First Reading of the Bill to Amend the Anti-Corruption Act (442 SE)
Session: Fifteenth Riigikogu, fourth session, plenary session
Date: 2024-09-11 20:22
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 29
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 42m
AI Summaries: 29/29 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
This agenda item covered the first reading of Draft Act 442, the bill amending the Anti-Corruption Act, initiated by the Government of the Republic. The bill introduces 17 amendments addressing bottlenecks that have accumulated over the past 12 years and fulfills point 11.7 of the government's action program, which aims to clarify the regulation concerning the violation of restrictions on proceedings and increase awareness to prevent potential breaches. Significant amendments include the obligation to notify of one's official status in the workplace, the expansion of the definition of a related person, and the clarification of the provision addressing the corruption risk associated with routine activities; a register of beneficial owners will be added; and the supplementation of the exception for healthcare professionals, as well as declarations and declarations of interest.
Decisions Made 1
The first reading is concluded; the draft bill shall be placed on the plenary session agenda for September 11th, and the deadline for submitting amendments is September 25th at 5:15 p.m.
Most Active Speaker
Helle-Moonika Helme (ID WgDOnz_gvIs), who belongs to the right-wing EKRE faction, appeared as the most active speaker; political alignment: far-right/right-wing political grouping.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Parliament continues with the sixth item on the agenda, which is the first reading of Draft Act 442 on amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act, initiated by the Government of the Republic, and Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta is invited to the rostrum for the presentation on behalf of the initiator.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta presented 17 amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act before the Riigikogu. These amendments clarify the notification of official status, expand the definition of a related person (including cohabiting partners in relationships similar to marriage), streamline the corruption risk associated with routine actions, add a register of beneficial owners and an exception for healthcare workers, introduce new categories for investments in declarations, and increase the fine for violations.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
There are certainly questions, and Helle-Moonika Helme has been invited to speak.

Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Rapporteur Helle-Moonika Helme asserts that the new law regulates the influence of family and close relationships on the salaries of ministerial advisors, and could increase the risk of corruption if ministers discuss and determine the pay for the relatives of their friends or party colleagues.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller is simply asking a question.

Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme is asking whether a group that divvies up advisory positions and salaries among its members is somehow bound by law, or ought to be, and she is requesting your perspective on the matter.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
The main substance of the presentation is that intimate partner violence arises in the case of a person who is in an intimate relationship with an official, and its interpretation is the same as in cases of intimate partner violence under the Penal Code. Furthermore, being a friend or a fellow party member does not constitute intimate partner violence, and friendship does not provide grounds for suspicion of corruption.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller invites Eduard Odinets to speak.
Eduard Odinets
AI Summary
Eduard Odinets expressed concern that, although he supports narrowing and clarifying the definition of a related party and the principles governing prohibited transactions, overly clear criteria might open the door to irregular transactions and the concealment of related parties.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
It is stressed that the foundation for state-imposed penalties must be clearly and constitutionally defined. Meanwhile, ethical assessments can be broader, and while institutions and companies have the right to establish their own ethical norms, the imposition of state punishment for violations of these norms remains a matter requiring further clarification and transparency.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
According to Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller, Helle-Moonika Helme will ask the second question, and one minute is allocated for the answer.

Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The waitress asks whether the appointment of the wife of the Chairman of the Reform Party and Prime Minister as a ministerial advisor is generally ethical and moral, and whether it is tolerable or not, stressing that morality and ethics should not be confined merely to legality.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Liisa-Ly Pakosta stressed that the concept of a close person is clear under case law and legislation; a minister must not hire their spouse or a close relative, but they may hire the family member of an acquaintance if that is the best choice. And while we all know many people, and it is impossible to exclude the hiring of all acquaintances or their family members, this is not considered corruption.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller announces that the next question will come from Eero Merilind.

Eero Merilind
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Merilind expressed satisfaction with the legal amendment establishing that certain operational restrictions do not apply to healthcare workers. She then asked whether doctors are considered public officials under the scope of this law, and whether all restrictions apply to them during treatment.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
According to Liisa-Ly Pakosta, the Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs, doctors are generally not considered officials, except when they issue an administrative document or perform actions inseparably linked to the provision of healthcare services. Furthermore, although the provision of healthcare services has been granted an exception to the restriction on proceedings (or activities), a more detailed elaboration and the limitation on undue advantage must be clarified through ethical rules to prevent the favoring of family members. Scientists have also expressed a desire for a similar exception.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller asks Eduard Odinets to present the second question.
Eduard Odinets
AI Summary
Eduard Odinets raises a specific question concerning the definition of an associated person (or 'related party'). He asks whether the directors of institutions managed by the local government who participate in decision-making can be classified as associated persons, whether this issue has already been discussed, and states that he is prepared to debate the topic further.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
According to Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller, your time has come and action must be taken.
Eduard Odinets
AI Summary
Eduard Odinets is dealing with the preparation of the draft bill for its second reading.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
He said that directors of local government enterprises or schools must recuse themselves during decisions concerning their own institutions (e.g., issues of profit/dividends, or discussions about a specific school's budget and repairs), but they are still allowed to vote on the general city or municipal budget.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a brief call to invite Madis Timpson to the stage.

Madis Timpson
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Madis Timpson thanked the minister, recalling that he was indeed the Minister of Justice who had brought the bill to the government and that it would bring much legal certainty. However, he asked what the Ministry of Justice’s proposal was regarding the postponement of the amendment to Section 14 and what the new effective date might be.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta outlined several solutions for the outdated database: postponing implementation by a year, transferring the database to the State Information Systems Centre and creating a new system, or making the entry into force conditional on the existence of technical capability. She also recommended removing the option from the draft bill until the e-solutions are clear, while simultaneously emphasizing the need for a secure and modern database in light of increasing cyber attacks.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Following the presentation, it is announced that there are no further questions for the minister, and Eduard Odinets, a member of the Constitutional Committee, is invited to the podium.
Eduard Odinets
AI Summary
The Constitutional Committee debated the first reading of Bill 442. The discussion was brief, and ministers presented the substance of the bill along with explanations regarding the exception for healthcare workers. The committee decided to conclude the first reading and forward the bill to the Plenary Session on September 11th, appointing Eduard Odinets as the rapporteur.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the presenter and announced that there were no questions.
Eduard Odinets
AI Summary
Eduard Odinets expresses thanks.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar opened the discussions, stated that representatives of the factions would be given the floor, noted that there were no requests to speak and the discussions would therefore be closed, and added that the proposal of the lead committee is the conclusion of the first reading of Draft Act 442 – the first reading is concluded, and the deadline for submitting amendments is September 25th of this year at 17:15.