The Riigikogu passed with 80 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Language Act and the Citizenship Act (635 SE), initiated by the Government, which brings the databases and information systems of the Ministry of Education and Research, both the existing ones as well as those being established, involving language proficiency examinations of Estonian and the examinations on the knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act into conformity with the provisions of the regulation of databases in the Public Information Act which has been amended. The Act creates the legal regulation for establishing two integrated information systems. This will significantly improve the capacity of the Ministry of Education and Research to systematise and automatise the processing of the data concerning examinees of the language proficiency examination of Estonian and the examination on the knowledge of the Constitution and the Citizenship Act, and the results of the examinations, and the issuing of certificates.

 

The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to the National Defence League Act (658 SE), initiated by the Government. The Bill provides the legal status of the guards of the National Defence League. The Chapter concerning guarding regulates four main legal spheres of provision of guarding: the definition of a guard and guarding, the status of a guard and the rights and obligations of a guard. The Bill defines the circle of persons and agencies where the National Defence League may exercise guarding. It also defines the procedure for determining the objects to be guarded and the procedure for payment for guarding. The National Defence League has been engaging in the guarding of the Ministry of Defence, the area of government of the Ministry of Defence, including the Defence Forces, and some missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1 January 2003. Since then, the legal status of the guards of the National Defence League has been problematic and the legal bases of guarding have also been insufficiently regulated.

 

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of the International Sanctions Bill (632 SE), initiated by the Government. The Bill creates a relevant regulation, efficiently functioning in practice, for application of international sanctions, with a view to ensuring correct application of international sanctions in Estonia without delays.

 

At Question Time, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip answered the question about suspension of the proceeding of the permits for extraction of mineral resources, submitted by Toomas Trapido. The Minister of Regional Affairs Siim Valmar Kiisler answered the question about the situation of local governments, submitted by Toomas Varek, the question about the population register, submitted by Mark Soosaar, and the question about the renewable energy thematic plan, submitted by Valdur Lahtvee.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service