The Minister of Internal Affairs Ken-Marti Vaher replied to the interpellation concerning internal security (No 189), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Eldar Efendijev, Enn Eesmaa, Lauri Laasi, Marika Tuus-Laul, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Peeter Võsa, Priit Toobal, Tarmo Tamm, Valeri Korb, Viktor Vassiljev, Vladimir Velman and Yana Toom on 18 September. 

Vaher explained that the police will certainly have to make their clear conclusions from the specific murder case in the town of Türi, referred to in the interpellation. He assured that the area of government of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the police prioritize the prevention and avoidance of human loss. “Also in this case it is being ascertained what the police could have done to prevent this tragic incident. At the same time, the prompt and relevant action of the police has to be highlighted because the murder was committed around midday on Monday and the suspect had been caught by the evening of the same day,” the Minister of Internal Affairs noted. When speaking about the so-called “Viljandi incident”, Vaher said that every attack on a police officer is undoubtedly unacceptable behaviour which must be regarded as an attack on the Estonian state. 

The Minister of the Internal Affairs said that the cases described in the interpellation show that we need a strong and highly competent centrally managed unit in order to be successful in combating organised crime in particular. He confirmed that this is his goal as the Minister of Internal Affairs. Vaher noted that, this year, a total of ca 1.5 million euro has been allocated to increase the procedural capacity of the criminal police, and 315,000 euro have been allocated to purchase additional special equipment and for criminal intelligence. These are specific steps that show that combating serious crime is a clear priority for us and there is a clear will to keep on strengthening the criminal police. 

The Minister of Internal Affairs confirmed that every dispatch which requires an operational intervention by the police will be serviced. “However, the control centre of the police has to clearly specify the actual need for and the character of every dispatch, on the basis of which the need for the resolution of the event and relevant resources are assessed. A clear increase of the economic expenditure for ensuring the vital services is projected also for the next year and the parliament is going to discuss it here within the framework of the 2013 budget,” Vaher said. 

When speaking about the aim of the reorganisations in the Rescue Board, Vaher noted that the relocation of the existing rescuers is intended to provide life-saving rescue service to a maximum number of Estonian residents. In the course of the reorganisation, the posts of 166 rescue service workers were also relocated in commandos which increased the number of commandos providing consistent life-saving capacity to 66 instead of the earlier 41. Thereby the number of people receiving rescue service available within 15 minutes was increased by 121,000. This service is ensured to a total of 93% of Estonian residents by now, instead of the earlier ca 80%, Vaher explained. 

The Minister of Education and Research Jaak Aaviksoo replied to the interpellation concerning school textbooks (No 180), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Eldar Efendijev, Enn Eesmaa, Mailis Reps, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Olga Sõtnik, Valeri Korb and Yana Toom on 13 June. 

The Minister of Justice Kristen Michal replied to the interpellation concerning criminal offences committed by Estonian citizens abroad (No 185), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Heimar Lenk, Lauri Laasi, Marika Tuus-Laul, Priit Toobal, Viktor Vassiljev and Yana Toom on 30 August. 

The Minister of Social Affairs Hanno Pevkur replied to two interpellations. They were the following: 

the interpellation concerning the availability of services (No 181), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kadri Simson, Lauri Laasi, Peeter Võsa, Viktor Vassiljev and Yana Toom on 14 June; 

the interpellation concerning the decrease of average pension (No 187), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Eldar Efendijev, Enn Eesmaa, Ester Tuiksoo, Heimar Lenk, Kadri Simson, Mailis Reps, Marika Tuus-Laul, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Peeter Võsa, Priit Toobal, Valeri Korb, Viktor Vassiljev, Vladimir Velman and Yana Toom on 12 September. 

During the open microphone, Mihhail Stalnuhhin and Inara Luigas took the floor. 

The Riigikogu Press Service