Today – on the Day of Mourning – the Riigikogu observed a moment of silence at the beginning of the sitting to commemorate the victims of the June deportation.

The Riigikogu passed with 90 votes in favour the Republic of Estonia Child Protection Act, Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act, Social Welfare Act, Punishment Register Act, Private School Act, Vocational Educational Institutions Act, Pre-School Child Care Institutions Act, Youth Work Act, Penal Code, Code of Misdemeanour Procedure and Hobby School Act Amendment Act (43 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The purpose of the Act is to eliminate the access of persons, who have been convicted of crimes against children in offences of sexual character, in offences related to minors’ prostitution or child pornographs, to work in positions where they have direct contacts with children (schoolteacher, kindergarten teacher, hobby group instructor, instructor of a children’s camp, babysitter etc.). Special acts regulating the work with children will be amended by including the obligations of employees to check the data concerning punishment register of the person who will be admitted to work and pursuant to the amendments to the Act legal significance will also be given to the archival data of the Punishment Register. The Act also creates the possibility to the legal representative of a minor to receive information about the punishments related to sexual offences of another person in the case of legal interest proceeding from the objective to protect the child. Pursuant to the Act, conviction in the offence of sexual character committed against a minor, is accompanied by a lifetime restriction on working with children in certain offices. § 4(6) of the Act enters into force on 1 January 2008. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 79 votes in favour the Status of Member of the Riigikogu Act (54 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, Estonian Reform Party Faction, Estonian People’s Union Faction, Estonian Green Party Faction, Pro Patria Union Faction and Social Democratic Party Faction. The Act stipulates the bases, time and procedure for the commencement, suspension and expiration of the authority of Member of the Riigikogu; the bases and procedure for assumption and expiration of membership of the Riigikogu by an alternate member; the oath of office of Member of the Riigikogu and the procedure for taking oath; the rights and obligations of Member of the Riigikogu; the offices not compatible with the position of Member of the Riigikogu and the guarantees to the activities of Member of the Riigikogu; the status of the Chancellery of the Riigikogu, its tasks, management and structure. The present Act makes amendments to the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure Act, Public Service Act, Members of the Riigikogu Salaries, Pensions and Other Social Guarantees Act, Riigikogu Election Act and many other Acts. The Riigikogu Internal Rules Act is repealed. The present Act enters into force ten days after its publication in the Riigi Teataja, § 19 of the Act enters into force on 1 January 2008, § 31 (2) and chapter 9 enter into force on the day of the commencement of the authority of the 12th Riigikogu; § 31(1) will be repealed on the day of the commencement of the authority of the 12th Riigikogu. Nobody voted against, one member of the Riigikogu abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 88 votes in favour the Restrictions on Acquisition of Immovables Act Amendment Act (27 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The Act stipulates the group of the persons who may, without restrictions, acquire the immovable used as profit yielding land which categories consist of 10 hectares or more of agricultural or forest land or makes the duties of bailiffs and trustees in bankruptcy unambiguously understandable in the attestation of conformity of the acquisition of the immovable of more than 10 hectares and in checking the documents necessary in case of an auction. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 88 votes in favour the Parental Benefits Act Amendment Act (44 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. The purpose of the Act is to enable the parents to stay longer with their children below the age of three years at home: the period of the payment of parental benefits is extended by four calendar months or 120 days, i.e. until 575 days have passed from the grantingof maternity benefit. Pursuant to the Act, the payment of parental benefit to the persons who have no right to receive maternity benefit will be extended up to the date when the child attains 18 months of age.  According to the valid redaction, those persons got their parental benefits until the day when the child attained 14 months of age. The Act enters into force on 1 January 2008. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 58 votes in favour the Income Tax Act Amendment Act (63 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. Pursuant to the amendment to the Act, the income tax rate of an individual will be lowered gradually (1 percent in a year) to 18 percent by the year 2011 and the income tax exempt minimum will be increased to EEK 36,000 by the same time and the basic exemption will be extended to each child with the age of up to 17 years. The Act enters into force on 1 January 2008. 33 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Act, nobody abstained.

The Riigikogu passed with 56 votes in favour the Alcohol, Tobacco and Fuel Excise Duty Act, Environmental Charges Act and Roads Act Amendment Act (64 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic. Pursuant to the amendment to the Act, alcohol, tobacco, fuel and electricity excise duties will be increased. The Act makes also amendments to the Environmental Charges Act. For the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) into ambient air, the producer of heat will pay pollution charge in accordance to the amount of carbon dioxide released in the ambient air during the production of heat and the number of the year 2009 will be replaced with 2008. The Act enters into force on 1 January 2008. 33 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Act and 2 members of the Riigikogu abstained.

The Riigikogu Press Service

 

 

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