First Reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Tax Act (625 SE)
Session: The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
Date: 2025-10-09 02:55
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 40
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 34m
AI Summaries: 40/40 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debated the first reading of Bill 625 on amendments to the Motor Vehicle Tax Act, initiated by the Estonian Centre Party faction. The aim of the bill was to restore fairness and establish an exemption from the annual motor vehicle tax for vehicles owned by disabled persons. Presenter Vadim Belobrovtsev (Centre Party) stressed that disabled people are separately protected by the Constitution and require an exception regarding personal transport due to their mobility restrictions. He criticized the government's actions, which initially removed the tax exemption for disabled people and replaced it with insufficient benefits, despite the recommendations of the President and the Chancellor of Justice. Annely Akkermann (Reform Party), Chairman of the Finance Committee, presented the committee's position, stating that the government does not support the bill. The government had decided to increase social benefits by 9.1 million euros annually instead of granting the tax exemption, justifying this decision with technical difficulties in reconciling the register of disabled persons and the database of the Transport Administration, as well as the desire to prevent misuse. During the debate, questions were raised regarding the inadequacy of the benefits and the late scheduling of the bill's discussion. The leading committee proposed rejecting the bill.
Decisions Made 1
The proposal by the responsible committee to reject Draft Bill 625 at the first reading was adopted. Forty members of the Riigikogu voted in favor, and ten voted against. The draft bill was consequently dropped from the proceedings.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was the bill's presenter, Vadim Belobrovtsev, who introduced the draft legislation and repeatedly answered questions, defending the opposition's stance on the necessity of special treatment for socially vulnerable groups (left).
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller opened the floor for the final, 13th item on the agenda—the first reading of Draft Act 625 on amendments to the Motor Vehicle Tax Act, initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction—and invited Riigikogu member Vadim Belobrovtsev to serve as the rapporteur.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev is introducing an amendment to the Motor Vehicle Tax Act aimed at restoring fairness and ensuring the livelihood of a socially vulnerable group. This is achieved by exempting motor vehicles owned by disabled persons from the annual tax, given their increased dependence on personal transport due to mobility restrictions—a necessity for this exception that has also been emphasized by the Chancellor of Justice.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the previous speaker, announced that he had received questions, and then invited Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart to the podium.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart calls the government's behavior during the handling of the car tax bill cynical because, following the President's demand to ensure a standardized tax exemption for people with disabilities, the coalition instead scrapped all special provisions and replaced them with minimal support payments that do not provide adequate relief.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev finds the government’s conduct regarding the implementation of the car tax strange and baffling right from the start. This is because, despite the efforts of the working group formed specifically to develop exemptions for large families, all the proposed benefits—for both large families and people with disabilities—were ultimately scrapped. Consequently, all that work was done for nothing and simply filed away, meaning everyone has to pay the same amount.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar and Peeter Ernits were invited to speak.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits proposes expanding the definition of people with disabilities, asking rhetorically whether it shouldn't also include sociopaths or those who are completely indifferent to the suffering of others and believe that everything is just fine.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev, first noting that these individuals are more accurately misanthropes than sociopaths, stresses that an exception must be made in all cases for people with disabilities who possess the relevant documentation.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invited Vladimir Arhipov to the podium, but the text he provided does not include the content of the speech.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arkhipov addresses the presenter to clarify the actual impact that the mitigation measure currently under discussion will have on the target group who stands to benefit from it.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev emphasizes that the separate protection of people with disabilities has a clear positive social and economic impact on both individuals and the state, noting that while this would not be a burden on the state budget, the main objective is to ensure constitutionally compliant protection, which fully justifies the means.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the round of questions for the speaker, thanked him, and then gave the floor to Peeter Ernits to ask a question concerning the procedure of conducting the session.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits criticizes the chairman for scheduling important social issues, such as the bill addressing the problems of people with disabilities, for a midnight session—a time when the public cannot follow the debate—while less significant and symbolic topics were discussed earlier.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar explained to his colleague Peeter Ernits that, pursuant to the long-standing practice of the board, the specific draft bill had been relegated to the end of the queue due to repeated failures to successfully debate the matter. He confirmed that the Riigikogu members were present and prepared to vote, and subsequently requested Annely Akkermann, the Chair of the Finance Committee, to introduce the discussion that had occurred within the committee.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Annely Akkermann introduced the position of the Finance Committee regarding the draft bill on extending annual motor vehicle tax benefits to people with disabilities, noting that the government does not support this initiative and that the committee proposes to the plenary session that the bill be rejected.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the esteemed presenter for the presentation and then gave the floor to Vladimir Arhipov to begin the round of questions.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov pointed out that the motor vehicle tax is one of the most hated taxes among the public, and asked the presenter whether the commission had discussed any alternative solutions for the controversial levy.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Annely Akkermann confirmed, briefly and specifically, that the commission has not discussed any alternative solutions to the motor vehicle tax.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Peeter Ernits.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits fiercely criticized the government's priorities, pointing out that they disregard the concerns of people with disabilities because funds are being channeled elsewhere, and then ironically requested the waiter to wave to one disabled viewer.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Annely Akkermann is rejecting the proposal for a motor vehicle tax exemption for people with disabilities. She explains that following the president's opposition to such a concession, this solution was replaced with an annual increase in social benefits amounting to 9.1 million euros, which, when taking into account the collected tax revenue, already constitutes considerable support for the disabled community.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar and Vadim Belobrovtsev were called to the podium by name to begin their presentation.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev expressed his bewilderment over the strange and illogical movement of the bill, asking the rapporteur why the initial exceptions for large families were dropped, and why a complicated scheme was introduced instead of granting disabled people the car tax exemption demanded by both the President and the Chancellor of Justice.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Annely Akkermann explained that since the president failed to proclaim the motor vehicle tax exemption due to constitutional considerations, and because merging the registers of the Transport Administration and people with disabilities is practically impossible, the government will direct the tax revenue straight toward significantly increasing disability benefits, funding for assistive devices, and services, in order to ensure equal treatment for all people.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart explained that the President refused to proclaim the motor vehicle tax because it contradicts Section 12 of the Constitution, placing people with disabilities in an unequal position. This is because the tax exemption only applies to owners of modified vehicles, whereas equal treatment would require the exemption of all people with disabilities. She stressed that this position is also supported by the Chancellor of Justice, who views the tax as a threat to the protected rights of people with disabilities.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Annely Akkermann defended the government's policy, stressing that the equal increase in benefits for people with disabilities adhered to the President's requirement for equal treatment, and the Chancellor of Justice did not deem the current system unconstitutional. Furthermore, she asserted that the proposed 116-euro motor vehicle tax is neither confiscatory nor does it force anyone to give up their car, given that the formation of social policy falls under the competence of the Riigikogu.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Helmen Kütt was called to the podium by Chairman Lauri Hussar to present her report.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt categorically refutes the claim that the benefits for all people with disabilities have been raised, highlighting that the allowances for children and working-age people with moderate disabilities, as well as old-age pensioners receiving disability support, remained completely unchanged. She adds that even the increases in benefits for working-age people with severe disabilities were ridiculously minimal, amounting to only cents to a few euros.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Annely Akkermann, who stresses that she is not a social policy expert and that the Ministry of Social Affairs prepared the increases in disability benefits, notes that roughly 10% of the approximately 100 million euros in annual revenue generated by the motor vehicle tax will be channeled back to people with disabilities, which constitutes a rather significant proportion.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Vadim Belobrovtsev, calling him to the podium.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev revisits the issue of supporting large families and asks why the specific support measures developed by the relevant working group were not included in the initial draft bill, suggesting that this omission is the reason the law recently had to be amended again.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Annely Akkermann is explaining the rationale behind the social policy, under which families with children will be supported through a reduction in the motor vehicle tax. This reduction will amount to 100 euros for every child under the age of 19, thereby guaranteeing proportionally greater tax relief for larger families.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Helmen Kütt, inviting her to the podium to deliver her presentation.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt directly asked the commission whether representatives of the Chamber of People with Disabilities had been included in the proceedings regarding the bill initiated by the Centre Party, stressing that debate is always better and more substantive when all sides are able to voice their opinions.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Annely Akkermann explained the stages of the bill's proceedings, emphasizing the deadline for amendments and the preparation for the second reading, and announced that the Motor Vehicle Tax Act must be amended once more due to specific shortcomings that have emerged during implementation, simultaneously requesting a review of the opinion of people with disabilities attached to the bill's file.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the rapporteur, closed the round of questions, officially opened the debate, and, following a brief procedural clarification, immediately gave the floor to Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart to speak on behalf of the faction.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart criticizes the confusion that has arisen during the processing of the car tax bill and demands that the draft legislation be moved to a second reading instead of being rejected, so that its flaws can be corrected, especially the absence of specific provisions and exemptions for people with disabilities. She accuses the government of aiming to collect money for the state budget specifically at the expense of society’s most vulnerable groups.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar closed the debate and announced that he would put the leading committee’s proposal to a vote in the Riigikogu: to reject draft bill 625 at the first reading.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar informed the members of the Riigikogu that Bill 625 had been rejected by a vote of 40 in favor and 10 against, and would therefore be dropped from the proceedings, after which today's session was declared closed.