Inquiry Regarding the Impact of Elron Ticket Price Increases on Regional Policy (No. 708)
Session: 15th Estonian Parliament, 5th session, plenary session
Date: 2025-02-17 21:35
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 26
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 49m
AI Summaries: 26/26 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Under agenda item seven, the inquiry submitted on January 22, 2025, by Members of the Riigikogu, Aivar Kokk, Mart Maastik, Riina Solma, Urmas Reinsalu, and Tõnis Lukas, regarding the impact of Elron ticket price increases on regional policy (no. 708) was addressed. The inquirers demonstrated both interest in the location and substance of the issue, directed towards reducing regional inequality and improving residents' mobility options. The initial presentation was placed under Aivar Kokk as the presenting speaker, and responses were expected from the Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture. Resources, innovations, and political decisions related to public transport funding, infrastructure fees, demand-based transport, and a unified ticketing system formed the central background for the discussion.
Decisions Made 1
No concrete decisions were made at the session that concluded with this. The discussion of the inquiry was completed, but no decisions or implementing acts were approved at that time.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Member of Parliament Aivar Kokk, who represented the group of questioners and presented several questions and comments regarding Elron’s fare increases and regional policy. His participation was reflected both in the initial question blocks following the presentation and in the later critical portion of the question round. His position has been described as 'other' (parliamentary member, not directly a faction of the government or the opposition).
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Under the seventh item on the agenda, the inquiry submitted on 22 January 2025 by Aivar Kokk, Mart Maastik, Riina Solman, Urmas Reinsalu and Tõnis Lukas regarding the impact of Elron ticket-price increases on regional policy will be considered, and as representatives of the petitioners, the presenter is requested to be Riigikogu member Aivar Kokk.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk highlighted that regional inequality is growing, and the state and state-owned companies must take measures, presenting clear answers in the form of four questions and emphasizing that the electric railway should have been in operation from January 1, and that the unified ticketing system and train stops must be systematic so that people can get from point A to point B.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy speaker Arvo Aller asked the Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Piret Hartman, to respond to the interpellation submitted by Piret Hartman.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
Piret Hartman stressed that public transport is the lifeblood of regional policy, and that the rise in Elron's ticket prices is caused by unavoidable cost increases, but it is not in conflict with the government's aims to reduce regional inequality; at the same time a public transport reform is being carried out and a new funding model is being implemented to increase demand-driven service, to intensify rail and bus traffic, and to promote the life and entrepreneurship of rural areas through investments, infrastructure subsidies, loan guarantees and LEADER measures, but the delay in the reconstruction and electrification of the Tallinn–Tartu railway creates additional costs.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller thanks and invites questions, asking Aivar Kokk to present his question.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk asks the minister why Elron's ticket prices rise differently from the Tallinn–Tartu line and why passengers on regional trains pay a higher price, and requests an explanation about on-demand stops and their development (2005–2008).
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a short invitation — now is your time to act.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
The undertaking carried out in Põlvamaa and Jõgevamaa failed completely.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
Regional Affairs and Agriculture Minister Piret Hartman said that the goal is a unified ticketing system and a family ticket; the state will cover a larger part of the costs and on-demand public transport will be developed so that in Tallinn and Harju County and across Estonia public transport would be faster, more affordable and better utilized.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
She thanks and invites Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvarti to perform.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
I remember the time when there was free public transport in rural areas and the Social Democrats supported it, but after the 2023 elections the coalition took it away, the promised funding and additional routes did not materialize, and the revenue from car taxation is not directed to public transport, therefore there is talk of reform, but money is not allocated.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
Free public transport remains in the bus network and is mainly for children, students, and pensioners. The coalition has ensured its continuation, and last year the government allocated 20 million euros, with 79 million earmarked for implementing the public transport reform, including reviewing stops and improving the connection between long-distance lines and local lines, for example in Mäo, so that the future would be more convenient and efficient.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Helir-Valdor Seeder to come onto the stage.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder asks, in the context of regional policy and public transport, whether the introduction of a car tax and changes to the Income Tax Act, by which the tax-free minimum is abolished and disproportionate taxation is created between the rich and people with lower incomes, are still correct or have they now been reconsidered, since the car tax has started to operate.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
The compensation for car tax is intended to improve public transport; although regional and agricultural minister Piret Hartman personally opposes punitive tax measures, compromises have been reached in the government, and it was important to preserve pension indexation and to protect the revenue base of local governments, which would otherwise have meant a loss of 60 million euros per year.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller thanks, informs that the questions have ended, and opens negotiations, naming Aivar Kokk as the representative of the interpellants (not the representative of the initiator).
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk highlighted concerns about unequal ticket prices depending on the route (for example, Jõgeva–Tallinn vs Jõgeva–Tartu and Tallinn–Tartu), he said that the costs of railway infrastructure should not be covered by funding for buses or regional transport, and he proposed regional solutions, smaller buses and demand-based transport, while recalling previous mistakes in selling carriages.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller requests three more minutes.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk said that free public transport caused problems, and in deciding regional funding it had to be clear that within the county the ticket must cost 0.70 euro, because the current price is over two euros and this has led to the disappearance of commercial routes and a greater burden, and he finally asked why, when traveling from Jõgeva to Tallinn, the ticket costs 14–15% more than on a trip starting from Tartu by about 1%.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
He thanks the audience and announces that next up is Helir-Valdor Seeder.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
They thank and ask for eight minutes to speak.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks that three more minutes be allowed.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder views the public transport reform as a backwards regional policy, where sparsely populated municipalities have to foot the bill for the transport of schoolchildren and the state does not support it sufficiently, while Tallinn has free public transport, and in his view private transport should be allowed more broadly and car tax and income tax reforms should be pursued more critically.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman thanked and invited the minister to deliver the closing remarks during the negotiations.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
The presentation addressed the public transport reform, which is essentially a mobility reform, and stressed the harmonization of prices, headway-based lines between larger settlements and demand-based lines in smaller places, better cooperation between Elron and bus traffic, the differences in the contributions of local governments, and funding from the state budget and earmarked reserve funds, in addition considering pension indexation and possibilities for defense spending.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller announced that there are no more requests to speak and that negotiations are closed, and today's seventh agenda item has ended.