Draft law amending the Waste Act and, in consequence, amending other laws (461 SE) - third reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session
Date: 2024-12-16 17:23
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 12
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 21m
AI Summaries: 12/12 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda item was the third reading of bill 461, amending the Waste Management Act and, in connection with that, amending other laws, initiated by the Republic's Government. Although the bill's title referred to the Waste Management Act, all speakers essentially treated it as an amendment bill concerning motor vehicle tax (automotive tax), dealing with the handling of scrap vehicles and the taxation of vehicles temporarily suspended in the registry.
Opposition factions (Isamaa, EKRE, Centre Party) sharply criticized the bill, considering it a hastily assembled amendment to fix errors in the motor vehicle tax. Andres Metsoja (Isamaa) emphasized that motor vehicle tax is inherently unfair, increasing inequality between regions, and highlighted the bill's problems in defining property rights and abandoned property. Rain Epler (EKRE) called the motor vehicle tax a "rushed-together mess" and found that the scrap levy (800 euros) being introduced by the bill is actually yet another tax. Lauri Laats (Centre Party) agreed, confirming that the Centre Party faction does not support the motor vehicle tax or the related amendment laws, which burden households and businesses. Coalition factions (Eesti 200, Social Democrats) conversely supported the bill. Igor Taro (Eesti 200) emphasized that the bill addresses a significant environmental problem in the long term, resolving the scrap issue and balancing the property rights of vehicle owners with the rights of landowners. Anti Allas (SDE) praised the bill as a sensible and improved law, refined during the procedure, which exempts vehicles temporarily removed from the registry from motor vehicle tax, thereby avoiding people's disappointment.
Decisions Made 1
Bill 461, amending the Waste Management Act and other related laws initiated by the Government of the Republic, was adopted as law. Fifty members of the Riigikogu voted in favor, and sixteen voted against.
Most Active Speaker
Andres Metsoja of the Isamaa faction (right), who presented the most thorough criticism of the draft and the car tax's inequitable nature, focusing on the problems of property rights and regional inequality.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Lauri Hussar announced that the agenda item is the Government-initiated bill to amend the Waste Act and, in connection with it, the bill to amend other laws, No. 461, which is the third reading of this bill, and opened negotiations between the factions, and on behalf of the Isamaa faction asked the Riigikogu to grant the floor to their colleague Andres Metsoja.
Andres Metsoja
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Andres Metsoja said that the motor vehicle tax bill is unfair, ties ownership-rights questions in an unclear way, and does not fairly resolve the problem of scrap vehicles, therefore the Isamaa faction does not support it.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Speaker Lauri Hussar invited Rain Epler on behalf of the EKRE faction to the Riigikogu podium.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler stresses that the bill to amend the car tax has been hastily drafted and places a significant financial burden on residents of rural areas and on large families, because going forward an 800-euro tax will apply, not just a transition, but additional costs, and he calls on the coalition to listen to rural people.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Speaker Lauri Hussar gives thanks and, on behalf of the Estonian Centre Party faction, asks the Riigikogu to grant the floor to his colleague Lauri Laatsi.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The Centre Party faction does not support the car tax or its accompanying tax increases, as they primarily burden the pockets of families and businesses and will have a negative impact next year and in 2026.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman invited Igor Taro to the podium on behalf of the Eesti 200 faction.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro said that Eesti 200 supports a bill that, in the long term, deals with the Roma problem, balances the rights of property owners and landowners, and encourages owners to give up old, out-of-use vehicles in order to improve the environment and the streetscape.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Lauri Hussar, on behalf of the Social Democratic Party faction, submitted a request to Anti Allas for speaking time in the Riigikogu and three minutes of additional time.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas said that although he does not go into details, the draft has become more reasonable during the proceedings, and it does not deal directly with motor vehicle taxation, but solves the problems that have arisen in the wake of that taxation, temporarily exempts from auto tax vehicles deregistered from the registry, and emphasizes vehicle lifecycle management, including the needs of rural residents for spare cars.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, announced for final vote the draft bill No. 461, the content of which is the amendment of the Waste Act and amendments to related laws, and asked the Riigikogu to take a stand and vote.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Riigikogu adopted Bill 461 as law: 50 in favor, 16 against, with no abstentions.