The Riigikogu passed with 73 votes in favour the Resolution on approval of the Oil Shale Use National Development Plan 2008-2015 (300 OE), submitted by the Government. According to the Resolution, the development plan for the first time covers the whole process of the use and mining of oil shale, taking account of economic, social, security-related as well as environmental protection aspects. The initiator said that the plan provided the opportunity and guidelines for targeting at the state level a strategic energy resource important for Estonia, for which necessary provisions were lacking in legislation. The maximum limit (20 million tons per year) of oil shale mining has been established on the basis of the forecast of rapid increase of electricity consumption according to the Estonian electricity sector development plan for 2005-2015, and the priority of supplying of the state with energy, that is, securing of electricity and heat supply, and oil shale supply for manufacture of cement. 4 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Resolution, nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu repealed at the second reading the Riigikogu Resolution of 4 December on approval of the National Waste Management Plan (314 OE), submitted by the Government. 74 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution, nobody voted against and nobody abstained.
 
The Draft Resolution on making a proposal to the Government of the Republic (337 OE), submitted by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, which was put to the final vote at the first reading was not passed. 47 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Resolution and 27 voted in favour, nobody abstained.
 
On the motion of the Environmental Committee as the leading committee, the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Earth’s Crust Act and the Sustainable Development Act (298 SE), initiated by the Government, was concluded. The purpose of the Bill is to add relevant provisions to the Earth’s Crust Act to ensure that the annual rate established in the Oil Shale Use National Development Plan is achieved. The volume and trends of the use of oil shale have been agreed upon at the national level in “The Oil Shale Use National Development Plan 2008-2015”. The objective in implementation of the oil shale use development plan is to achieve the maximum limit of 15 million tons per year in oil shale mining by 2015. As the maximum annual rate of oil shale mining specified in the currently valid permits totals 23.75 million tons, the Bill provides legal possibilities for reducing the annual rate set out in the permits. The Bill was sent to the third reading.
 
On the motion of the Economic Affairs Committee as the leading committee, the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to § 3 and § 5 of the Motor Third Party Liability Insurance Act (255 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, was concluded. The purpose of the Bill is to guarantee insurance cover for passengers with motor vehicle on passenger ferries engaged in domestic regular service. A subsection is added to the Act which provides that rolling on and rolling off of motor vehicles on a passenger ferry engaged in domestic regular service which has berthed in a port is deemed to be road traffic. The Bill was sent to the third reading.
 
Due to the end of the working hours of the sitting of the plenary assembly, the second reading of the Equal Treatment Bill (262 SE), initiated by the Estonian Reform Party Faction, the Social Democratic Party Faction and the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union Faction, was adjourned. The deliberation will be resumed on Wednesday, at the sitting beginning at 2 p.m.
 
 
 
The Riigikogu Press Service
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