The Riigikogu passed five Acts:

With 75 votes in favour the Citizenship Act Amendment Act (612 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act makes amendments to section 7 of the Citizenship Act, which defines legal stable income of an alien applying for Estonian citizenship.

With 68 votes in favour the Financial Supervision Authority Act, Investment Funds Act, Credit Institutions Act, Securities Market Act and State Fees Act Amendment Act (724 SE). The Act makes amendments to the rates of supervision fees paid by the subjects of financial supervision as well as introduces in the Act the system of procedure fees paid to the Financial Supervision Authority for the leave to appeal or any other similar procedure.

With 58 votes in favour (1 abstention) the E-money Institutions Act (725 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act regulates the issue of e-money, the activities of e-money institutions and the exercise of supervision over the e-money institutions. The Act brings the regulation of the e-money institutions into complete conformity with the European Union Law. It concerns the changes necessary for the accession to the European Union, the adoption of the European Union acquis. E-money is a prepaid means of payment, where the e-money has been saved on the electronic processing card. If a consumer buys goods or services, the amount of saved money on the card will be reduced. Unlike debit cards, it is not connected with a buyer’s bank account. The Act enters into force on 1 January 2006.

With 60 votes in favour the Securities Market Act, Investment Funds Act, Guarantee Fund Act and Law of Obligations Act amendment Act (731 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act ensures the Estonian issuers, on the basis of the so-called European passport simpler possibilities to offer their securities in the Contracting Parties, while the issuers of the Contracting Parties, providing they meet the requirements of the Directives, may offer their securities in Estonia, according to the simplified procedure. The relations with the Non-Contracting Parties have also been more specifically regulated. Moreover, concrete rights and tasks have been given to the Financial Supervision Authority in exercising supervision over the issuers of the Contracting Party and the Non-Contracting Parties in Estonia. The Act forms one of the components in ensuring the completion of the European single securities market. The implementation of the Act does not entail fundamental changes in fiscal policy.

With 57 votes in favour the Act on the Ratification of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (684 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. Pursuant to the Act, the Joint Convention on the safety of spent fuel management and radioactive waste is ratified. The Convention was drafted in Vienna on 5 September 1997 and the Republic of Estonia has signed it in Vienna on 5 January 2001. The purpose of the Act is to enforce the Convention in the Republic of Estonia. The objective of the Convention is to protect the population and the environment against the dangers caused by processing civilian radioactive waste and spent fuel, implementing for that purpose the principles of safe processing.

The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of three Bills:

The Bill on Amendments to the Product Safety Act (702 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to § 3 of the Universities Act (699 SE and 700 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Animal Protection Act, the Farm Animals Breeding Act and Infectious Animal Disease Control Act (689 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of eight Bills:

The State Budget of the Year 2006 Bill (741 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Value Added Tax Act and Taxation Act (740 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Natural Gas Act and State Fees Act (709 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on the Accession to the Convention on Nuclear Safety (739 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on the Implementation of the Council of the European Union Regulation (EC) No 1435/2003 on the Statute for a European Cooperative Society (SCE) (708 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Aliens Act (729 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on the Ratification of the Protocol No. 14 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Amending the Control System of the Convention (703 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on the Accession to the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel (705 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic.

At Question Time Prime Minister Andrus Ansip answered the questions about the state budget for the next year, the financing of comprehensive schools and labour relations. Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet answered the questions about the obligations of the states regarding the Council of Europe and the tactics of Estonia in the United Nations.

The sitting ended at 6.40 p.m.

The Riigikogu Press Service