The Riigikogu supported the Proposal No 3 from the Chancellor of Justice to bring the Local Government Council Election Act into conformity with the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia at today’s sitting.In the words of the Chancellor of Justice Indrek Teder, the provisions of the Local Government Council Election Act which set out the formation of electoral districts in Tallinn by city districts and differences in the distribution of mandates between electoral districts are in conflict with the constitutional principle of uniformity and proportionality of elections. 66 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 4 voted against, nobody abstained. On the basis of that, the Board of the Riigikogu made a proposal to the Constitutional Committee to initiate a Bill for bringing the specified Act into conformity with the Constitution.

On the motion of the Legal Affairs Committee as the leading committee, the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Commercial Code and the Penal Code and Associated Acts (332 SE), initiated by the Government, was concluded. The amendments create a regulation which should prevent malevolent persons from appointing, without the knowledge of the shareholders or the management board of a private limited company, strangers as members of the management board and supervisory board of the company by forging documents. To that end, stricter formal requirements are provided for the minutes of a meeting of shareholders, a record of voting or a resolution of shareholders in the cases when a resolution of shareholders is the basis for the election of a member of the management board. Another major amendment in the Penal Code provides that the court may apply a prohibition on business as supplementary punishment with respect to a person, that is, prohibit him or her from acting as an undertaking, a member of a management body of a legal person, the liquidator of a legal person or a procurator, or from participating in the management of a legal person in any other way during a certain period of time. A prohibition on business eliminates persons who fail to adhere to fair business practices from business for a certain period of time and thereby contributes to ensuring the reliability of the economic environment of Estonia. The Bill was sent to the third reading.
 
On the motion of the Legal Affairs Committee as the leading committee, the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Penal Code (322 SE), initiated by the Government, was concluded. According to the Bill, the General Part of the Penal Code is amended by adding two provisions: the first provides punishability of an attempt of instigation to crime, the consent to a proposal to commit a crime and an agreement to commit a crime, and the other provision sets out the possibility to be released from liability by abandoning an attempt of instigation, an agreement or consent. The Bill was sent to the third reading.
 
On the motion of the Legal Affairs Committee as the leading committee, the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Bar Association Act and Associated Acts (253 SE), initiated by the Government, was concluded. The purpose of the Bill is to improve the quality of state legal aid and to ensure better availability of advocates to unprivileged persons. The Bill puts an end to the organisation of legal aid where preliminary investigators and prosecutors can choose an opposing party convenient for them which, in the opinion of the initiator, is not suited for a democratic state based on the rule of law. The mechanisms for supervision of the activities of the Bar Association are established and the right to exercise the supervision is granted to the Minister of Justice. The Bill was sent to the third reading.
 
Due to the end of the working hours of the plenary meeting, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Government of the Republic Act and to Other Acts, related to Merger of Environmental Authorities of the Ministry of the Environment, the State Nature Conservation Centre and the Radiation Protection Centre into the Environment and Nature Protection Board (367 SE), initiated by the Government, was adjourned. The deliberation will be resumed on Wednesday, at the sitting beginning at 2 p.m.
 
 
The Estonian Centre Party Faction as the initiator withdrew from the legislative proceeding the Bill on Amendments to the Gambling Tax Act (76 SE).
 
 
The Riigikogu Press Service
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