The Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet replied to the interpellation concerning reception of Guantanamo prisoners (No 484), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kalle Laanet, Vladimir Velman, Jüri Ratas, Arvo Sarapuu, Nikolai Põdramägi, Evelyn Sepp and Kadri Simson on 3 August.

 

Paet explained that the Government has decided to support the common position developing in the European Union, to maintain as positive attitude as possible towards reception of the prisoners released from Guantanamo to the member states of the European Union while leaving the final decision to the competence of every member state.

 

The legal space of every state sets up a framework where a former prisoner can be received and reception has to be in conformity with Acts of Estonia. The appropriateness of the reception of a prisoner depends on the background of the person which is different with every prisoner. So a final assessment of the possibility of receiving a prisoner to the legal space of Estonia cannot be made until the data concerning the prisoner have been analysed in the context of Acts of Estonia, noted Paet. “As a result of the general analysis, we reached a conclusion in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs that, taking account of the background of the persons as we know it, it was impossible to receive them in accordance with Acts and we never begun official negotiations with the United States concerning specific persons,” asserted the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

 

The Minister of Culture Laine Jänes replied to the interpellation concerning release of director of Läänemaa museum from office (No 464), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Peeter Kreitzberg, Indrek Saar, Mark Soosaar, Karel Rüütli and Heljo Pikhof on 2 August.

 

The Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo replied to two interpellations: They were the following:

 

the interpellation concerning entry into force of the Convention on cluster munitions and Estonia’s position in this issue (No 468), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Toivo Tootsen, Kalev Kallo, Lauri Laasi, Kadri Simson, Aivar Riisalu and Arvo Sarapuu on 2 August;

 

the interpellation concerning concealing of data in the Ministry of Defence (No 480), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Lauri Laasi, Mailis Reps, Kalle Laanet, Nelli Privalova, Vladimir Velman, Olga Sõtnik and Nikolai Põdramägi on 2 August.

 

The Minister of Social Affairs Hanno Pevkur replied to five interpellations. They were the following:

 

the interpellation concerning health care (No 463), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Marika Tuus, Heimar Lenk, Valeri Korb, Eldar Efendijev, Mailis Reps, Vladimir Velman, Toivo Tootsen, Jaak Aab and Nikolai Põdramägi on 2 August;

 

the interpellation concerning the deepening poverty in society (No 482), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Lauri Laasi, Kadri Simson, Vladimir Velman, Toivo Tootsen and Olga Sõtnik on 3 August;

 

the interpellation concerning the health information system (No 501), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Jaak Aab, Arvo Sarapuu, Nikolai Põdramägi, Evelyn Sepp, Marika Tuus, Valeri Korb, Toomas Varek, Mailis Reps, Georg Pelisaar, Inara Luigas, Eldar Efendijev, Nelli Privalova and Olga Sõtnik on 15 September;

 

the interpellation concerning termination of the activities of the Labour Market Board (No 502), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Marika Tuus, Helle Kalda, Valeri Korb, Lauri Laasi, Mailis Reps, Inara Luigas, Kalle Laanet, Eldar Efendijev and Nelli Privalova on 15 September;

 

the interpellation concerning prices of medicinal products (No 506), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Marika Tuus, Valeri Korb, Georg Pelisaar, Inara Luigas, Enn Eesmaa, Eldar Efendijev, Nelli Privalova, Vladimir Velman, Toivo Tootsen, Jaak Aab, Nikolai Põdramägi, Rein Ratas and Heimar Lenk on 22 September.

 

During the open microphone, Lembit Kaljuvee took the floor.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service