Today, the Riigikogu did not support a motion of no confidence in Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi, submitted by 29 members of the Riigikogu, and Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets made a political statement on internal security. Six bills were also deliberated.

Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets said before the Riigikogu that, as the Minister of the Interior, he would make a proposal to the Government to amend the Churches and Congregations Act so that it would preclude any church, congregation, association of congregations, monastery or other religious association operating in Estonia from having relations with any foreign organisation that poses a threat to public or constitutional order in Estonia, supports military aggression or calls for war or calls for terrorism or violent behaviour in any way. “There is no greater sacrilege than using religion to demean another nation, race or religion, thereby justifying violence and injustice against fellow human beings. Religion must serve all that is good in a person, not hatred, pain, tears or suffering,” he said.

The Minister explained that, over the years, the Moscow Patriarchate had been treating Russia’s neighbouring nations as subjects of its empire, and as less worthy nations. “We see how Russia’s Moscow Patriarchate is using religion and the church for political brainwashing to serve the secular regime: religion is a justification for war crimes and neo-imperialist thinking that sees free and independent democratic neighbouring countries as part of Russia’s sphere of influence. This cannot be accepted. This cannot be accepted because, first, this is not Christianity; second, because in our Western secular democracy, the state has the duty to ensure freedom of religion, not only in the sense that people are free in their religion, but also to ensure that religion is free from political agenda, especially if that agenda is extreme or justifies hatred and enmity against another nation, culture or race or if that religion is used for political purposes by a hostile external power,” Läänemets said. “The Estonian Government takes seriously every statement that concerns the security of Estonia and that is said by Patriarch Kirill who works hand in hand with the Kremlin. Considering the war in Ukraine, it is simply not possible otherwise.”

The Minister emphasised that the Bill had been drafted with the aim of ensuring that all religious associations and organisations currently operating in Estonia would be able to bring their activities into conformity with the law as necessary and to continue their activities in the future as well. “The goal of the state is to ensure religious peace for the Orthodox here and the opportunity to continue with their religious services. It is definitely not our aim to stop the work of any parish or monastery. We wish to end the influence of the Moscow Patriarchate in Estonia and to preclude situations also in the future where religious organizations that pose a security threat to us because of their leaders or the state or non-state forces that control them could gain a foothold on our country’s soil,” he assured.

During the debate Martin Helme (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa), Peeter Tali (Estonia 200) and Jaak Aab (Social Democratic Party) took the floor on behalf of their parliamentary groups.

A motion of no confidence in the Minister of Finance was not supported

26 members of the Riigikogu supported the vote of no confidence in Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi. At least 51 votes would have been needed to express no confidence in the minister.

Martin Helme as representative of the 29 members of the Riigikogu who had submitted the motion of no confidence pointed out that, with his statements, Ligi had demeaned the Riigikogu as an institution and had damaged the reputation of members of the parliament. According to Helme, the minister’s use of language offends all members of the Riigikogu, especially women. “Jürgen Ligi considers criticism of the transparency of the state budget to be just an empty gesture. This goes against the position of Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise, Auditor General Janar Holm and many experts in the field that an activity-based state budget is vague and that it is impossible to understand exactly where taxpayers’ money is spent,” he explained. “The state budget must be transparent, but today’s coalition lacks the will to make it transparent.”

Helme also noted that the minister had repeatedly humiliated politicians from various political parties during the first reading of the state budget. “Particularly conspicuous were the insults and taunts hurled at female politicians in which their questions on the state budget were treated as nagging or the parliamentarians were called liars. It is nothing more than gender discrimination. Arrogant behaviour reduces the people’s trust in the Riigikogu and the Government as well as politicians in general,” the representative of the initiators of the motion of no confidence said. According to him, the initiators of the motion of no confidence have no faith that the minister would be able or willing to fulfil the duties associated with the office and the promises made.

According to Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi, there are a number of lies in the motion of no confidence and he gave explanations about them. Among other things, according to Ligi, the words of the Chancellor of Justice and the National Audit Office have been misquoted in the press. “It is said that, according to them, the 2025 budget is even less transparent than the previous ones. These two constitutional persons, with whom I very often have a very similar opinion, are actually saying the opposite, as am I,” he noted.

The Minister of Finance explained that the best place to clarify the details of the state budget was the Finance Committee. “Unfortunately, the angriest critics do not attend the Finance Committee and were not actually present at the debate in the session hall either, which of course did not prevent them from hurling vicious criticism, in the media and here in this session hall, on the very subject they were hoping to see. For example, Martin Helme, and not only he, has claimed that I go to the Finance Committee to insult people and call them names. I do not. But I do attend. It’s just that the mass of lying is getting too big not to comment,” he pointed out.

According to Ligi, during the debate on the state budget, he would have liked to hear more questions from the opposition about the content, limits and rules of the state budget, as well as usable proposals for improving the budget. “I could have explained here,” he said. “It is things like this, and not my person, that should be the concern and predominant content of the oversight of the Riigikogu under the Constitution.”

During the debate, Martin Helme (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Maris Lauri (Reform Party), Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) and Lauri Laats (Centre Party) took the floor on behalf of their parliamentary groups.

An Act was passed

The Act on the Ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention (No. 190) concerning the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work (469 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed at the second reading. It ratified the convention aiming to reduce the violence and harassment in the world of work.

It is the first international instrument setting out specific standards applicable worldwide to prevent work-related harassment and violence, and the measures that countries and other relevant actors are expected to adopt.

During the debate, Kert Kingo (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Arvo Aller (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Kalle Grünthal (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Anti Poolamets (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Helle-Moonika Helme (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) and Rain Epler (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor.

At the final vote, 47 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of the Bill, 12 were against and there was one abstention.

Two Bills passed the second reading

The Bill on Amendments to the Medical Devices Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (grant of competence to the State Agency of Medicines) (448 SE), initiated by the Government, passed its second reading. It provides that the competence to engage in the field of medical devices will be transferred from the Health Board to the State Agency of Medicines.

Medical devices are a very diverse and large group of products that are used every day both in the provision of the healthcare service and in many homes. They include adhesive bandages, thermometers, and rapid tests, as well as complex systems that are used in healthcare institutions. Certain software that is used in health care and in medical procedures can also be defined as medical devices.

At present, the medical devices sector is covered by the Health Board, whose main area of activity is health protection and health services. The main field of activity of the State Agency of Medicines is to ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of products (medicines). Since medicines and medical devices are both products by their nature and within the meaning of European Union law, it makes sense that they are handled by the same authority. Officials who have so far been working in the field of medical devices at the Health Board will also be transferred to the State Agency of Medicines with their tasks. The Bill will give the State Agency of Medicines the right to define what products are medical devices. The Bill will also give the Health Board direct access to the Health Information System in the cases where the Board exercises national and administrative supervision.

In order to reduce the administrative burden on healthcare institutions, the Bill will repeal the obligation to provide the competent authority for medical devices with documentation on devices manufactured and used in-house.

The Bill on Amendments to the Medicinal Products Act and the Health Services Organisation Act (458 SE), initiated by the Social Affairs Committee, passed its second reading. The aim of the amendments is to transfer the establishment, management, renewal and deployment of the national health reserve from the Health Board to regional hospitals with public participation. Organising the storage of the national health reserve at regional hospitals will allow to disperse the location of stocks and, by rotating the medicines and equipment, to reduce or avoid the costs arising due to their expiring. Locating the stocks at regional hospitals will make it easier for them to be deployed, as it is expected that the hospitals that will be holding the stocks under the proposed amendments will also have the highest workload in a crisis. Regional hospitals are well suited to manage stocks because they are staffed with specialists with the necessary experience.

Three Bills passed the first reading

The Bill on Amendments to the Customs Act (515 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the first reading. The Bill will increase the rates of fines for legal persons, which have been unchanged in the Customs Act since 2001. The fine rates will be brought into conformity with the rates provided for in the Penal Code.

The Tax and Customs Board exercises state supervision over the implementation of customs regulations and conducts pre-trial investigation of criminal offences. In practice, investigators have found it necessary to use special equipment in their work the use of which is not provided for by the Customs Act currently in force. In order to make the work of the investigation department of the Tax and Customs Board more efficient, the list of the special equipment of the Tax and Customs Board will be amended, and binding means, a device for forcibly stopping vehicles and a technical barrier will be added to the list.

In addition, the Bill will also give the Director General of the Tax and Customs Board and the staff of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences the right to wear the uniform of the Tax and Customs Board. According to the current regulation, students of the Financial College of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences may wear the uniform, but not employees.

During the debate, Rene Kokk (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor.

The Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group moved to reject the Bill. 27 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of the motion and 49 were against and thus the Bill passed the first reading.

The Bill on Amendments to the Medicinal Products Act (501 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the first reading. It will give hospital pharmacies the right to import medicinal products and active substances of medicinal products. Hospital pharmacies supply the hospitals where they are structural units and, by agreement, other hospitals, social welfare institutions, and emergency rooms. Hospital pharmacies will have to notify the State Agency of Medicines of imports of medicines, check compliance of the marketing authorisations of medicines, keep records of medicines, check storage requirements, as well as provide statistics to the Agency.

The amendment is not intended for commercial purposes: hospital pharmacies will not be able to add mark-ups to medicines or participate in tenders from other hospitals. If the bill is adopted, Estonian wholesalers of medicinal products will still have the possibility to participate in hospital tenders and, if they offer a suitable price and product range, to continue marketing medicines to hospitals. If a hospital pharmacy does not wish to start importing medicines directly, the procurement of medicines will continue in the current way. As of 1 April 2024, there are a total of 24 hospital pharmacies in Estonia.

During the debate Riina Solman (Isamaa), Irja Lutsar (Estonia 200) and Tanel Kiik (Social Democratic Party) took the floor.

The Bill on Amendments to the State Fees Act and the Act on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Precursors thereof (state fees in the health and social sector) (502 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the first reading. It provides for a rise in the state fees in the area of administration of the Ministry of Social Affairs so that they would correspond to the increased procedural costs. The raising of the fees will mainly concern service providers in the health and social sector who apply for an activity licence. The new state fees will cover an estimated up to 45 per cent of procedural costs and the remaining costs will be covered from the budgets of agencies.

For example, the fee for an activity licence for the provision of social services will rise from EUR 32 to EUR 100. The state fee for an activity licence for manufacture of medicinal products will increase from EUR 1,000 to EUR 2,500 and the state fee for an activity licence for wholesale trade in medicinal products will increase from EUR 1,000 to EUR 2,000. In the latter, the rate of the state fee has remained unchanged for eight years and currently covers a small part of the actual costs of the review. Since applications and changes to activity licenses are not made in a large volume and they are often one-off, the increase in state fees will not be too burdensome for companies and service providers. By 2025, revenue from state fees is projected to increase by around EUR 139,000.

The sitting ended at 11.31 p.m.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Maris Meiessaar
+372 631 6353, +372 5558 3993
[email protected]
Questions: [email protected]