In total, the Riigikogu passed ten Acts and five Resolutions:
 
The State Budget of 2010 Act (587 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 55 votes in favour (39 against). The revenue of the coming year’s budget will amount to 84.5 billion kroons and the expenditure will amount to 89.7 billion kroons.
 
The budget deficit is less than 3 per cent in order that Estonia could fulfil the criteria for the transition to the euro and adopt the euro in January 2011. In order to ensure long-term competitiveness of the Estonian economy, the expenditure on education was increased, and investments in research and development activities grew. The volume of investments has been increased by more than 14 per cent in the coming year’s budget in order to stimulate economy.
 
The Bailiffs Act (462 SE), initiated by the Government, which helps raise the sustainable level of the office of bailiff and administrator, and the efficiency of execution and bankruptcy proceedings, was passed with 83 votes in favour. The Act replaces the candidate service of bailiff and the office of substitute bailiff with the regulated office of bailiff’s assistant. The joint professional association of bailiffs and administrators will be charged with the responsibility for in-service training of bailiffs and administrators and preparation of aftergrowth, for development of professional information systems and in regard to supervision of professional ethics. In order to reduce the risk of court actions, the list of execution documents was extended.
 
The Act on Amendments to the Defence Forces Service Act and Other Acts (535 UA) which the President of the Republic refused to proclaim was passed in the second legislative proceeding with 77 votes in favour. On the motion of the National Defence Committee, clause 1 7), contested by the President, was omitted from the Act. In the President’s opinion, it was in conflict with the Constitution because restriction of the fundamental rights of conscripts was delegated to the Defence Forces and was thereby excluded from the scope of application of the Act.
 
The Aliens Act (537 SE), initiated by the Government, which ensures greater legal clarity, was passed with 79 votes in favour. As a result of the fact that the Act which was in force so far had been amended for 48 times, the legislation in force had become vague for many subjects of law. Within the framework of drafting of the new consolidated text, the regulation of the entry of aliens into Estonia, temporary stay, residence and employment of aliens in Estonia and departure of aliens from Estonia, as well as procedural issues and the legal liability was organised and restructured. The Act did not introduce any essential amendments in the law concerning aliens which is currently in force.
 
The Act on Amendments to the Aviation Act (563 SE), initiated by the Government, which amends the wording of the Act by adding the name of the organisation “National Defence League”, was passed with 82 votes in favour. The specification was necessary because, according to the wording which was in force, it was impossible to maintain records and process the data concerning the aircraft belonging to the National Defence League in the military aviation aircraft register. The Act also provides the obligation of the Consumer Protection Board to exercise supervision over common rules for the operation of air services in the Community according to the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council which establishes an obligation for states that the ticket prices and cargo rates determined by air operators must conform to certain price formation principles. The elements of the final price which is paid must be understandable and transparent for consumers and the final price of the service must contain, besides all ticket prices and cargo tariffs, all taxes, charges, additional charges and fees.
 
The Act on Amendments to the Estonian Academy of Sciences Act (588 SE), initiated by the Government, which amends the status of members and organisation of management of the Academy, was passed with 82 votes in favour. The Act introduces three kinds of amendments: the composition of membership was specified, organisation of determining academicians’ remuneration was amended and organisation of establishing the institutions of the Academy was amended.
 
The Act on Amendments to the Infectious Animal Disease Control Act and the Veterinary Activities Organisation Act (600 SE), initiated by the Government, which provides a better legal basis for the prevention and control of infectious animal disease which is provided with greater precision in the infectious animal disease control rules and the contingency plan for the control of infectious animal diseases, was passed with 82 votes in favour. At the same time, it extends the opportunities for implementation of the animal disease control programme in accordance with the principles of the animal health strategy for the European Union (2007–2013), updates definitions in the Act and the requirements for sending of animals to a slaughterhouse and for the further handling of animals, and provides more specific principles of payment of compensation for damage caused by infectious animal diseases. The Act is in conformity with the legislation of the European Union regulating the prevention and control of infectious animal disease.
 
The Act on Amendments to § 23³ of the Land Reform Act (630 SE), initiated by the Environment Committee, which extends the term for approving the list of persons for whose benefit a usufruct on vacant agricultural land is established until 1 May 2010, was passed with 82 votes in favour. The current term is 1 January 2010.
 
The Act on the Denunciation of the Agreement on the Baltic Common Transit Procedure between the Government of the Republic of Estonia, the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (560 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 61 votes in favour.
 
The Act on the Repeal of the Agreement on the Baltic Common Transit Procedure between the Government of the Republic of Estonia, the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania Ratification Act (561 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 60 votes in favour.
 
The Resolution of the Riigikogu “Use of the Defence Forces in the Performance of the International Duties of the Estonian State in the Composition of the 14th Rotation of the NATO Response Force” (612 OE), submitted by the Government, which provides the use of the Estonian Defence Forces with a team of up to 240 members of the Defence Forces, as necessary, in the composition of the 14th rotation (NRF-12) of the NATO Response Force from 1 January until 31 December 2010, in a military operation organised for the purpose of maintaining or restoring peace and security, as provided in the UN Charter, or in any other military operation in compliance with generally recognised practices and principles of international law, was passed with 58 votes in favour.
 
The Resolution of the Riigikogu “Extension of the Time Limit of the Use of the Defence Forces in Performance of International Duties of the Estonian State under the Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina” (613 OE), submitted by the Government, which provides the extension of the time limit of the use of the Estonian Defence Forces with a staff of up to five members of the Defence Forces in the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, led by the European Union Force, provided in an earlier Resolution of the Riigikogu, until 31 December 2010, as of 1 January 2010, was passed with 67 votes in favour.
 
The Resolution of the Riigikogu “Extension of the Time Limit of the Use of the Defence Forces in Performance of International Duties of the Estonian State under the Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo” (614 OE), submitted by the Government, which provides the extension of the time limit of the use of the Estonian Defence Forces with a staff of up to forty members of the Defence Forces in the membership of Kosovo Force (KFOR), led by NATO, provided in an earlier Resolution of the Riigikogu, until 30 June 2010, as of 1 January 2010, and with a staff of up to five members of the Defence Forces until 31 December 2010, as of 1 July, was passed with 66 votes in favour.
 
The Resolution of the Riigikogu “Extension of the Time Limit of the Use of the Defence Forces in Performance of International Duties of the Estonian State under the Peacekeeping Mission in Afghanistan” (615 OE), submitted by the Government, which provides extension of the time limit of the use of the Estonian Defence Forces, provided in an earlier Resolution of the Riigikogu, in the international peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan in the membership of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) led by NATO and the Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) of the International Coalition Forces with a team of up to 170 members of the Defence Forces until 31 December 2010, as of 1 January 2010, was passed with 62 votes in favour.
 
The Resolution of the Riigikogu “Extension of the Time Limit of the Use of the Defence Forces in Performance of International Duties of the Estonian State in Iraq” (616 OE), submitted by the Government, which provides increasing of the staff of the Estonian Defence Forces provided in an earlier Resolution of the Riigikogu to up to five members of the Defence Forces and extension of the time limit of their use in the membership of the NATO Training Mission in Iraq (NTM-I) until 31 December 2010, was passed with 65 votes in favour.
 
The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of five Bills:
 
The European Union Services Directive Implementation Bill (603 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Food Act and the State Fees Act (608 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Names Act and the State Fees Act (531 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Explosive Substances Act, the Advertising Act and the State Fees Act (572 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure, the Courts Act and Other Acts (583 SE), initiated by the Government.
 
The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of eight Bills:
 
The Salaries of Higher State Servants Bill (369 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, the Estonian People’s Union Faction, the Estonian Reform Party Faction, the Estonian Green Party Faction, the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union Faction and the Social Democratic Party Faction;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Identity Documents Act (609 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Social Welfare Act (624 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Health Care Services Organisation Act and the Health Insurance Act (637 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fuel and Electricity Excise Duty Act (625 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Financial Supervision Authority Act, the Investment Funds Act, the Insurance Activities Act, the Credit Institutions Act and the Securities Market Act (626 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Amendments to the Land Tax Act (636 SE), initiated by the Government;
 
The Bill on Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the Republic of Korea for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income (638 SE), initiated by the Government.
 
At Question Time, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip answered the question about health care, submitted by Marika Tuus. The Minister of Justice Rein Lang answered the question about the freedom of the press, submitted by Eiki Nestor and Indrek Saar. The Minister of Regional Affairs Siim Valmar Kiisler answered the question about regional management, submitted by Ester Tuiksoo.
 
The sitting ended at 6.49 p.m.
 
The Riigikogu Press Service
 
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