Second reading of the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu "Deployment of the Defence Forces in fulfilling the international obligations of the Republic of Estonia in another international military operation led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or its member state, the European Union, or the United Nations Organization upon first contribution thereto" (705 DR)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
Date: 2025-11-05 19:29
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 31
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 30m
AI Summaries: 31/31 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debated the second reading of Draft Resolution 705, submitted by the Government of the Republic, concerning the use of the Defense Forces in international military operations for the first time, contributing up to 100 servicemen. Leo Kunnas, Vice-Chairman of the National Defense Committee, announced that no amendments had been submitted to the draft, and the committee had consensually approved the text, proposing to conclude the second reading and put the draft to a final vote.
During the debate, the question of the draft's constitutionality was repeatedly raised. MPs Rene Kokk and Varro Vooglaid argued against delegating the authorization to the Government of the Republic, emphasizing that Article 128 of the Constitution grants the right to decide on the use of the Defense Forces solely to the Riigikogu. They highlighted that the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act allows for convening extraordinary or supplementary sessions quickly enough (even by the next day), meaning there is no real need to give the government blank authorization. Additionally, granting decision-making power to a government with low public support was criticized. Leo Kunnas admitted that he lacked arguments to refute the possibility of quickly convening the Riigikogu. Alar Laneman defended the draft, citing the state's capability to act in unforeseen circumstances and the need for strategic depth. In the final vote, the draft was adopted as a resolution with 52 votes in favor, 6 against, and 1 abstention.
Decisions Made 1
Bill 705, titled "The Use of the Defense Forces in Fulfilling the International Obligations of the Republic of Estonia in an International Military Operation Led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or its Member State, the European Union, or the United Nations Organization, Upon Initial Contribution to Such Operation," was adopted as a decision (52 votes in favor, 6 against, 1 abstention).
Most Active Speaker
Varro Vooglaid (EYvDQyWULUg) was the most active speaker, presenting constitutional objections concerning the delegation of powers within the draft bill to the Government of the Republic. His position was contrary to the bill (other/better).
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller announced the transition to the next item on the agenda, concerning the second reading of Riigikogu Draft Resolution 705 regarding the initial deployment of the Defence Forces to international military operations, and invited Leo Kunnas, Deputy Chairman of the National Defence Committee, to deliver the report.
Leo Kunnas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Leo Kunnas provides an overview of the bill’s proceedings in the National Defence Committee, noting that no amendments were submitted to the draft legislation concerning the contribution of up to 100 defence personnel to international operations. Consequently, the committee approved the text by consensus and proposes that the Riigikogu conclude the second reading and put the bill to a final vote.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller thanked the previous speaker or questioner and then gave the floor to Rene Koka, noting that he also had a question to ask.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk is questioning the proposal to grant the government the authority to swiftly decide on the deployment of up to one hundred personnel in a crisis situation, emphasizing that such strategic decisions should remain within the purview of the Riigikogu, especially given the government's low public support and the Riigikogu's capacity to convene extremely quickly in an emergency. He further doubts whether Estonia has ever faced situations that would necessitate a rapid response exceeding the Riigikogu's decision-making ability.
Leo Kunnas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Leo Kunnas highlighted that although the corresponding mandate has so far been used infrequently and has concerned only isolated individuals, serious questions remain unresolved regarding the constitutionality of the bill's implementation—questions which the commission has failed to address competently or with sufficient thoroughness.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller offered his thanks and then yielded the floor to Varro Vooglaid.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid explained, based on the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act, the flexible deadlines for convening additional and extraordinary sessions, which allow decisions to be made, if necessary, either by the next day or even without prior notice. He then posed the question of what real-life situation would require a decision to be made faster than one day, and whether such cases have occurred previously.
Leo Kunnas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Leo Kunnas concedes that the quick convening of the Riigikogu is technically possible, but stresses that the committee is not authorized to assess the constitutionality of the problem that has arisen, as this issue theoretically falls under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court—a body which the bill in question will never reach. Consequently, he refuses to answer questions he is not competent to address.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller, who was apparently chairing the meeting, gave the floor to Rene Koka following a brief introduction.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk expresses serious reservations about voting in favor of the draft bill, highlighting the government’s extremely low support (12%), which, in his estimation, makes it illegitimate to grant them the authority to decide on a company-sized unit. Furthermore, he requests clarification regarding how quickly a similar decision had to be made on the three previous occasions, and whether convening the Riigikogu within a day or two would have posed an obstacle.
Leo Kunnas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Leo Kunnas emphasized that although the decision had to be made relatively quickly, it was not rushed through in hours, but rather went through the required procedure, receiving essential support from the National Defence Committee, without which the decision could not have been made.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller Varro Vooglaid was called to the podium to present his report.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid questions the necessity of granting the government a blanket authorization to decide on the foreign missions of the Defence Forces, emphasizing that the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act always allows the parliament to convene quickly enough—even by the next day—to make the decision itself in a specific case, meaning the blanket authorization is actually unnecessary.
Leo Kunnas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Leo Kunnas admitted to Varro that he couldn't debate the topic because he lacked sufficient arguments to refute the opposing side's position.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller gave the floor to Rain Epler.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler challenged the previous assertion that a defense decision cannot be made without involving the National Defence Committee, stressing that, according to the draft bill, the government is able to make decisions involving up to 100 personnel without involving the Riigikogu, and requested clarification regarding the basis of that claim.
Leo Kunnas
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Leo Kunnas stressed that all new operations and related decisions will only be put into practice after the National Defence Committee has granted them prior approval.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the round of questions, thanked the participants, declared the discussions open, and was the first to give the floor to Varro Vooglaid.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid stressed that the current draft bills represent a long-standing unconstitutional practice, as the Riigikogu delegates the decision-making power regarding the deployment of the Defence Forces in international missions to the government. This contravenes Article 128 of the Constitution, which grants this authority solely to the Riigikogu. He also dismissed arguments claiming that parliament could not quickly convene when needed, or that the constitution could simply be disregarded before it is amended.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller requested three minutes of extra time.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid emphasizes that the current government, which enjoys very little public support (support is only 12–13%), must not have the right to delegate the decision to take the Republic of Estonia to war, especially given the sensitive security situation. This is because the bill currently under consideration grants the government absolute decision-making power regarding military missions, leaving the Riigikogu's National Defence Committee with only a consultative role. Consequently, the speaker deems this unconstitutional and urgently demands that the bill's supporters present substantive counterarguments.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller concluded his presentation with a brief thank you, after which he handed the floor over to Alar Laneman.
Alar Laneman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Alar Laneman stresses that the decision under consideration is vitally important for the operational capability and strategic foresight of the Estonian state, and is not merely a constitutional argument or a question of unit size. He rejects the notion that a lack of prior necessity guarantees its absence in the future, and urges preparedness to act even if the convening of the Riigikogu is impeded, arguing that sufficiently delimited conditions are equivalent to authorization when action must be taken under severe time pressure.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller gave the floor to Varro Vooglaid, asking him to present his response.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid demanded substantive counter-arguments from his colleagues regarding his assertion that the draft bill under consideration violates the constitution, emphasizing that the constitution must be followed even in urgent situations. He stressed that if a genuine necessity prevents this, the constitution should be amended, rather than simply ignoring the existing regulation. He added that the size of the unit being sent on a foreign mission is irrelevant in principle if the action involves taking Estonia to war.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller Kalle Grünthal delivered a short presentation/address from the podium, the content of which is not specified in the present text.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal sharply criticized the position of his colleague Alar Laneman, emphasizing that Article 128 of the Constitution grants the sole right to the Riigikogu (Parliament) to decide on the state of war and the use of the Defence Forces, and warned that proceeding with the current activity would violate the Constitution, which, in his assessment, has long been disregarded in parliament.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller thanked the previous speaker and subsequently gave the floor to Jüri Jaanson for a right of reply, as his name had been mentioned earlier from the rostrum.
Jüri Jaanson
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Jüri Jaanson sharply criticizes the argument made by his colleague Varro Vooglaid regarding the low support for political parties, which supposedly should prevent the granting of powers to the Government of the Republic. Jaanson emphasizes that this is pure manipulation, arguing that the mandate of Riigikogu members lasts four years and party support is a constantly fluctuating metric that cannot serve as a decisive argument.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller announced the closure of the debate due to the lack of amendments, and subsequently initiated the final vote on the significant Bill 705, submitted by the Government of the Republic, concerning the contribution of the Defence Forces to international military operations.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller announced that the draft act had been adopted by the Riigikogu as a resolution, receiving 52 votes in favor, six votes against, and one abstention.