Security
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th sitting, press briefing
Date: 2024-12-04 14:15
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 19
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 16m
AI Summaries: 19/19 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Today, the second question to the Minister of the Interior, Lauri Läänemets, was addressed in the Riigikogu, submitted by the Riigikogu member Lauri Laats, and the topic was security. The aim of the first part was to emphasize that the resilience of the economy and social stability are the cornerstones of Estonia’s security arrangements, and the discussion included the rise in food prices and regional economic activity that affects the sense of security among residents. In addition, the procedure for amending the Constitution and the coalition negotiations regarding broader voting rights were brought to the agenda.
The second part focused on how a compromise regarding the constitutional amendment will take shape and what influence possibilities and risks are associated with different options, including the expansion of voting rights for local elections to 150,000 and the alteration of the number of holders of a grey passport. The discussion also covered the different viewpoints of the coalition partners and the need to balance the security interests, the economy, and social stability for Estonians.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made.
Most Active Speaker
The most active participant was Member of Parliament Lauri Laats (Center Party). He posed several clarifying questions and drew attention to issues of security and amendments to the constitution; in terms of his position, he can be categorized outside the usual left-OECD right political axis (the aforementioned person belongs to the Center Party) as 'other'.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Riigikogu submits its second question to Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets; the questioner is Lauri Laats, and the topic is security.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats emphasizes that Estonia's unemployment rate is 8.1%, one of the highest in the European Union, criticizes the slogan 'to cope is security' for its appropriateness, and highlights the issue of a shift in public opinion on voting rights in the context of constitutional change, asking whether this is based on new data or merely political considerations.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal stands up and thanks the audience.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
He points out that this question concerns him, and he stands up at the same time.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal laughs heartily, gives Läänemets a pat on the shoulder, and asks playfully: "For you or what?!"
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
They laugh along and say yes.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Michal apologized to Laur.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets emphasizes that together we can also respond.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Lauri Hussar praises the ministers' readiness to answer questions and shows that the government is functioning well and that the ministers are ready to answer questions immediately.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Läänemets stressed that security and resilience are becoming increasingly important, and that the development of the economy, regional attention, and the questions of food prices are also important, and the government made a compromise regarding voting rights in local elections, which concerns about 150,000 people or 70,000 gray passport holders, and the Centre Party has been actively involved in this issue.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Hussar asked Lauri Laats to pose a clarifying question.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats criticized that the government made a compromise at the expense of security in order to fulfill the partners' wishes and asked why they are in government at all if they do not implement their own ideas.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets said that the Social Democrats are a counterbalancing force in the government against the right-wing party, and the coalition agreement foresees an accelerated increase of the minimum wage and greater funding for local governments so that kindergartens, extracurricular education, and schools would be preserved, but final decisions require compromises, and the discussion of constitutional amendments will continue.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar thanked and asked Vadim Belobrovtsev to present an additional question.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev presents three possible explanations in the matter of amending the Constitution: the Venice Commission's position has not changed, the interior minister knows that a timely amendment is not possible, or he has lied — and emphasizes that the Centre Party was against it from the outset and believed the minister's words.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets said that there remains a lingering doubt about the amendment taking effect, that in matters of voting rights each case must be assessed individually with regard to security considerations, and that those living in Estonia but who are not citizens may contribute and must not be pushed aside; at the same time he noted that the Centre Party fell behind and the debate will continue over the Social Democrats’ nomination.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, thanks the Minister of the Interior, ends the consideration of the second question, and before moving on to the third question, asks Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart to inquire about the procedure for conducting the sitting.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart accuses the Minister of the Interior of ignoring answers to questions about internal security and of worrying about the Centre Party's voters, saying that as the chair of the SDE he could instead worry about his own voters.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar expressed concern for his colleagues and said that he could not treat this as an issue regarding the rules for conducting the meeting.