In connection with the motion to make amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves made a political statement before the Riigikogu. In the words of Mr. Ilves the President of the Republic initiated the Bill in order to regulate the management of the state defence and to strengthen the civilian control. President made a proposal to amend those provisions of the Constitution which mention the Commander or Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, first of all the provisions which include the procedure for appointment to the office of the Commander and the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces. “In a parliamentary state the Defence Forces may be subordinated only to the Government. Only thus it is subordinated to the democratic, including parliamentary control.” President stressed his wish that the Riigikogu should amend the Constitution by way of accelerated proceedings which would require the most extensive agreement in the Riigikogu. Mr..Ilves said:” “My request to the Riigikogu is not to extend the contents of the Bill in the course of the proceedings. I have knowingly concentrated myself on the issues related to the institution of the Commander of the Defence Forces. The current practice on amending the Constitution has shown that a consensus is possible only when the Bill deals with a single, clearly determined subject.”

The Riigikogu appointed Member of the Riigikogu Jaak Aab as a member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. 78 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution (17 OE) and 1 member of the Riigikogu abstained, nobody was against.

The Riigikogu appointed Members of the Riigikogu Mart Laar and Jürgen Ligi as members of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Development Fund, instead of Tõnis Lukas and Mart Opmann. 47 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution (29 OE) and 1 member of the Riigikogu abstained, nobody was against.

The Riigikogu formed the Estonian Delegation to the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Latvia (the Baltic Assembly) which includes the head of the delegation Trivimi Velliste, deputy head Mailis Reps and members of the delegation Peep Aru, Mart Jüssi, Helle Kalda, Kalvi Kõva, Margus Lepik, Ott Lumi, Tatjana Muravjova, Tarmo Mänd, Jaak Salumets and Vladimir Velman. 79 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution (31 OE), nobody was against and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu formed the Estonian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) which includes the head of the delegation Andres Herkel, members of the delegation Kristiina Ojuland and Mailis Reps and the alternate members Aleksei Lotman, Ester Tuiksoo and Indrek Saar. 79 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution (32 OE), nobody was against and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu formed the Estonian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) which includes the head of the delegation Jürgen Ligi and members of the delegation Sven Mikser and Kadri Must. 78 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution (33 OE) and 1 member of the Riigikogu abstained, nobody was against.

The Riigikogu formed the Estonian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) which includes the head of the delegation Paul-Eerik Rummo and members of the delegation Mart Nutt, Toivo Tootsen and the alternate members Jaanus Marrandi, Heljo Pikhof, Toomas Trapido. 81 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution (34 OE), nobody was against and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu formed the Estonian delegation to the Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU) which includes the head of the delegation Tarmo Kõuts and members of the delegation Kalev Kallo and Imre Sooäär. 79 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution (35 OE), nobody was against and nobody abstained.

On the motion of the Social Affairs Committee as the leading committee the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to § 61 of the State Pension Insurance Act (1 SE), initiated by the Pro Patria Union Faction, Social Democratic Party Faction and Estonian Reform Party Faction, was concluded. The Bill was sent to the third reading.

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The Riigikogu Press Service