Political responsibility
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th sitting, information briefing
Date: 2025-02-12 15:05
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 10
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 11m
AI Summaries: 10/10 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The fifth question is directed at Prime Minister Kalle Jaanson and concerns political responsibility. The speaker, Urmas Reinsalu, poses several questions regarding the socio-economic impacts on the purchasing power of pensioners, and the consequences of tax increases, focusing on changes to net pensions for the elderly and the general economic and socio-political context. The discussion covers the principles of pension indexing, the level of indirect taxes, and the support for pensioners living in care homes, with questions relating to the global context expanding towards foreign policy and security narratives. Numerical data and forecasts are presented, and the flow of the discussion reveals how different income brackets might stabilize or impact the quality of life and purchasing power of older people by the end of the year.
Decisions Made 2
The plan to change pension indexation has been abandoned; we will continue with the current indexation principle and the mechanism for adjusting old-age pensions will not be altered.
The basis for providing support to a single pensioner whose living arrangements change through moving to a care home has been clarified: such support will not continue in the same form, and the funds will be compensated through other mechanisms within the budget.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Urmas Reinsalu (member of the Riigikogu, right-wing). He posed several questions and kept the focus on the impact of socio-economic policy on the purchasing power of pensioners, as well as the consequences of budget and tax policy across different income brackets.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
A member of the Riigikogu, Urmas Reinsalu, poses a question to Prime Minister Kristen Michal about political accountability.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu asked the prime minister how much the purchasing power and quality of life of the elderly will change by the end of this year across people with different incomes, taking into account inflation, tax increases, and the impact of the reform that removed the benefit for about 7,000 pensioners living alone.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal stated that she does not support changing the indexing of pensions and called on other parliamentary parties to take the same stance, while emphasizing that the purchasing power of pensions has improved and that support for pensioners living alone is paid within the budget, and if a person no longer lives alone, it will not be paid further.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair thanks and invites Urmas Reinsalu to pose a clarifying question.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu asked how large the impact of government policy and tax increases is on the elderly — including price increases and changes in purchasing power by county — and whether this year's impact assessment exists, and how the impact of the 2% additional taxation on all pensions, which will take effect from January 1 next year, would affect the elderly's purchasing power and their lives in 2026.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
The Prime Minister said that in 2024 pensions rose by 10.6%, which exceeded inflation (3.5%) and increased the purchasing power of pensioners, while the minimum wage rose by 13% and the average wage by 8%, thereby reducing poverty.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar thanks and gives Lauri Laats the opportunity to pose an additional question.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats condemns the 200-euro withdrawal for people living in nursing homes, which affected about 6,700 people, and as a result the state saved about 1.35 million euros, and in addition he criticizes Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, whose statements about the USA and NATO seem to reveal inadequacy in security matters and call for a rethink of security policy.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal noted that old-age pensions have grown significantly faster than wages in recent years, and this has substantially reduced pensioners’ poverty, and at the same time stressed that countries are, of course, seeking opportunities for cooperation, because countries want to find something in common that unites them.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concludes the consideration of today’s fifth question.