First Reading of the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu (407 OE) "Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic regarding the Increase of Support for Youth Extracurricular Activities."
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
Date: 2024-05-29 23:11
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 34
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 26m
AI Summaries: 34/34 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The subsequent agenda item concerned Draft Resolution 407 of the Riigikogu, submitted by the Estonian Centre Party faction, which seeks to restore funding for youth extracurricular activities to 14,250,000 euros annually. The previous support had been cut to 10,250,000 euros for 2022, and Estonian local municipalities have emphasized that these cuts complicate the provision of youth hobby education and extracurricular activities. The objective of the draft resolution was to ensure better opportunities for young people regarding joint activities and hobby education, and therefore the government was requested to restore this funding back to its original size.
Decisions Made 1
Result of the Riigikogu final vote: Bill 407 rejected. Vote count: 11 in favor, 0 against, 0 abstentions.
Most Active Speaker
Speaker and Most Active Participant: Aleksei Yevgrafov (Member of the Riigikogu, representative of the Estonian Centre Party faction). Position: other.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Today, we will consider Draft Resolution No. 407, submitted by the Estonian Centre Party faction, concerning the increase of support for youth extracurricular activities. The rapporteur for this draft is Aleksei Jevgrafov.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Aleksei Jevgrafov requested that the government restore funding for extracurricular activities to its former level of 14.25 million euros per year, arguing that the 2022 budget cuts and rising prices have left local municipalities struggling to meet the demand for these activities.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the presenter, announced the questions, and invited Aleksandr Tšaplõgin to speak.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The rapporteur's proposal requires state funding and requests clarification regarding its sources of financing.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The Centre Party and its parliamentary group have long been discussing a bank tax, scrapping the income tax reform, and reviewing the number of civil servants.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invites Andrei Korobeinik to the stage.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik rhetorically asks if the money collected from the sugar tax shouldn't instead be channeled into extracurricular education, ensuring children receive genuine benefit from it, rather than just taking money away from them.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Aleksei Yevgrafov says that the sugar tax will not solve children's health problems, and the money should instead be directed toward extracurricular activities, sports schools, and clubs, as well as promoting sports, which is much more beneficial than simply banning soda.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invites Vadim Belobrovtsev to the stage.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He asks the presenter to clarify what the state's funding for investing in hobby education means for local municipalities, what the eventual withdrawal of that money entails, and how this practically impacts local governments.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Former mayor Aleksei Yevgrafov notes that if the state does not provide sufficient funding, the local government cannot cover all expenses. He outlines two options: either abandon children's extracurricular activities in clubs and associations, or raise the participation fee and shift the shortfall onto the parents. However, he concludes that in today's complicated situation, this would be a very wrong decision.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invites Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart to the stage.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The speaker emphasized that local municipalities are already contributing over 100 million euros, and the state's 10 million is a small fraction compared to those investments, and asked whether, considering the difficult decisions, they would not only stop adding funds but also further cut parts that have already been reduced.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He said that even though it might be possible, it's tantamount to a crime.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chair thanked the rapporteur, announced that there were no further questions, and then invited Tanel Tein, a member of the Culture Committee, to present the discussion that had taken place within the Culture Committee concerning the Riigikogu speaker’s rostrum.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The Culture Committee discussed Draft Decision 407 regarding the restoration of support for youth extracurricular activities and the preservation of the existing funding level of 14.25 million euros. The committee acknowledged the reasons behind the proposed cuts and explored options for attracting private funding. They ultimately decided to schedule the final vote for May 29, 2024, and designated Tanel Tein as the lead committee member responsible for the matter.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanks the presenter and announces that questions will be put to him, and invites Vadim Belobrovtsev to respond.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev thanks his colleague Tanel and chuckles that the discussion in the commission didn't last two hours because the presentation was very thorough.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The committee held a very constructive discussion; all members understood the issue and were prepared to move forward with it. They were subsequently asked to develop the idea you had put forward and demonstrate the necessary steps to finally realize the concept.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He/She said that while funding extracurricular activities from the state budget is crucial, money is not infinite, and therefore the idea of involving private capital was presented as additional support for sports clubs and hobby activities. He/She believes and hopes that the Riigikogu will back this initiative, and that in the future, funding will be secured through private means.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invites Aleksei Yevgrafov to the stage.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Aleksei Jevgrafov thanked the Chair, noting that Tanel supports the draft resolution but understands his concern regarding the budget, and requested clarification on the origin of the private funds—specifically, whether it constitutes sponsorship money or commercial revenue that would allow for the provision of sports activities for children.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The current Income Tax Act allows companies to distribute or donate up to 10% of their profit tax-free, but the system isn't working. The potential is huge—approximately 1 billion euros could be donated tax-free—yet only about 0.5% of the 100,000 companies contribute to sports and culture, because entrepreneurs feel isolated and are waiting for state intervention, which could be encouraged by a cooperation model similar to the pension system, where the state contributes 4% and the individual 2%, thereby incentivizing the private sector.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Hussar invites Lauri Laats to the stage.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats pointed out that the 2022 decision, which gave teachers a pay raise but took funding away from young people, was wrong, and the Culture Committee had to discuss how much this affected young people, how many missed out on extracurricular activities, and what the future impacts might be.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
To raise the quality of sports and culture, it is necessary to develop associations and clubs and involve private funding and corporate support, because reduced funding leads to less support for both parents and clubs, and the state and local government cannot manage to do this alone.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar called upon Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart emphasizes that private funds could be involved in financing children's extracurricular activities through the taxation of banks and a digital tax. She asks whether the discussion regarding the involvement of private funds has already taken place or is still forthcoming, and stresses that alongside the sugar tax, other solutions must also be found to improve the health of young people.
Tanel Tein
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He notes that the debate on the sugar tax is still pending, stresses that certain taxes should be channeled into specific sectors, and pledges to revisit the issue in the Riigikogu in the future.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Speaker thanks the rapporteur, closes the Q&A session, opens the debate, and invites Lauri Laats, representative of the Estonian Centre Party faction, to the Riigikogu rostrum.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats emphasized that funding for youth extracurricular activities must be significantly increased and the 30% cut reversed, proposing a temporary bank solidarity payment and the taxation of foreign companies as a source of financing.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concludes the debate and proceeds to conduct the final vote on Draft Bill 407, during which the draft resolution of the Riigikogu, submitted by the Estonian Centre Party faction, titled "Proposal to the Government of the Republic to increase support for youth extracurricular activities," will be put to a vote.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The proposal received 11 votes in favor, with no votes against and no abstentions, and Bill 407 was rejected.