First reading of the draft resolution (479 OE) of the Riigikogu concerning "The use of the Defence Forces in fulfilling the international obligations of the Republic of Estonia in a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or member state, European Union, or United Nations-led international military operation involving the first contribution thereto."
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2024-11-06 20:01
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 28
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 32m
AI Summaries: 28/28 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The 12th item on the agenda was the Riigikogu's first reading of the government bill 479 OE – concerning a special mandate for the use of the Defence Forces on international operations. The presentation was given by the Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur. The discussion centered on how limited and urgent the selection and execution of tasks can be on operations led by NATO or the UN, and to what extent the Riigikogu must assert its rights and provide information in relation to the mandate given to the government. Drawing on past experiences (2020, 2021, 2024), it was emphasized that special mandates have been rare and their use is under control, and that parliament has always been informed through the National Defence Committee. The discussion highlighted the constitutional restrictions (§ 128 paragraph 1), according to which the Riigikogu decides on the use of the Defence Forces on foreign missions, and that the implementation of the special mandate must occur in conjunction with parliamentary oversight. Finally, the chair announced that the first reading was concluded and the next step is the deadline for submitting amendments on November 20th at 10:00.
Decisions Made 2
The Defence Committee proposes to the Riigikogu to conclude the first reading of the bill.
The Riigikogu concludes the first reading and sets deadlines for submitting amendments until November 20th at 10:00.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Varro Vooglaid (pid ehjpLK1FIak), who represents right-wing views in the Astra and EKRE factions and to whom is primarily attributed objections and critical observations regarding the bill’s restrictions, constitutional control, and specific intentions. His role directly describes the opposition, which emphasizes the safety of democratic control and criticism from the Parliamentary Ombudsman.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced that he would read from the outset the introduction to the 12th agenda item and would present to the Riigikogu the government-submitted Riigikogu decision on the use of the armed forces to fulfill Estonia's international obligations in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation or in another international operation led by that organization or by one of its member states (Bill 479, first reading), and asked that the presenter at the Riigikogu's speaking podium be Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur.
Kaitseminister Hanno Pevkur
AI Summary
This draft bill would, if necessary, grant an exceptional mandate that would allow rapid response to security threats and flexibly form an international mission, which has been used three times before (the 2020 Mediterranean operation EUNAVFOR Med/Sophia, 2021 Mozambique, and this year in the Red Sea EUNAVFOR ASPIDES), and for the next year it would continue under the regular parliamentary mandate.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Lauri Hussar thanks, notes that the minister has at least one question, and invites Varro Vooglaid to present that question.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
They argue that the draft does not comply with the Constitution, because it would grant the government a mandate to use the armed forces on foreign missions without the Riigikogu knowing where, with whom, and when they go, which is contrary to the Riigikogu's decision-making authority laid out in § 128.
Kaitseminister Hanno Pevkur
AI Summary
Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that the mandate is limited and tied to the NATO/EU/UN mandates, which allows the allies to act quickly and flexibly, and this possibility is guaranteed by the National Defence Act, but Parliament knows and the defense minister must report to the Defence Committee – notification to Parliament will take place in any case.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invites Anti Poolametsa to speak.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets emphasizes that Parliament must have a clear understanding of what and where it sends, so that the executive power does not seize an unacceptably large amount of power at Parliament's expense, and notes that through extraordinary sessions decisions can be made quickly, and finally asks why Parliament's role should be smaller than usual.
Kaitseminister Hanno Pevkur
AI Summary
Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that his position is the same as last year, and for the use of an exceptional mandate a government agreement and a review by the Parliament's National Defence Committee are required, and the mandates apply only to activities related to the UN, NATO, the European Union, or a NATO member state, as illustrated by examples from 2020–2021 and 2024, when the same mandate was used during the EKRE government.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asks Varro Vooglaid to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
They emphasize that although the government has not changed its position, it is possible to convene the Riigikogu quickly and, if necessary, grant mandates, and they ask for examples from history of situations in which the Estonian Defence Forces would have been sent on a military operation within a single day.
Kaitseminister Hanno Pevkur
AI Summary
He noted that mandates have been used very rarely, on three occasions (during the 2020 EKRE government, in 2021 and in 2024), and, as in the Red Sea case, responses to allied attacks were swift, and EUNAVFOR ASPIDES was created for this purpose, because the usual mandate procedure takes about two to four months.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Hussar invited Arvo Alleri to speak.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
They clarified that EKRE was in the government in 2020, but was no longer in it in 2021.
Kaitseminister Hanno Pevkur
AI Summary
Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur repeats that 2020 was, and that he has said this before.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller calls for reviewing Estonia's foreign policy positions as needed, referring to the United Nations Secretary-General's meeting taking place in Kazan and to the fact that he was not present when Ukraine invited him to Switzerland, and notes that if the UN Secretary-General shakes hands with the president of an aggressor country, our positions cannot remain the same and they must be brought before the Riigikogu if necessary.
Kaitseminister Hanno Pevkur
AI Summary
Estonia does not undertake international military missions lightly, and for every participation we carefully assess why we are there, how much we contribute, and what our tasks are, and the UN remains important to us.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Hussar simply made a request that something be handed over to Anti Poolamets.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets emphasizes that a small state should not be at the forefront if it lacks the necessary language skills, and cites Afghanistan and Mali as examples of failed operations, urging independent thinking and the avoidance of mistakes in future projects.
Kaitseminister Hanno Pevkur
AI Summary
Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur stressed that cooperation with allies and the NATO principle "One for all, and all for one" are of utmost importance for Estonia, and our participation in international missions is based on well-considered decisions that the Parliament has supported to date.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair thanks the Minister of Defence and asks Leo Kunnas, the deputy chair of the National Defence Committee, to present to the Riigikogu the discussion held in the National Defence Committee at the Riigikogu's rostrum.
Leo Kunnas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The National Defence Committee proposes to the Riigikogu to conclude the first reading of the draft bill and to set the deadline for submitting amendments at 10:00 on 20 November, emphasising that the mandate for the next year, provided under the National Defence Act, would, if necessary, enable the initial deployment of up to 100 servicemen to international operations (NATO/EU/UN-led), which are necessary for making time-critical decisions and take into account what is happening in the world, including ASPIDES-style threats in the Red Sea.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar informed that the registered question could not be accepted due to the rules, and then negotiations opened, and Varro Vooglaid asked for three minutes of additional time.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid called the draft 479 OE in conflict with the Constitution, because it delegates the decision-making power to use the Defence Forces from the Riigikogu to the government and allows, on its first deployment, sending up to 100 members of the Estonian Defence Forces to international operations, without exactly knowing with whom, against whom, when and where.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar asked, on behalf of the Eesti 200 faction, that Peeter Tali speak at the Riigikogu podium.
Peeter Tali
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Tali emphasizes that Estonia's constitution must be updated to reflect the changing security situation, including that the participation of citizens of aggressor states in elections should not take place, and that, in adopting the Riigikogu's and the National Defence Committee's positions and in the use of exceptional mandates in international operations, defense oversight is ensured.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked and announced that there are no more requests to speak, and gave the floor to his colleague Varro Vooglaiule for the final remarks.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid stressed that decisions to send the Estonian Defence Forces into war must be made transparently, explaining against whom and for what purpose and by whom the authorization is given, and he called on the Chancellor of Justice to investigate the matter seriously.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Thank you very much; I am ending the negotiations; the steering committee's proposal is to close the first reading of Draft No. 479, the first reading has been completed, and the deadline for submitting amendments is November 20 of this year at 10:00.