The Riigikogu passed with 63 votes in favour (3 votes against, 4 abstentions) the Resolution of the Riigikogu On the Appointment of an Alternate Member of the Supervisory Board of Eesti Pank (809 OE), submitted by the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Eesti Pank. Harry Õunapuu was appointed an alternate member of the Supervisory Board of Eesti Pank.

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the National Library of Estonia Act and Riigikogu Rules of Procedure Act (780 SE), initiated by the Cultural Affairs Committee. The Bill specifies the regulation of the research and development activities of the National Library, stipulates the legal mechanism of the management of vocational cooperation of the Estonian library network, and makes amendments to the rules concerning the use of the National Library. Pursuant to the Bill, the task to maintain the Riigikogu archives will be handed over from the National Library to the Chancellery of the Riigikogu.

The Riigikogu did not pass, with 50 votes against (28 votes in favour), the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu Proposal to the Government of the Republic for Ordering an Independent Assessment about the Financial Deals Related to the Former Managers of AS Eesti Ühispank (743 OE), submitted by the Res Publica Faction.

At the same time the Riigikogu rejected the following Bills from the legislative proceeding:

On the motion of the Estonian Centre Party Faction with 41 votes in favour (21 against) the Bill on Amendments to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act (787 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Faction and Members of the Riigikogu Liina Tõnisson, Peeter Kreitzberg, Sven Mikser and Mark Soosaar.

On the motion of the Finance Committee with 42 votes in favour (21 votes against) the Bill on Amendments to the Income Tax Act (767 SE), initiated by the Res Publica Faction.

Due to the end of the working hours of the sitting, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to § 15 of the Value Added Tax Act (768 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Mark Soosaar, Liina Tõnisson and Peeter Kreitzberg, was suspended. The legislative proceeding of the Bill will be resumed on Wednesday’s sitting.

The Riigikogu Press Service

24 January 2006