The Act on Amendments to the European Parliament Election Act (524 SE & 341 SE), initiated by the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union Faction, the Estonian Reform Party Faction and the Constitutional Committee, which restores open lists at the European Parliament elections whereby the individual number of votes cast for candidates determines the final ranking of the candidates, was passed with 95 votes in favour.

 

The Act on Amendments to the European Union Common Agricultural Policy Implementation Act (646 SE), initiated by the Rural Affairs Committee, which is of technical nature, was passed with 92 votes in favour. On 30 November 2009, the European Commission adopted a new implementing Regulation laying down detailed rules for the implementation of the respective Council Regulation as regards cross-compliance, modulation and the integrated administration and control system, under the direct support schemes for farmers provided for that Regulation, as well as for the implementation of the respective Council Regulation as regards cross-compliance under the support scheme provided for the wine sector. This Regulation replaced the earlier Commission Regulation as of 1 January 2010. The purpose of the Act is to replace references to Council Regulation existing in the European Union Common Agricultural Policy Implementation Act.

 

 

The purpose of the Bill on Amendments to the Penal Code (640 SE), initiated by the Government, is to prevent communication of an adult and a child from developing into a physical sexual relationship and thereby to prevent sexual abuse of children. The Bill amends the regulation relating to potential abuse of minors in the creation works which contain pornography or eroticism, use of minors as models or actors in a pornographic or erotic performance as well as in the manufacture of a pornographic or erotic picture, film or other work, and provides a fine or up to five years’ imprisonment for it.

 

The purpose of the Bill on Amendments to the Packaging Act (594 SE), initiated by the Estonian Green Party Faction, is to ensure dominant influence of package entrepreneurs on the packaging recovery organisation and to prevent their going under the control of waste handlers and the potential accompanying increase of price. The Environment Committee did not support the motion to amend the Bill which had been submitted for the second reading which would have introduced joining of the refillable packaging system on a voluntary basis. The Pro Patria and Res Publica Union Faction moved to suspend the second reading of the Bill. The result of voting: 39 votes in favour, 49 against. The motion was not supported.

 

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure and the Law of Property Act (657 SE), initiated by the Government. According to the Bill, the bases for determining the value of an action are amended or maximum limits are set for the value of an action: in an action for termination of common ownership and division of a thing; in an action for division of joint property and an action for repeal or establishment of the nullity of a resolution of a legal person. The Bill amends the regulation concerning the division of the procedural expenses in a proceeding on petition upon review of a complaint against decisions of bailiff and an application for the performance of a notarial act, and amends the regulation concerning grant of procedural assistance. The regulation of termination of a mortgage on the demand of the owner of an encumbered immovable and changing of the mortgage to an owner mortgage is also amended in the Law of Property Act.

 

At Question Time, the Minister of Education and Research Tõnis Lukas in the capacity of Prime Minister answered the question about the Pre-school Child Care Institutions Act, submitted by Peeter Kreitzberg. The Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts answered the question about energy, submitted by Lembit Kaljuvee, and the question about labour market policy, submitted by Mai Treial. The Minister of Justice Rein Lang answered the question about the limitation period for serious crimes, submitted by Mark Soosaar.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service