The Riigikogu passed with 67 votes in favour (23 against) the Act on Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia (47 SE), initiated by the President of the Republic, which eliminates from the Constitution the provisions regulating the appointment to office of the Commander of the Defence Forces.

 

The appointment to office and release from office of the Commander of the Defence Forces and other leaders of the Defence Forces will be regulated by a separate Act according to which the Commander of the Defence Forces will be appointed to office by the Government of the Republic on the proposal of the Minister of Defence. The head of the Police Board, the head of the Security Police Board and the Chief Public Prosecutor will be appointed to office pursuant to a similar principle. Under current regulation, the President of the Republic made a proposal to the Riigikogu for appointment to office and release from office of the Commander or Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces.

 

Subsection 128 (2) of the Constitution was amended and worded as follows: “In the case of aggression against the Republic of Estonia, the President of the Republic shall declare a state of war and order mobilization, without waiting for a Riigikogu resolution.”

 

According to the proposal of the Constitutional Committee, the adoption of the Act ran through two successive compositions of the Riigikogu. XI Riigikogu approved this Act on 6 May 2008 with the support of 58 Members of the Riigikogu.

 

The Act enters into force three months after the day of proclamation.

 

Kadri Simson, Rait Maruste, Urmas Reinsalu and Sven Mikser took the floor during the debate.

 

At Question Time of the Riigikogu, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip answered the question about the electricity price, submitted by Lembit Kaljuvee, the question about the social situation in Kiviõli, submitted by Jevgeni Ossinovski, and the question about the Public Procurement Act, submitted by Lembit Kaljuvee.

 

The Minister of Regional Affairs Siim Valmar Kiisler answered the question about regional development, submitted by Kajar Lember, and the question about the public procurements of local governments, submitted by Jaan Õunapuu.

 

The Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi answered the question about the influence of the euro on price rise, submitted by Inara Luigas, and the question about solving the problems related to the withholding of pensioners’ income tax, submitted by Eiki Nestor.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service