At today’s sitting, the Riigikogu passed the Communication of the Riigikogu to the Parliaments of the Member States of the European Union and NATO, as well as to the Parliaments of other countries and discussed issues relating to the European Union Agenda on Migration

 Minister of the Interior Kristian Jaani replied to the interpellation concerning the aliens in need of international protection accepted in Estonia under the European Union Agenda on Migration for 2015–2017 and the European Commission’s call of 2017 (No. 113), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kert Kingo, Henn Põlluaas, Siim Pohlak, Kalle Grünthal, Helle-Moonika Helme, Mart Helme, Uno Kaskpeit, Riho Breivel, Paul Puustusmaa, Jaak Valge, Anti Poolamets, Rene Kokk, Peeter Ernits, Merry Aart, Leo Kunnas, Alar Laneman, Ruuben Kaalep and Martin Helme.

The interpellators noted that resettlement was admission in Estonia of a person, who has been granted international protection, from a third country, and relocation was admission in Estonia of a person, who has been granted international protection, from another member state of the European Union.

Although the interpellation concerns mainly people who, unlike the Ukrainian refugees, do not have the same cultural background as we, how they manage in Estonia is an extremely valuable experience also in the shaping of a policy concerning all refugees.

Jaani explained that slightly more than 500 beneficiaries of international protection had arrived in Estonia starting from 2015 and they were all grouped together in terms of statistics. Today there are no separate notations in databases as to who has come under relocation or resettlement programme of the Agenda on Migration or who has come through everyday migration and then lodged an application for international protection here.

Jaani noted that fixed-term residence permit was a practical solution for residing in Estonia with the international protection status. “A person with refugee status is granted a fixed-term residence permit with a period of validity of three years. It is possible to extend it by three years at a time. Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection are given a fixed-term residence permit with a period of validity of one year and it is possible to extend it by two years at a time,” Jaani said. He added that all third country nationals who resided in the European Union under a fixed-term residence permit were subject to similar rights and obligations when moving within the European Union.

“This means that an alien can move freely within the European Union and stay in another European Union country for 90 days at a time in any 180-day period. Within the framework of the right to free movement, a third-country national with a fixed-term residence permit has the opportunity to settle permanently in another Member State under a residence permit at any time, for example, under family migration or in connection with finding a job in another Member State. If an alien stays in another country for longer and does not apply for a new permit, they are in breach of the procedure in the country where they are staying for longer without a permit,” the minister emphasised.

“In the case a third country national residing in Estonia under a residence permit, including a relocated or resettled alien, commits a crime in another Member State, they are brought to justice under the legislation of the respective Member State. This principle of penal law applies in the case of both citizens and aliens and no country can take responsibility for the culpable conduct of individuals,” Jaani said. He added that, however, offences committed in Estonia as well as in other countries could be taken into account when granting international protection and residence permits to people and extending such protection and permits. “If a person poses a threat to the security or public order of Estonia, their residence permit is not extended and no new residence permit is issued to them,” the minister confirmed.

Jaani noted that saving human lives, fulfilling our international commitments and showing the solidarity of the European Union could not be regarded as failure. “Estonia has showed itself to be a constructive country and a country of solidarity where the legal acts and agreements of the European Union are respected,” the minister noted. He admitted that there was always an opportunity to improve things, to direct more resources into language training, into adaptation programmes and prevention, but in view of the abovementioned data, we had definitely not failed.

“As a small country, we are good partners in the European Union and NATO, and if Estonia falls under migration pressure, we will therefore be able to rely on the unity of the European Union and the help of other Member States,” the Minister of the Interior said.

The Riigikogu passed a Communication to the Parliaments of the Member States of the European Union and NATO, as well as to the Parliaments of other countries 

“The Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) expresses its support to the defenders and the people of the state of Ukraine in their fight against the Russian Federation that has launched a criminal war, and calls on showing absolute support to Ukraine in its war for maintaining its freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Riigikogu underlines that the Russian Federation’s unprovoked aggression and military activities constitute a crime against peace with no statute of limitations, and that all war crimes that have been committed will have to be punished.

The Riigikogu asks the UN member states to take immediate steps to establish a no-fly zone in order to prevent massive civilian casualties in Ukraine.

The Riigikogu urges all national parliaments to adopt statements that call on their governments to support the imposition of additional sanctions against the Russian Federation as well as the Republic of Belarus that participates in the aggression.

The Riigikogu calls for the immediate imposition of a comprehensive trade embargo on the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, which would restrict the capability of the aggressor states to wage war.

The Riigikogu calls on states to close their airspace and ports to the aircraft and ships of the Russian Federation.

The Riigikogu calls on the members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to vote for excluding the Russian Federation from the membership of the Council of Europe, and calls on the member states to adopt a relevant decision immediately.

The Riigikogu invites the membership states to support Ukraine’s official application for the status of an EU candidate state and calls on granting Ukraine a roadmap towards membership of NATO.”

During the debate, Ruuben Kaalep (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Mihhail Lotman (Isamaa), Indrek Saar (Social Democratic Party), Jürgen Ligi (Reform Party) and Enn Eesmaa (Centre Party) took the floor.

90 Members of the Riigikogu supported the Communication of the Riigikogu of the Republic of Estonia to the Parliaments of the Member States of the European Union and NATO, as well as to the Parliaments of other countries, submitted by Sven Sester, Raivo Tamm, Üllar Saaremäe, Andres Metsoja, Riho Breivel, Rene Kokk, Aivar Kokk, Uno Kaskpeit, Ruuben Kaalep, Helle-Moonika Helme, Alar Laneman, Leo Kunnas, Mart Helme, Paul Puustusmaa, Kert Kingo, Urmas Reitelmann, Merry Aart, Jaak Valge, Priit Sibul, Heiki Hepner, Mihhail Lotman, Viktoria Ladõnskaja-Kubits, Helir-Valdor Seeder, Tarmo Kruusimäe, Henn Põlluaas, Urmas Reinsalu, Martin Helme and Siim Pohlak.

During the open microphone, Jaak Juske, Leo Kunnas and Helmen Kütt took the floor.

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
[email protected]
Questions: [email protected]