Interpellation concerning the transfer of Swedish criminals to Estonia (No. 803)
Session: The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
Date: 2025-10-06 21:54
Total Speeches: 51
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 1m
AI Summaries: 51/51 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debated Interpellation No. 803, which was addressed to Minister of the Interior Igor Taro and concerned the transfer of criminals from the Kingdom of Sweden to Estonia and their subsequent imprisonment at Tartu Prison. The questioners, led by Heljo Pikhof, voiced concerns regarding the impact of this government "business plan" on Estonia's internal security, especially in Southern Estonia, where the shortage of police officers and community constables is already severe. The opposition feared that recruiting prison guards would intensify competition between the PPA (Police and Border Guard Board) and other internal security agencies, thereby weakening the overall system, and would also damage Estonia’s reputation. Questions were also raised about the project's actual economic benefits and the potential strain on the healthcare system. Minister of the Interior Igor Taro defended the government's stance, stressing that this was a long-term strategic decision designed to ensure the functioning of the underutilized Tartu Prison and bring a minimum of 30 million euros in revenue to the state budget. The Minister confirmed that the Ministry of the Interior, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), and the Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) had been consulted, and identified risks (such as preventing organized crime and radicalization) had been mitigated. Taro highlighted that the project would create approximately 250 new jobs in Southern Estonia, calling it a regional policy win. He dismissed claims regarding worsening security, pointing to the planned salary increases for frontline workers and the growing popularity of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences.
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made
Most Active Speaker
Heljo Pikhof, a member of the Social Democratic Party, was highly active as the representative for the interpellation, repeatedly posing questions and delivering the closing speech. In that speech, she sharply criticized the government's plan for commercializing internal security. She holds a left-wing position.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi announced that the agenda had reached the sixth item, which was Interpellation No. 803, submitted by members of the Riigikogu to Minister of the Interior Igor Taro, concerning the issue of bringing Swedish criminals to Estonia. He then gave the floor to the submitter of the interpellation, Heljo Pikhof.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof, representing the Social Democrats, submitted an interpellation to the Minister of the Interior regarding the agreement initiated by the Ministry of Justice concerning the transfer of Swedish criminals to Estonia. She demanded clarification on how this affects Estonia’s internal security, considering the already serious shortage of patrol police officers, and asked what the official position of the Ministry of the Interior, the PPA, and KAPO is, and how internal security capabilities will be guaranteed alongside the recruitment of additional personnel for the prison service.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi offered his thanks and announced that a good colleague, Minister of the Interior Igor Taro, had once again been invited to the Riigikogu rostrum.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro confirmed the support of the Ministry of the Interior and its subordinate institutions for the plan to rent Tartu Prison to Sweden, stressing that risks to internal security and public order have been thoroughly mapped out and mitigated by hiring additional resources and personnel, which will create nearly 250 new positions in Southern Estonia. Furthermore, he pointed out that despite the shortage of police officers, there are plans starting in 2026 to ensure a nearly 10% salary increase for internal security frontline workers, including prison staff, in order to keep salary levels competitive and guarantee an economic and security advantage for the region.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller offered his thanks, noted that there were still questions, and then gave the floor to Heljo Pikhof as the next speaker.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof finds the minister’s business plan strange and sharply criticizes the planned increase in the number of prison service officials. This is because there is strong competition in the labor market, the PPA (Police and Border Guard Board) already has a large number of unfilled positions, and weakening the system in the current security situation is irresponsible, as it reduces the public’s sense of security—a concern that has also been confirmed by several high-ranking security leaders.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller yielded the floor to the next speaker with a brief transitional remark, signaling that the time allocated for the address was now at the speaker's disposal.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof casts doubt on the improvement of public safety in Tartu, Põlva, and Valga, questioning how sufficient patrolling and crisis resolution can be guaranteed if police officers are being transferred to the prison service instead.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller thanked the body and confirmed that he would strictly adhere to the time limits during his presentation.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro defended the decision to find a practical use for the vacant Tartu prison complex, asserting that the move would not weaken internal security but rather strengthen it through the allocation of additional salary funds and improved motivation. He stressed that optimizing resources, including the deliberate non-filling of certain posts, has been a strategy employed for years. This approach has allowed for a significant increase in the salaries of both patrol police officers and rescuers, thus providing them with better incentives.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller and Urmas Reinsalu were invited to speak, but the content of his address is not clear from the text provided.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu is appealing to the Minister of the Interior for clarification regarding the prison project detailed in the state budget strategy for 2026–2029. He notes that the project’s business plan allocates 6 million euros in expenditure for 2026 but zero revenue, and he questions why potential revenue has been omitted from the budget. Reinsalu suggests this omission may have been made at the demand of a foreign country (Sweden), which he argues violates Estonia's basic budgetary law.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro confirmed that although the prison issue falls under the responsibility of the Minister of Justice and budget details under the Minister of Finance, the income from prison rent planned in the budget strategy is contractually guaranteed to the Estonian state for a minimum of 30 million euros, irrespective of whether the contractual partner brings in prisoners or not. Furthermore, this sum will increase if the maximum cap is exceeded.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller gave the floor to Raimond Kaljulaid, inviting him to the rostrum.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid expresses indignation regarding the ongoing discussion—which he likens to a "Tujurikkuja" sketch—and demands an answer from the minister as to whether the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have seriously analyzed the damage that the plan to turn the country into a place for housing Nordic criminals will inflict upon the international reputation of the Republic of Estonia. He stressed that interest in sending criminals to Estonia has already been noted in other Nordic countries as well.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro commends Estonia’s highly developed and advanced prison system, dispelling old fears that the presence of a prison would turn Tartu into a “prison city.” On the contrary, Tartu has remained a capital of university life and culture, which proves that Estonia has everything to gain from this situation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller confined himself to a brief introduction of the next speaker, Peeter Ernits, before inviting him to the podium.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits asks the minister to clarify what the required majority vote threshold currently in force in Estonia is for the ratification of a specific treaty, citing the Swedish Riksdag's strict three-quarters requirement for comparison.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Minister of the Interior Igor Taro explained the differences in the ratification of the agreements, noting that the requirement for a three-fourths majority in the Swedish Riksdag stems from constitutional amendments, whereas in Estonia, a simple majority should suffice. He emphasized that a crucial condition for Estonia was the full application of the Estonian legal framework throughout the entire territory, including, for example, in the case of the Tartu prison lease agreement, to avoid a situation where the legal framework of the renting state would apply.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller and Helmen Kütt were called to the rostrum and given the floor.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt expresses skepticism regarding the Minister’s cheerfulness concerning the topic under discussion, citing an anecdote where things are fun initially but later turn sour. She critically asks why the healthcare sector of the Ministry of Social Affairs has not been included in the debate, warning that the 30 million euro investment will subsequently result in greater costs and worsen the availability of treatment for the people of Estonia.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro, who, representing the Ministry of the Interior, focused solely on internal security aspects, confirmed that the risks have been mitigated and an agreement reached. He emphasized that the Swedish prisoners will arrive directly at the prison, will not burden the city of Tartu or the local medical system (the chronically ill will not be brought), and that all costs will be covered by the Swedish state.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
After a brief introduction, Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller gave the floor to the next speaker, Reili Rand.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand expresses concern over the internal security of Western Estonia and the response capability of the PPA (Police and Border Guard Board), questioning whether a 10% salary increase can solve the region's serious labor shortage, especially given the conditions of prison rent. She also asks how the sense of security for local residents will be guaranteed in a situation where, due to the "system of connected vessels," officials might be redirected elsewhere in Estonia.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro confirmed that the increase in police officers' incomes is virtually equivalent to the level demanded by the trade unions. This is due to a 10% increase in the salary fund, which can be allocated to frontline personnel, coupled with government tax decisions that will save the average police officer 150 euros per month in income tax starting next year.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller called the next speaker, Anti Allas, to the podium.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas criticized the government's tax policy for delivering unexpected windfalls to the wealthy rather than raising the salaries of police officers and teachers. He also voiced concern over the long-term viability of leasing out prisons, asking the minister whether business organizations had been consulted to determine if the state benefits more from potential labor creating added value in the private sector or from that labor guarding foreign prisoners in the public sector.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro emphasizes that the biggest problem in Southern Estonia is the lack of well-paid work, which causes the out-migration of the population and thereby threatens the security of border areas. Therefore, in order to ensure the viability of the region, it is essential to create additional jobs there to keep people in place.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller invited Jaak Aab to the rostrum, thereby giving him the opportunity to present his views.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab is requesting that the minister present analysis data detailing the actual salaries of police officers and prison officials in a specific region, in order to confirm or refute the minister's previous claim that police officers' higher salaries supposedly deter them from taking up a prison official post.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro believes that salary increases in the internal security sector should be synchronized, but he stresses that due to the specificity of the positions (for example, a prison officer versus a police officer), exact salary parity is not always possible, nor is it the sole selection criterion. At the same time, he confirms that expanding the range of options supports recruitment, a fact demonstrated by the growing intake at the Academy of Security Sciences.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
After a brief introduction, Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller gave the floor to Züleyxa Izmailova.
Züleyxa Izmailova
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Züleyxa Izmailova sharply criticizes the government's actions, accusing them of running a state budget with a maximum deficit that distributes money to the rich, and lacking ideas for generating state revenue. She ironically suggests that instead of lowering the gambling tax and focusing on filling prisons, they should address the issue of increasingly vacant maternity hospitals by proposing to bring women to Estonia to give birth as a prospective business plan.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro dismisses the notion that Estonia has run out of good ideas for generating revenue, citing as examples the historical export of maternity services in Southeast Estonia (which did cease due to Russia’s aggression) and the prison rental agreement, which brings in millions. He affirms that the government is actively working to reduce bureaucracy and foster entrepreneurship, adding that macro forecasts anticipate an economic growth recovery next year.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller Lauri Läänemets was called to the rostrum to deliver his address.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets, referencing his previous experience as Minister of the Interior, criticizes the government's political U-turn, emphasizing that bringing Swedish prisoners to Estonia creates serious competition for the police in Southern Estonia. Furthermore, coupled with the Minister of Economic Affairs' plan to import low-wage labor, this move unreasonably increases the concern and workload of the Security Police (Kaitsepolitsei) and the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA).
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro explained the need to preserve and utilize the infrastructure of the vacant prison, stressing its strategic importance for holding prisoners of war during military crises. The analysis showed that while risks are certainly involved, the potential benefits significantly outweigh the costs and the expense of risk mitigation. Furthermore, he dismissed claims about importing low-wage foreign labor, highlighting that the salary level (€1,770) is actually rather high for Southeast Estonia.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller handed the floor over to Tiit Maran following a brief introduction.
Tiit Maran
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tiit Maran referred to the Swedish media, which described the prisoners being sent to Estonia as serving light sentences, contradicting the minister's claim that they were life prisoners. He therefore demanded clarification regarding the crimes for which they are serving sentences and the basis on which Estonia makes decisions about accepting prisoners.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro explained that while prisoners will be brought to Estonia to serve their sentences, individuals convicted of organized crime and terrorism offenses are excluded. He also confirmed that security risks have been mitigated because all prisoners will be sent back to Sweden six months before the end of their sentence, meaning none of them will be released on Estonian territory.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller announced the conclusion of questions directed at the minister, officially opened the debate, and invited Heljo Pikhof, the representative of the interpellators, to the podium first, specifying that all other members of the Riigikogu would be granted the floor after her.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof sharply criticizes the government’s plan to transfer high-risk Swedish criminals, including sex offenders and murderers, to Tartu Prison. She stresses that this is a business project that sacrifices domestic security, arguing that it will not improve, but rather severely worsen the safety of Southern Estonia. She claims the plan will weaken the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) and other critical services by diverting scarce manpower to managing Swedish inmates. Furthermore, it will overburden the Estonian healthcare system and put the city of Tartu at risk. She asks ironically whether prison spaces and mental health services for murderers are Estonia’s new export commodity, emphasizing firmly that Estonia is not a prison—it is our home.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller thanked the previous speaker and then gave the floor to the next speaker, Peeter Ernits.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits offers an ironic critique of the government’s long-term policy, which, following the Tidö Agreement, involves importing foreign violent criminals from Sweden into Estonia. While accommodating them in Tartu is indeed cheaper than the Swedish price, it is still costly (8,500 euros per month). He warns that Estonia is turning into a cheap country for serial killers and hitmen, also referencing previous failed prison rental projects across Europe.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller requested three minutes of additional time during his brief address.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits is strongly opposing the swift ratification of the historic Tidö deal. While he acknowledges the potential financial gain (30 million euros per month, or 8,500 euros per prisoner), he simultaneously warns that the agreement will unleash a massive volume of foreign-language administrative complaints, overwhelming the court system. Furthermore, he criticizes the Justice Minister for rushing the deal through using "political corpses," despite significant opposition from colleagues.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller and Vladimir Arhipov were called to the podium by name, but their actual statement or the content thereof is absent from the current text.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov expresses the Center Party faction's firm opposition to the idea of bringing foreign detainees to Estonian prisons to serve their sentences, emphasizing that such a step directly jeopardizes the security of the populace and the sovereignty of the state, effectively reducing prisons to mere service providers while simultaneously increasing security risks and costs for the taxpayer. Consequently, this proposal must be definitively rejected so that Estonian prisons remain dedicated to serving our own system of justice.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller thanked the audience and subsequently requested that the minister be invited for discussions.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro responded to the criticism, stressing that the prison agreement is a long-term and beneficial decision that solves the issue of the emptying large prison. He added that it will create 250 new jobs in Southern Estonia and allow Estonia to export the expertise of its prison system, which is considered among the world's best. He also confirmed that security risks have been mitigated and that the inmates will remain under strict supervision from start to finish.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the debate, as no further requests to speak had been submitted, thereby also confirming the completion of the consideration of the sixth item on the agenda.