Prime Minister Andrus Ansip replied to the interpellation concerning the financing of local governments (No 428), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Eiki Nestor, Kalvi Kõva, Indrek Saar and Kalev Kotkas on 12 April.

 

According to Ansip, it was decided at the Government cabinet meeting on 8 April that the ministries would assess which state functions were imposed on local government units by the legislation regulating their area of government. By 30 June the Ministry of Internal Affairs will submit to the ministries concerned a summary of the assessment of state functions imposed by law on local government units. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will also coordinate the preparation of proposals for amendment of legislative acts according to the results of the assessment. By 30 July the Ministry of Finance will submit proposals for making a distinction between the financing of state functions and local government functions in the state budget. The Prime Minister noted that the deadline for making amendments to legislative acts was not specified in the Supreme Court decision. According to Ansip, the Government and relevant ministries have acted operatively in implementing the Supreme Court decision. As the Prime Minister explained, proceeding from the Court decision, the Government intended to make all necessary changes for making a distinction between the functions of the state and local governments and their financing within the framework and during the process of drawing up the state budget for the next year.

                       

Prime Minister replied to three more interpellations. They were the following:

 

the interpellation concerning the poverty of the population of Estonia (No 435), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Marika Tuus, Heimar Lenk, Tiit Kuusmik, Valeri Korb, Helle Kalda, Lauri Laasi, Mailis Reps, Inara Luigas, Eldar Efendijev, Vladimir Velman, Nikolai Põdramägi and Evelyn Sepp on 19 April;

                       

the interpellation concerning the reduction of pensions (No 437), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Marika Tuus, Kadri Simson, Heimar Lenk, Tiit Kuusmik, Nelli Privalova, Valeri Korb, Jaak Aab and Nikolai Põdramägi on 22 April;

                       

the interpellation concerning the responsibility of the Government and bad mental health of the people of Estonia (No 438), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Nikolai Põdramägi, Kadri Simson, Valeri Korb, Tiit Kuusmik, Evelyn Sepp, Jaak Aab, Marika Tuus, Enn Eesmaa and Toivo Tootsen on 22 April.

                       

The Minister of Culture Laine Jänes replied to the interpellation concerning the broadcasting of Estonian Public Broadcasting programmes over private channels (No 451), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Olga Sõtnik, Lauri Laasi, Marika Tuus, Valeri Korb, Enn Eesmaa, Nelli Privalova and Eldar Efendijev on 13 May.

 

The Minister of the Environment Jaanus Tamkivi replied to the interpellation concerning the organisation of granting of use of natural resources belonging to the state (No 436), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Rein Ratas, Evelyn Sepp, Nikolai Põdramägi, Kalev Kallo, Jüri Ratas, Vladimir Velman, Eldar Efendijev, Toomas Varek, Valeri Korb, Lembit Kaljuvee and Tiit Kuusmik on 19 April.

 

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

 

the interpellation concerning weak social protection and low quality of living (No 430), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Marika Tuus and Georg Pelisaar on 13 April;

                       

the interpellation concerning occupational accident and occupational disease insurance system (No 432), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Valeri Korb, Lembit Kaljuvee, Tiit Kuusmik, Enn Eesmaa, Toivo Tootsen, Jaak Aab, Nikolai Põdramägi, Evelyn Sepp and Aivar Riisalu on 14 April;

                         

the interpellation concerning the delay in the payment of subsistence benefits (No 433), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Jaak Aab, Nikolai Põdramägi, Arvo Sarapuu, Toivo Tootsen, Eldar Efendijev, Enn Eesmaa, Inara Luigas, Lauri Laasi, Helle Kalda and Aivar Riisalu on 14 April;

 

the interpellation concerning the vulnerability of children (No 440), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Mailis Reps, Eldar Efendijev, Evelyn Sepp, Kadri Simson, Vladimir Velman, Georg Pelisaar and Valeri Korb on 5 May.

 

The sitting ended at 6.45 p.m.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service