Lembit Kaljuvee, Lauri Laasi, Jaak Aab, Aadu Must, Evelyn Sepp and Eldar Efendijev on 14 January. The interpellators wished to know the opinion of the Minister with regard to the case where Veronika Stepanova, the former chairman of Narva-Jõesuu city electoral committee, illegally refused to restore the authority of Kalle Merilai who had been elected to the council.
Kiisler explained that the problem discussed in the interpellation had been solved by that day. Namely, Kalle Merilai’s authority as a member of the council in Narva-Jõesuu city council was deemed to be restored by Resolution No 21 of Narva-Jõesuu city electoral committee of 16 February 2009. The Minister of Regional Affairs does not have any authority arising from the law to supervise the work of electoral committees and therefore the Minister of Regional Affairs was in no position to intervene in the disputed issue. Kiisler stressed that laws are to be complied with in the Republic of Estonia. The situation which had emerged had been unreasonable. Kiisler found that the legal gaps which allow delays in complying with the law should be eliminated. Kiisler pointed out that the performance of service duties by a particular person and compliance of his or her behaviour to the public service code of ethics must be evaluated by Narva-Jõesuu city government because supervisory control of employees of the local government is exercised by the city government.
The Minister of Internal Affairs Jüri Pihl replied to three interpellations: the interpellation concerning employment of a person suspected of a criminal offence in the Police Board (No 124), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kalle Laanet, Kalev Kallo, Lembit Kaljuvee, Vilja Savisaar, Toomas Varek, Toivo Tootsen, Ain Seppik, Mailis Reps, Tiit Kuusmik, Arvo Sarapuu, Jaak Aab, Vladimir Velman and Heimar Lenk on 20 January, the interpellation concerning road transactions in Häädemeeste rural municipality (No 127), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Aivar Riisalu, Marika Tuus, Heimar Lenk, Tiit Kuusmik, Lembit Kaljuvee, Valeri Korb, Helle Kalda, Lauri Laasi, Inara Luigas, Enn Eesmaa, Eldar Efendijev, Nelli Privalova, Kalev Kallo, Toivo Tootsen, Arvo Sarapuu, Jaak Aab, Aadu Must, Evelyn Sepp, Ain Seppik and Vilja Savisaar on 26 January, and the interpellation concerning the activities of extremist groupings in Estonia (No 133), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kalle Laanet, Vilja Savisaar, Enn Eesmaa, Aadu Must, Arvo Sarapuu, Aivar Riisalu, Tiit Kuusmik, Evelyn Sepp and Ain Seppik on 11 February.
The first readings of the Bill on Amendments to the Planning Act and Other Acts (410 SE) and the Bill on Amendments to the Identity Documents Act, the Consular Act, the Penal Code and the State Fees Act (395 SE), initiated by the Government, were excluded from the agenda for the working week on the motion of the Government.
During the open microphone, Aivar Riisalu took the floor.
The Riigikogu Press Service