The Riigikogu passed with 87 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Act on Organisation of Local Government of Paldiski (382 SE), initiated by the Estonian Reform Party Faction and the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union Faction. The amendments regulate the legal gap relating to the assets of Paldiski district of the city of Keila and Paldiski becoming an independent city. So far, the city of Keila has been the owner of the assets of Paldiski district, and Keila has also had to bear the obligations related to Paldiski district. The amendment provides for an opportunity to apply for a single aid from the state for servicing the debt obligations related to the facilities located in the area of the city of Keila which has become the administrative territory of the city of Paldiski. The aid may be monetary or non-monetary, the latter meaning transferring of state assets below usual value. The Act enters into force on 1 July 2013.

On the motion of the Legal Affairs Committee, the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Punishment Register Act (413 SE), initiated by the Government, was concluded. The purpose of the Bill is to solve several problems that have arisen in implementing the Act that pertain to the data maintained in the register, access to the data, correction of inaccurate data and entering in the archives the information concerning punishments which has been deleted. The Bill changes limits of the terms for deletion of the information concerning punishments and eliminates the interruption of the term for deletion of the information concerning punishments in consequence of commission of another offence. Also, new data sets are added to the data composition of the punishment register. They include the date of commission of the offence, the place of birth of the person, the former name and the personal identification code of the person, and the name of the person’s parent if it is forwarded to the register by a foreign state. The initiator asserted that the date of the commission of the offence is very necessary for the punishment register because commission of another offence interrupts the term for deletion of previous offences. At present it is not included in the data composition of the punishment register but at the same time the punishment register has an obligation to take account of these data. The Bill was sent to the third reading.

On the motion of the Cultural Affairs Committee, the Bill on Amendments to the National Library of Estonia Act (407 SE), initiated by the Member of the Riigikogu Mart Meri, was rejected at the first reading. 42 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion to reject and 40 members voted against. Thus, the Bill was dropped from the legislative proceeding.

On the motion of the Social Affairs Committee, the Bill on Amendments to the State Funeral Benefits Act (417 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, was rejected at the first reading. 45 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion to reject and 41 members voted against. The Bill was dropped from the legislative proceeding.

On the motion of the Social Affairs Committee, the Bill on Amendments to the Labour Market Services and Benefits Act and the Administrative Co-operation Act (418 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Party Faction, was rejected at the first reading. 46 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion to reject and 41 members voted against. The Bill was dropped from the legislative proceeding.

The Riigikogu Press Service