The Riigikogu began its autumn session
At the opening sitting of the Riigikogu autumn session, President of the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar and President Alar Karis made speeches.
The Riigikogu heard Prime Minister’s replies to six interpellations
Members of Isamaa Parliamentary Group had submitted an interpellation concerning the means-tested basis of family benefits to Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. The members of the Riigikogu wished to know the following: “When making amendments, why are you not proceeding from the means-tested basis, which the Reform Party has earlier emphasised and considered important?”
Kallas explained that the Government coalition had in fact been relying on the means-tested basis when allocating benefits. The poverty rate of one-parent households was 32.7% in 2021. At the same time, the poverty rate of households with at least three children and two parents remains below 15%. Therefore, the Riigikogu adopted a legislative amendment that increased the maintenance allowance for single parents by 100%. It will enter into force on 1 January 2024.
Kallas noted that the increase of maintenance allowance would affect families with children whose parent or parents failed to fulfil their maintenance obligation. The initial results of the study on the household picture and organisation of life in families with children show that nearly a quarter, that is, 24% of the children are living with one parent and they have another parent living somewhere else. In 27% of households of parents who are living apart, the parent is not receiving money to provide for the child from the other parent, or the other parent is not paying the bills related to their child.
Kallas said that, due to limited resources, they were also helping in particular the families who needed help and had children with rare diseases. “We are also paying more attention to families with disabled children. We are supporting children who do not have parents and who are living in substitute homes. It is the Government’s wish to support, on a means-tested basis, target groups who need more protection,” the Prime Minister emphasised.
Kallas also replied to the interpellations concerning the reduction and repeal of allowances for families with many children, the state budget deficit, the demographic crisis, the protection of families, and the reduction of family allowances, submitted by members of the Riigikogu.
The opening of today’s sitting took place in a tense atmosphere due to the discussion of issues of procedure. The agenda for this working week could not be approved until one hour after the beginning of the sitting.
The sitting ended at 11.27 p.m.
Photos (Author: Erik Peinar, Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)
Video recordings of the sittings of the Riigikogu can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/riigikogu.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)
Riigikogu Press Service
Gunnar Paal,
+372 631 6351, +372 5190 2837
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