November 24
At Question Time ministers answered the questions of the members of the Riigikogu. 5 items in all were deliberated.
Minister of Regional Affairs Jaan Õunapuu answered the questions about the role of universities in our regional policy and about compulsory inclusion in political parties.
Minister Paul-Eerik Rummo answered the question about combining the acquisition of citizenship and final exams of schools.
Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Andrus Ansip answered the questions about the development of identification cards and carriage of passengers on railways.
The Riigikogu passed the following Acts and a Resolution:
The Riigikogu passed with 46 votes in favour the Act on the Ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention concerning Labour Inspection in Industry and Commerce (No. 81) and Convention concerning Labour Inspection in Agriculture (No. 129) (394 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. During the period of its activity the ILO has passed 185 conventions on working environment and has divided them, according to their importance, into categories. The conventions concerning Labour Inspectorates are the documents of the first category which are placed, according to their importance, just after the eight principal conventions. Taking into account the significance of the subject, the ratification of these conventions should be considered a good practice and an indicator of the development of a democratic state.
The Riigikogu passed with 44 votes in favour the Act on the Ratification of the Protocol Amending the Agreement on Baltic Parliamentary and Governmental Co-operation between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania (395 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Agreement is necessary to determine the liabilities of the parties in the cooperation of the three states (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia) on the intergovernmental level as well as for the cooperation with the common parliamentary cooperation body of the named states ? the Baltic Assembly .
The Riigikogu passed the Resolution of the Riigikogu On Changing the Membership of the Council for Allocation of Grants from Gambling Tax Revenues (482 OE), submitted by the Finance Committee. Pursuant to the Resolution, Member of the Riigikogu Katrin Saks was excluded from the membership of the Council and Member of the Riigikogu Jarno Laur was appointed as a new member of the Council.
The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the following Bills:
The Bill on Amendments to the Electricity Market Act and State Fees Act (303 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Bill on Amendments to the Credit Institutions Act and Commercial Code (414 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Bill on Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Working and Rest Time Act (440 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Bill on Amendments to the Social Welfare Act and Associated Acts (452 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of the following Bills:
The Bill on Amendments to the Health Insurance Act and Associated Acts (507 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Bill on Amendments to the Rescue Act (498 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Jaanus Rahumägi, Väino Linde and Tiit Mae.
The Bill on Amendments to the Securities Market Act, Financial Supervision Authority Act and the Estonian Central Register of Securities Act (492 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Bill on the Accession to the Convention drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union on the Use of Information Technology for Customs Purposes and to the Protocols Thereto (489 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Bill on Amendments to the Defence Forces Service Act (502 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu On the Approval of the Long-term National Development Plan for Fuel and Energy Sector until the Year 2015 (474 OE), submitted by the Government of the Republic.
The Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management System Bill (481 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Bill on Amendments to the Packaging Excise Duty Act and the State Fees Act (490 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Bill on Amendments to the Hunting Act (491 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Bill on Amendments to § 15 of the Members of the Riigikogu Salary, Pension and Other Social Guarantees Act (467 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Party Faction.
The Bill on Amendments to the European Union Common Agricultural Policy Implementation Act (515 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Witness Protection Bill (486 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.
The Riigikogu rejected the following Bills at the first reading:
The Union for the Republic ? Res Publica Faction moved to reject the Bill on Amendments to § 18 of the Universities Act (456 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Küllo Arjakas, Helle Kalda, Arnold Kimber, Heimar Lenk, Värner Lootsmann, Mailis Reps, Jüri ?ehovtsov, Mihhail Stalnuhhin and Toomas Varek. The results of voting: 43 votes in favour, 25 votes against, 1 abstention. The Bill was withdrawn from legislative proceeding.
The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu On Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic (458 OE), submitted by the Estonian Centre Party Faction. The results of voting on the Resolution: 19 votes in favour, 44 votes against, 1 abstention. The Bill was withdrawn from legislative proceeding.
The sitting ended at 7.47 p.m.
The Riigikogu Press Service