Draft law amending the Act on the Status of a Member of the Riigikogu (528 SE) – first reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session
Date: 2024-12-10 14:19
Total Speeches: 39
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 0m
AI Summaries: 39/39 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Under agenda item three, the Riigikogu considered the first reading of the draft law amending the Act on the Status of a Member of the Riigikogu, initiated by the Estonian Centre Party faction, number 528. The main point of the draft law proposed to link the salary and expense allowances of a member of the Riigikogu to the actual performance of their work duties: reductions in salary are foreseen for participation in plenary sittings and committee meetings, and in certain cases, adjustments to expense allowances are also being considered. The representative presenting the draft was Riigikogu member Lauri Laats. During his speech, he highlighted similar practices in foreign countries, as well as the need for work behaviour monitoring and transparency that is understandable to the public. The need to account for absences due to illness and family reasons, as well as for assignments, was also emphasized, but the primary goal was to create a clearer and fairer system that connects salary with work contribution.
In the second part of the discussion, the scope broadened to three aspects of practices in European countries: what reward or penalty systems apply based on attendance, how much actual work needs to be done, and how transparent expense allowances are; the discussion concluded with a remark indicating that today’s discussion is the first step, and if necessary, unjustified as well as justified absences and periods of application can be clarified during the second reading. Finally, in concluding remarks, the steering committee decided to reject the draft law on first reading, as a result of which the draft law is removed from the procedure.
Decisions Made 1
Bill 528 is rejected on its first reading. The bill falls off the agenda.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker on this agenda item was 5VNfkRwGZMI, a member of the Riigikogu from the Estonian Centre Party faction. Position: other (centre). They actively represented the discussion and presented, repeatedly emphasizing, examples and questions of social cohesion regarding salaries and contribution to the Riigikogu.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
As the third item on the agenda, the draft law No. 528 on amendments to the Riigikogu Member Status Act, initiated by the Centre Party faction, will be presented for its first reading; the rapporteur is Lauri Laats.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats introduced a bill according to which a Riigikogu member's salary and expense reimbursements depend on participation in the work of the plenary and committees (85% or more guarantees 100% of the salary). With lower participation, salaries are reduced, and increasing transparency and accountability are the common goal, taking a cue from the practices of other countries.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman thanks the presenter, notes that there are a number of questions here, and invites Aleksandr Tšaplõgini.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The rapporteur states that a fairly decent offer was made, but the government coalition apparently wants to shelve the bill and asks for a reason.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats asserts that the bill is very timely and that he is one hundred percent in favor of it, emphasizes the need to address absences and their causes, and hopes that the Riigikogu will give before Christmas the gift of solidarity, being prepared to move forward constructively and to clarify whether it will be voted down at the first reading or not.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
During the speech, Vadim Belobrovtsev is invited to perform.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev expresses pessimism, accuses the coalition that although they make constructive proposals, they are still voted down, and calls for implementing the same attendance rule as in the rest of Estonia, where if you don't go to work there must be a justification, otherwise you won't be paid.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats accuses the coalition and the Social Democrats of saying one thing and voting for another, and of blocking the lowering of the bank tax and the VAT on groceries, claiming that the coalition puts its own interests first in the name of ministerial posts, rather than pursuing fairer taxation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman invites Vladimir Arhipov onto the stage.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov draws a comparison with the school grading system and asks whether the same motivation works for members of the Riigikogu, or whether they simply come to vote and disappear.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats stresses that the Riigikogu's work must become more transparent, and that voters should be able to exercise oversight, including linking pay to work as one possible instrument, and making ministers' representational expenses transparent is essential, because ministers do not participate in debates and do not want transparency.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a short prayer addressed to Irja Lutsar.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
He asks how attendance will be checked during working hours, because he has noticed a systematic absence in a certain group and wants to know if someone is regularly monitoring who is present.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats explains that a 15 percent leeway allows a Riigikogu member to receive a 100 percent salary if he fulfills 85 percent of his duties, but notes the need to regulate participation levels and to use various measures that are also seen in other countries, such as Sweden or Germany.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy chair Arvo Aller addresses Mart Maastik and asks him to speak.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maastik thanks you for the substantive presentation and emphasizes that MPs do not do their work merely by sitting, but their work should be evaluated through the substantive value of their draft laws, inquiries, and speeches; to establish an expert commission to assess the content and competence of speeches and to consider the entire European package, sanctions in case of absences, and ratings and rewards that value the work.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats emphasizes that although the ideas are good and amendments should be submitted for the second reading, the schools' grading system must not be implemented, and MPs should be active—according to current statistics the opposition is considerably more active, and he is among these three.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller presents a petition to Lauri Hussar.
Lauri Hussar
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Lauri Hussar thanked the chair and said that finding savings opportunities is justified when people do not fulfill their duties, and, for example, participating in up to a fifth of committee meetings creates a significant saving opportunity, and the proposal deserves consideration, but he raised a technical question about the drafting of the bill and its compliance with the Constitution, and noted that the bill provides for entry into force on January 1, 2025, which cannot be implemented under §75.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
They stressed that many pre-draft proposals are cobwebs and have been drawn up without thorough analysis, but during the first reading amendments can be made, including adding reasons arising from the absence of the second part (sick leave and parental leave) and correcting the implementation date, and the faction is open to all good proposals.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski to come forward.
Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He believes this is a populist bill that will not improve the quality of the Riigikogu's work, and asks whether MPs in other European parliaments have personal assistants, not only advisers to parliamentary groups.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats says that the bill is not populist and the Estonian Parliament could use some help, but the current tax environment and coalition steps make implementing such a solution difficult, and one must take into account cuts to salaries and expense allowances.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech contains merely a plea to invite Toomas Uibo onto the stage.
Toomas Uibo
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
Toomas Uibo asks whether there were any dissenting votes in the faction regarding the draft bill, whether an improvement in work culture is expected, and how the draft regulates the work of Riigikogu members outside of sessions during a crisis.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats said that the work culture among the factions is different, the law also applies to future terms, work must be done outside the Riigikogu as well, and interacting with voters yields invaluable feedback, on the basis of which the work can be improved, and he invited everyone to share ideas and to support the bill in its first reading.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
During the speech, Anastasia Kovalenko-Kõlvart is invited to perform.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart emphasizes that the Estonian people do not trust the Riigikogu, and trust has fallen, because the hall is almost empty and people are watching broadcasts and seeing pictures from Bali, and she asks whether the draft could improve this level of trust.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats notes that the rise in public distrust of the Parliament is a major problem, and the coalition's bad decisions affect the entire society and the economic environment, but improvements in work culture and people's expectations regarding stricter measures and the Parliament's status and remuneration confirm that increasing prestige is the right step.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy chairman Arvo Aller invites Priit Sibul onto the stage.
Priit Sibul
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
During the discussion, it was considered whether the given draft could change how an ambassador's work is measured and whether that could necessitate changes to the electoral system, and at the same time concerns were raised about the courthouse closure in Põlvamaa, about the SKA, and about the lack of accountability.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats emphasizes that due to deficient regional policy, Estonia experiences strong regional divisions and migration, the absence of deputies in electoral districts, and a disappearance of services, which forces people to leave and reduces investments and jobs, with examples including a damage of 155 million euros and investments lost to Ericsson, therefore it is vitally necessary to implement realistic regional policy solutions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman invites Priit Sibul onto the stage.
Priit Sibul
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Priit Sibul discusses how to measure a member of parliament's work not only by the number of hours spent in sessions, but also by whether he listens to and meets with voters, represents their ideas and implements them, and which methods could bring voters closer and improve the parliament's reputation.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats said that the main method is listening to and fulfilling people's expectations and turning their ideas into reality, and he referred to the Centre Party's draft bills — lowering the bank levy, reducing the value-added tax on food, and changing the status and remuneration of a Riigikogu member — which have been discussed with the local community and whose aim is to improve the Riigikogu's reputation now and in the future.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller thanked and announced that the questions were over, and asked Pipi-Liis Siemanni, a member of the Constitutional Committee, to introduce the discussion that took place in the lead committee.
Pipi-Liis Siemann
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riigikogu Constitutional Committee discussed at its December 3 session a bill that had been under lengthy consideration, found that it is laconic and needs supplementation, and that under the law there are no possibilities for members of parliament to be absent, whether justified or unjustified, and decided to reject the bill with 5 votes in favor, 3 against, and appointed the lead committee's spokesperson as the rapporteur.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Arvo Aller announced that he would open negotiations, but there is no willingness to negotiate and they will be closed, and to reject the Steering Committee's proposal, Draft Bill 528, at its first reading, after which preparations for a vote will begin, and colleagues were asked to take a position and vote.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) voted to reject Bill 528 (40 in favour, 10 against, 1 abstention); the bill is withdrawn from consideration, the agenda has been exhausted, and the session has ended.