The Riigikogu concluded the second 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 management of professional cooperation in the Estonian library network, and makes amendments to the rules concerning the use of the National Library. Pursuant to the Bill, the task of maintaining the Riigikogu archives will be handed over from the National Library to the Chancellery of the Riigikogu.

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Earth’s Crust Act (824 SE), initiated by the Estonian People’s Union Faction, Estonian Centre Party Faction and Estonian Reform Party Faction. The Bill provides for the possibility to refuse to accept an application for permitting oil-shale mining into legislative proceeding, until the future use of oil-shale is not determined. According to the plan, the Government should approve the oil-shale use development plan during the first half of this year.

On the motion of the Constitutional Committee the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to § 7(3) of the Republic of Estonia Principles of Ownership Reform Act (15 SE) was suspended. Pursuant to the Bill, the resettlers to Germany are not entitled subjects of property reform and the property which belonged to them and was unlawfully expropriated from them prior to their departure from Estonia, will not be restituted.

The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu On Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic (801 OE), submitted by the Isamaaliit Faction. 25 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the passage of the Act, 48 were against it. On the motion of the Social Affairs Committee the Bill on Amendments to the Working and Rest Time Act (792 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu Peeter Kreitzberg and Eiki Nestor, was withdrawn from the legislative proceeding with 47 votes in favour (7 votes against,1 abstention).

Due to the end of the working hours of the sitting, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Pre-school Child Care Institutions Act, Vocational Educational Institutions Act and Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act (802 SE), initiated by Member of the Riigikogu Peeter Kreitzberg, was adjourned. The legislative proceeding of the Bill will be resumed on Wednesday’s sitting.

The Riigikogu Press Service