The Act on Amendments to the Public Procurements Act and Associated Acts (665 SE), initiated by the Government, which harmonises the European Union remedies directive, reorganises the functions of the supervisory and advisory units of public procurements, specifies the provisions of the Act which is currently in force, clarifies the regulation and solves the practical problems encountered upon the implementation of the Act, was passed with 70 votes in favour.

 

The Act on Amendments to the Defence Forces Service Act (698 SE), initiated by the Government, which extends the circle of recipients of the single benefit paid by the state if a member of the Defence Forces dies during the performance of his or her duties, was passed with 68 votes in favour. Extending of the circle of recipients of the benefit will allow to include in the circle of recipients of the benefit persons who do not belong to the family of the member of the Defence Forces or are not maintained by him or her within the meaning of the Family Law Act. According to the Act, in the future, up to half of the amount of the benefit to be paid will be paid to the person or persons previously determined by the member of the Defence Forces and the other half to the children, parents, widow or widower of the member of the Defence Forces and other persons who were maintained by him or her pursuant to the Family Law Act.

 

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Commercial Code and Other Acts (708 SE), initiated by the Government, regulates company law so that Estonia would be able to adopt the euro on the determined date.

 

The Riigi Teataja Bill (654 SE), initiated by the Government, provides the transition to issuing of Riigi Teataja only electronically and provides publishing of all regulations of local governments and the consolidated texts thereof in Riigi Teataja.

The purpose of the Bill on Amendments to § 83¹ of the Government of the Republic Act (706 SE), initiated by the Government, is to prevent the situation where a person convicted of an intentionally committed criminal offence during the term of office of a county governor has received a benefit from the state upon termination of the service relationship at the end of the term because criminal proceedings were still in process at the time of occurrence of that event.

 

The Euro Adoption Bill (709 SE), initiated by the Government, brings the Estonian legal framework into conformity with the European Union law, in order that Estonia could adopt the single currency, the euro, presumably as of 1 January 2011. The Bill regulates the exchanging of the Estonian kroon to euro and removal of the kroon from circulation, the parallel circulation of the euro and the kroon, and provides the amendments in Acts that are necessary for transition from the Estonian kroon to the euro.

 

The State Fees Bill (721 SE), initiated by the Government, ensures that Estonia will be prepared for the transition to the euro. The Bill provides recalculation of all state fees charged in Estonia into euro.

 

The Rescue Bill (514 SE), initiated by the Government, regulates the functions and organisation of rescue service agencies and the rights and obligations of assistant rescuers, local governments, non-profit associations, foundations or undertakings who participate in rescue activities on a voluntary basis. A separate chapter discusses the measures which specify restricting of the fundamental rights and freedoms of persons in the performance of the functions of rescue service agencies and in ensuring the safety of persons.

 

The Fire Safety Bill (513 SE), initiated by the Government, regulates the obligations, rights and liability of natural persons and legal persons and state and local government authorities and bodies in ensuring fire safety. It also regulates the exercise of state supervision.

 

The International Sanctions Bill (632 SE), initiated by the Government, which creates a relevant regulation, efficiently functioning in practice, for application of international sanctions. The Bill ensures correct application of international sanctions in Estonia without delays.

 

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Income Tax Act and Associated Acts (723 SE), initiated by the Government, specifies the procedure for taxation of share options and ensures equal treatment of Contracting Parties to the European Economic Area and Estonian residents upon taxation.

 

The Product Conformity Bill (703 SE), initiated by the Government, ensures safety and conformity of the products placed on the market and the free movement of goods. It is a general Act which provides the requirements for ensuring product safety, the bases for product conformity attestation, standardisation, accreditation and organisation of market supervision, insofar as these have not been established by any other Act.

 

The Product Conformity Act Implementation Bill (703 SE), initiated by the Government, introduces the necessary amendments on the basis of the principles provided in the Product Conformity Act.

 

The Bill on Amendments to § 17 of the District Heating Act (716 SE), initiated by the Government, specifies and updates the regulation concerning the provision of the right to suspend heat supply. According to the Bill, a heating undertaking cannot use the right to suspend heat supply during the winter period before ninety days have passed since the receipt of a notice of the performance of a debt obligation and the debt as the circumstance which is the basis for potential suspension of heat supply has not been eliminated during that period.

 

 

On the motion of the Legal Affairs Committee, the Bill on Amendments to the Prosecutor’s Office Act (683 SE), initiated by the Estonian People’s Union Faction, was rejected. The result of voting: 49 votes in favour, 7 against.

 

On the motion of the Finance Committee, the Bill on Amendments to the State Funeral Benefits Act (696 SE), initiated by the Estonian People’s Union Faction, was rejected. The result of voting: 44 votes in favour, 35 against.

 

On the motion of the Social Affairs Committee, the Bill on Amendments to the Labour Market Services and Benefits Act (695 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, was rejected. The result of voting: 48 votes in favour, 29 against.

 

On the motion of the Finance Committee, the Bill on Amendments to the Social Tax Act (690 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, was rejected. The result of voting: 45 votes in favour, 26 against.

 

At Question Time, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip answered the question about environmental security, submitted by Mark Soosaar. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet answered the question about ensuring the rights of the children with Estonian citizenship abroad, submitted by Evelyn Sepp. The Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo answered the question about managing the finances of the Ministry of Defence, submitted by Nikolai Põdramägi. At Question Time, financing of art projects, payment of pensions, strength of the euro, receipt of the funds of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, Estonian–Russian cooperation in enterprise and economy, NATO–Russian cooperation, the Afghanistan mission and the position on the problems relating to Burma were also discussed.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service