The Riigikogu passed with 71 votes in favour the Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Victim Support Act Amendment Act (939 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act creates a procedure for the conciliation of the perpetrator and the victim of a crime and determines the legal effects of the conciliation. The conciliation procedure is relatively new but widely approved European alternative to the national criminal procedure. The conciliation procedure is based on the principles of restorative justice. The starting point is the social background of a crime and subsequently, the offender and the victim of a crime, as well as the society in general more extensively, are all involved in resolving of the crime as a conflict. The theory of restorative justice stresses the need to respond to criminal behaviour by restituting the damage caused by the act. The informal conciliation procedure enables to conciliate the victim and the criminal, deal with reasons behind the conflict independently from a criminal procedure or in parallel with it. On the one hand the conciliation enables a more extensive involvement of the victim in the decision-making process, which certainly improves people’s sense of participation and security, on the other hand it reduces the tensions arising from a crime: the feelings of fear, anger etc. which in the extreme cases may lead to vigilantism. Substantively, the conciliation procedure allows the compensation for damages caused by crimes and the protection of rights and interests of victims to be more honest and objective.

The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of eight Bills:

The Bill on Amendments to the Copyright Act, Patents Act, Utility Models Act, Industrial Design Protection Act, Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits Protection Act, Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act, Anti-corruption Act, Competition Act, Penal Code, Weapons Act, Alcohol Act, Taxation Act, Misdemeanour Procedure Code, Penal Code Implementation Act and Electricity Market Act (931 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic; During the second reading the title of the Bill was made shorter: The Bill on Amendments to the Penal Code and Associated Acts;

The Estonian National Broadcasting Bill (965 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, the main purpose of which is the merger of the Estonian Television and the Estonian Radio into a uniform modern broadcasting. The deliberation of the Bill concentrated on the principles of the formation of the Supervisory Board of the Broadcasting. The Riigikogu once again voted the amendment on the Bill which, beside the politicians, includes the experts in the supervisory Board. The Bill will be brought to the final voting on Thursday, 18 January;

The Bill on Amendments to the Aliens Act and Associated Acts (1040 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Chancellor of Justice Act (1049 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the State Culture Awards and Culture Grants Act (1047 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Aviation Act and State Fees Act (1036 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Railways Act and Roads Act (1039 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Electrical Safety Bill (1045 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic,

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of eight Bills:

The Bill on Amendments to the Value Added Tax Act (1066 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Providing International Protection to the Aliens Act (1074 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Packaging Act and Packaging Excise Duty Act (1043 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on the Ratification of the Multilateral Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, the Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Bulgaria, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Iceland, the Republic of Montenegro, the Kingdom of Norway, Romania, the Republic of Serbia and the United Nation Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo on the Establishment of a European Common Aviation Area (ECAA) (1055 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Electricity Market Bill (1051 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Public Libraries Act (1070 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Bill on Amendments to the Language Act (1077 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic;

The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu On the Approval of the Estonian Research and Development Activities and Innovation Strategy “Knowledge-based Estonia 2007-2013”(1053 OE), submitted by the Government of the Republic.

At Question Time Minister of Regional Affairs Jaan Õunapuu answered the questions about the Loksa crisis, the ascertainment of data and the state supervision. Minister of Defence Jürgen Ligi answered the questions about the future of the Estonian Defence Forces and the conscripts of Pärnu. Minister of Ethnic Affairs Paul-Eerik Rummo answered the questions about the family benefits related to children.

The sitting ended at 6.33 p.m.

The Riigikogu Press Service