The Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts replied to the interpellation concerning the role of the Energy Agency (No 372), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kadri Simson, Kalev Kallo, Helle Kalda, Valeri Korb, Aivar Riisalu, Tiit Kuusmik, Lauri Laasi and Jüri Ratas on 9 February.
Parts noted that the establishing of the Energy and Climate Agency had been decided by the Riigikogu the previous summer, on the basis of the long-term development plans of the Estonian energy sector and electricity sector which provided the establishing of the relevant agency. The Agency is necessary in order to create preconditions for a reasonable and efficient energy and climate policy and, in longer term, also economic growth with a smaller environment burden.
Parts stressed that Estonia was the last European Union country to have established its energy agency. The Minister highlighted the objectives of the activity of the Agency which is analytic activity in the energy and climate sphere – analysis of the energy sector trends, analysis of the supply security of the energy sector, analyses of the ways, the need for support and the extent of production of electricity, monitoring and analysis of energy audits, drawing up of analyses of the effectivity of the equipment used in the energy sector, effectivity, analysis and monitoring of sustainable development support measures, preparation of the renewable energy action plan, implementation of the tasks arising from the renewable energy directive, for example, analysis of the energy efficiency of the industry, business and public service sector and mapping of potential energy saving measures
“It is certainly of no less importance that we are expecting the Agency to develop, in cooperation with Enterprise Estonia, the Development Fund and other potential partners, a vision and our possibilities for developing a green economy,” stressed Parts.
The Minister explained that the day-to-day management of the agency is carried out by the head of the Agency. The Advisory Committee of the Agency who approves the budget and the action plan exercises supervision over the activities of and gives substantial guidelines to the head. “The Agency has established quite a good cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and the aim is to develop the Agency into an organisation efficiently functioning in its sphere, similarly to Enterprise Estonia and KredEx,” confirmed Parts.
Chancellor of Justice Indrek Teder replied to the interpellation concerning conformity of the Acts concerning the work of the Riigikogu with the Constitution (No 364), submitted by Member of the Riigikogu Jaan Kundla on 27 January.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet replied to the interpellation concerning inactivity of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in ensuring security (No 378), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Toivo Tootsen, Lembit Kaljuvee, Ain Seppik, Kalev Kallo, Toomas Varek, Arvo Sarapuu, Lauri Laasi and Kalle Laanet on 11 February.
The Minister of Regional Affairs Siim Valmar Kiisler replied to three interpellations. They were the following:
the interpellation concerning financing of citizens’ associations (No 358), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Vladimir Velman, Ain Seppik, Nelli Privalova, Toivo Tootsen, Enn Eesmaa, Tiit Kuusmik, Kalle Laanet, Eldar Efendijev, Inara Luigas, Olga Sõtnik, Lauri Laasi and Helle Kalda on 25 January;
the interpellation concerning unequal treatment of persons not covered by health insurance (No 366), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Tiit Kuusmik, Kalle Laanet, Enn Eesmaa, Vladimir Velman, Toivo Tootsen, Nelli Privalova, Evelyn Sepp, Lauri Laasi, Marika Tuus, Eldar Efendijev, Kalev Kallo and Nikolai Põdramägi on 28 January;
the interpellation concerning availability of services (No 367), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Arvo Sarapuu, Toivo Tootsen, Georg Pelisaar, Lembit Kaljuvee, Tiit Kuusmik, Aivar Riisalu, Nikolai Põdramägi, Evelyn Sepp, Marika Tuus and Jaak Aab on 28 January.
The Riigikogu Press Service