First reading of the Draft Act on Amendments to the State Fee Act (735 SE)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, Sixth Session, Plenary Sitting
Date: 2025-10-21 14:06
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 15
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 7m
AI Summaries: 15/15 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda item concerned the first reading of Bill 735, initiated by the Government of the Republic, regarding the amendment of the State Fees Act. Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi introduced the bill, the purpose of which is to update the state fee rates for contesting public procurements. The Minister explained that the current rates have remained unchanged for 17 years, while the consumer price index has risen by 76% and the workload of the Appeals Committee has increased. The current fees cover only half of the committee's personnel costs. The bill provides for the doubling of state fees, raising them to 1,280 euros for procurements below the international threshold and 2,560 euros for procurements above the threshold. Ligi emphasized that the new rates are cost-based, cover operating expenses, and create the prerequisite for hiring a fourth member to cope with the increased complexity and volume of disputes.
Aivar Kokk and Peeter Ernits repeatedly asked the Minister how the decision was made to specifically double the fees and whether this figure was based on precise calculations. Ligi confirmed that efforts would be made to keep the fees cost-based, taking into account the need to hire an additional employee. Urve Tiidus, representing the Economic Affairs Committee, presented the committee's position, noting that no additional questions arose regarding the content of the bill within the committee, and the decision to propose concluding the first reading was consensual. Peeter Ernits criticized the committee's unanimity and asked why changes were only being initiated nearly 20 years after the previous rates were established. Tiidus responded that all materials and explanations regarding the increase in workload and the deficit in covering costs are available to Riigikogu members. After the conclusion of the debate, it was decided to conclude the first reading of the bill.
Decisions Made 2
The first reading of Bill 735 concluded.
The deadline for the submission of amendments was set for November 4th at 17:15.
Most Active Speaker
Peeter Ernits was the most active questioner, repeatedly posing critical questions to both Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi and Urve Tiidus, the representative of the Economic Affairs Committee, concerning the principles for calculating state fees and the timing of the amendments. (other)
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced that the sitting would proceed to the second item on the agenda, which is the first reading of Draft Act 735 on amendments to the State Fees Act, initiated by the Government of the Republic, and asked Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi to introduce the draft act.
Rahandusminister Jürgen Ligi
AI Summary
Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi justified the need to amend the State Fees Act by doubling the fees for challenging public procurements, noting that the rates, which have remained unchanged for 17 years, cover only half of the personnel costs of the Appeals Committee, and the committee's workload has significantly increased. The aim is to ensure faster proceedings, cover operating costs, and create the prerequisites for hiring a new member, while Ligi emphasized that the impact of these changes on challenging procurements will remain marginal.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the minister but, unexpectedly breaking the rules, decided at the last minute to allow Aivar Kokk to ask one question, for which he apologized to the minister for making the exception.
Rahandusminister Jürgen Ligi
AI Summary
Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi briefly stated that Mr. Ernits had another question, thereby giving him the floor.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk asks the minister to clarify whether the doubled sum of 1,280 euros is based on a specific calculation or is rather the outcome of a discussion, inquiring directly where exactly that figure originated.
Rahandusminister Jürgen Ligi
AI Summary
Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi stresses that while efforts are made to keep state fees cost-based, the continuous increase in the number and complexity of disputes makes calculating the exact cost basis extremely difficult, rendering it valid only for the immediate moment.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar called Peeter Ernits by name to the podium, but this text does not contain his actual address.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits highlights the previously higher rate of state duties and the corresponding low interest, and demands a detailed explanation regarding how the presented figure was arrived at, stressing that in previous years, he has always been provided with the precise breakdown of the fee components.
Rahandusminister Jürgen Ligi
AI Summary
Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi emphasized that due to the constantly growing number and complexity of disputes, it is essential to increase the number of members from three to four, noting that this is a cost-based necessity, the fulfillment of which requires a corresponding budget.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the esteemed Minister, concluded the round of questions directed to him, and asked Urve Tiidus, a member of the Economic Affairs Committee, to introduce the discussion that took place in the committee from the Riigikogu rostrum.
Urve Tiidus
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urve Tiidus announced that the Economic Affairs Committee had unanimously prepared for the first reading of the draft act on amending the State Fees Act, initiated by the Government of the Republic, deciding after reviewing the materials and finding no questions that the draft act must be included in the plenary session agenda on October 21 and the first reading concluded.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the presenter for the presentation and then gave the floor to Peeter Ernits so he could ask the first question.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits is concerned that for nearly twenty years, there was "dead silence" in the committee regarding the origin and nature of a certain sum of money, and he asks what the trigger was that compelled the topic to finally start being addressed only now, after such a long period of consensus and silence.
Urve Tiidus
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urve Tiidus rejected the inappropriate comparison, explaining that the fees of the disputes committee, which have been in effect since 2007, cover only about 50% of the labor costs due to the increased workload, and emphasizing that all materials and explanations related to the draft bill are available to Riigikogu members.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the rapporteur, closed the debate due to the lack of requests to speak, and announced that, upon the proposal of the lead committee, the first reading of Bill 735 was concluded, setting the deadline for the submission of amendments as 17:15 on November 4th of the current year.