Draft resolution "Proposal to the Republic of Estonia's Government Regarding the Imposition of a Temporary Solidarity Tax on the Banking Sector" (535 OE) – First Reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-02-18 12:03
Total Speeches: 109
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 2h 8m
AI Summaries: 109/109 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The first item on the agenda concerns the first reading of draft resolution 535 submitted to the Riigikogu by the Centre Party faction: “Proposal to the Republic of Estonia’s Government regarding the imposition of a temporary solidarity tax on the banking sector” The draft’s purpose is to impose a temporary solidarity tax on the banking sector for the years 2025–2027, to direct the revenue into the state budget, and to balance the budget and cover the needs for various social and security expenditures. Arguments raised during the discussion included questions of fairness, the impact on the economy, and its consequences for the loan market and consumers, taking into account European Union practices in light of examples from other countries. Andrei Korobeinik presented the proposal via the Riigikogu speaker's chair, and the positions he presented, along with reasoned comparisons with the experiences of Latvia and Lithuania, became the central framework for discussion between the coalition and the opposition. The second item on the agenda, draft 543, concerned the first reading of the procedure for establishing a Riigikogu investigative committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the cessation of Nordica’s operations; the discussion ultimately showed significant divergence regarding the presence of factions and the direction of the procedure, leading to a postponement of the procedure's further advancement.
The second item on the agenda addressed the establishment of an investigative committee (draft 543) to examine the circumstances surrounding the cessation of Nordica’s operations. Discussions frequently revolved around technical and procedural matters, and the presence of factions was insufficient to immediately advance the procedure. This highlighted the need for collaborative effort regarding the network, and demonstrated the importance of active participation by Riigikogu members to move such investigations forward. Overall, the second item on the agenda illustrates the actual dynamics of parliamentary work: the need to ensure consensus and sufficient representation from each faction for the establishment of the investigative committee to proceed smoothly.
Decisions Made 2
The Riigikogu decided not to pass the bill; the bill was rejected. The criticism of all voters proved true: there were 10 votes in favour, 0 against, and 0 abstentions.
The procedure for draft 543 regarding its first reading was postponed, as the absence of faction members made the procedure impossible.
Most Active Speaker
Andrei Korobeinik (Centre Party faction) – a right-wing position holder in the Riigikogu.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Today, as the first item on the agenda, the Riigikogu will consider the draft Riigikogu decision No. 535 on establishing a temporary solidarity tax in the banking sector (first reading); after negotiations, a final vote will take place, and adoption requires a majority of the Riigikogu's membership, and Andrei Korobeinik has been asked to present it.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik criticizes the coalition's economic policy, stating that they prefer a car tax to fill the budget, leaving the bank tax unimplemented and burdening large families and people living in the countryside, and emphasizes that the country is governed by faith rather than by performance indicators.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, thanked for the thorough presentation and acknowledged that he was not able to answer all of Aivar Sõerdi's questions.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik simply expresses pity in his speech.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He hints that he still has something up his sleeve, and asks Aivar Sõerd to perform.
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Sõerd asked in the committee how the plan, which will replace the current bank tax with a 50 percent income tax on annual profits, will begin to operate and whether it will give banks the opportunity to pay out the entire undistributed profits from previous years tax-free, if cash flow allows it.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik states that the proposed bill does not grant banks tax exemptions, but taxes their profits as income tax, which is similar to the practice of many European Union member states and has been successful for over ten years, and the bill needs to be adopted in three readings.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski was invited to speak.
Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
In the speech it is stated that the solidarity bank tax is beneficial to the economy and people’s welfare, but it is also asked to name the negative consequences of this tax, for example in Lithuania.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The presentation highlights that the bank tax in Lithuania has been an important part of the success story: the number of banks has grown and the number of jobs is increasing, and the overall business environment there is friendly, which helps Lithuania to be the Baltic states' most successful economy.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Urmas Kruuse is invited to speak.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse points out that although the presenter compared banks to casinos, the draft bill inadequately addresses the capitalization of banks and the competitiveness and market entry of Estonian-owned banks, and he asks how much Estonian depositors leave money idle in order to earn interest and how large the impact of this is on people.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Korobeinik briefly states that although banks' profit margins are higher than those of casinos, the main reasons people save so little are largely due to the Reform Party's economic policy, which creates uncertainty and a tax burden and makes saving less attractive.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
An apology was offered during the presentation, and they addressed Vadim Belobrovtsev.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He said, laughing, that it's easy to mix us up with one another.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech was only a negative answer.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev notes that Prime Minister Michal tried to explain that in Estonia the same requirements for banks do not apply as in Lithuania and Latvia, because there is an advance income tax and there is no need for a separate solidarity or bank tax, and I did not understand that argument.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik states that banks are proper taxpayers and that higher interest rates derive from the economic situation, not from the banks' will, and at the same time criticizes the Social Democrats' modus operandi, according to which they respond to Reform Party proposals only with press releases, by coming to the chamber, and by pressing the green button.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy chairman Toomas Kivimägi asked Aleksandr Tšaplõgini to come on stage.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
They point out that the value-added tax on food will rise from 22% to 24%, which is the same amount as for luxury goods, and the advance tax on banks' profits is only 18%, and they ask whether this is fair and in the spirit of solidarity.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik claims that the policy of the coalition consisting of the Social Democrats, Estonia 200, and the Reform Party increases inequality, and during a crisis the state should provide aid to those in need, but the coalition does not want to reduce the VAT on food and leaves a billion-euro profit to the banks.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Vladimir Arhipov to speak.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov highlights the fragile state of public finances and asks why the coalition is so firmly opposed to a bank tax, even though it could alleviate the social situation and help cover defense spending and wage increases.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Korobeinik claims that the Reform Party is economically incompetent and their policy has caused Estonia great damage, Eesti 200 is their loyal ally, and the Social Democrats are engaging in performative voter politics, but voters are not stupid.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He asks Aleksei Jevgrafovi to come forward.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The presenter notes that the government protects banks' profits, which do not arise from their good work, but from the high Euribor rate, and cites the closure of SEB Narva office as an example, which forces elderly people to travel to Jõhvi, asking how one should view banks profiting at the expense of people.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik criticizes that the state lacks regional policy, closes offices and tax policy, and banks' profits push people from the counties into the cities, and schools are closed, which leads people to Tallinn or abroad; he calls on coalition parties—SDE, Eesti 200 and Reform Party—to carry out regional policy.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi, vice-chair, asks Andre Hanimägi to take the floor.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The speaker thanks the chair, emphasizes that the Centre Party's election program points must come to fruition, and asks Andre a question: in different coalitions, has he always managed to implement everything that was written in the program, or if not, is the reason laziness, malice, or coalition constraints?
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik emphasizes that promises must truly endure with real substance, recalls the history of an extraordinary pension increase and a hard-fought achievement in the coalition, and warns that the Centre Party must not be in the coalition merely to show itself off and to publish press releases, because changing parties leads to the loss of ratings and competence and is politically harmful.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi described the moment as a truly romantic look back and turned to Mart Võrklaev with a request.
Mart Võrklaev
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Võrklaev said that we already have a bank tax, which since the beginning of this year has risen from 14% to 18%, and banks pay 18% income tax and 22% on dividends, so the state and the people earn very well from taxes on banks, and from 2018–2022 the state budget received about 300 million euros, and 2023–2028 around one billion euros.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
It was a short speech in which gratitude was expressed with the word 'Thank you!'
Mart Võrklaev
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Võrklaev asks why you didn't vote for it in 2023.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
According to Andrei Korobeinik, the banks' extraordinary profit is not related to their activity, and the aim of the bill is to return money to the people of Estonia in order to fight the inequality arising from Reformierakond's economic policy, which makes the poor even poorer and the rich even richer.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi turned to Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvarti and asked her to come.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The presenter accuses the government of an unequal approach, drawing a comparison: the banks' advance income tax was raised to 18%, but people's income tax will grow next year to as much as 24%, and notes that the new economic strategy could be foreign banks and offshore wind turbines – i.e., "money to the wind".
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik criticizes the Reform Party's economic policy as faith-based and notes that all other taxes have risen, the bank tax has not risen, and in his view energy policy is either mysterious or stupid.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This is a very short request to invite Lauri Laats to perform.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats claims that faith-based politics do not bring anything good and harm the economy and people's wallets, referring to the example of Lithuania's bank tax, which increased the state treasury and attracted large banks, and questions the Social Democrats' two-faced behavior: why do they say nice things, but follow the Reform Party's directives.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In a speech, Andrei Korobeinik expresses concern about the long-term decline in Estonia's number of jobs and that the banks simply have fewer jobs, and he argues that raising income tax could bring these jobs to Estonia, while criticizing the role of the Social Democrats in the coalition and their failure to keep promises, and asking what benefit there is in pursuing the party's policy if it cannot be fulfilled.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The director invites Ester Karuse onto the stage.
Ester Karuse
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ester Karuse expressed sadness and concern about the closure of bank branches, noting that direct banking services are being lost in county centers, and she asked in the committee whether the state would be able to impose requirements to preserve this service.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik claims that Estonia's regional policy is very poor, because the coalition has scrapped free public transport, introduced a car tax, is closing courthouses, and has closed the Southern Estonia branches of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, making it much harder for people to find work and money.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, asks whether we should take a break.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik, jokingly, says that one must not answer, and laughs.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, asks whether you managed to finish or not.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
This fragmentary excerpt does not provide enough information for an accurate summary.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The focus of the speech is the question of whether you are just starting.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In summary, the coalition's list of regional policy achievements is very long.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi's speech contained only the word "Just".
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik says that he is at the start of this list.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speaker expresses the hope that Pärnu will also be talked about.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Korobeinik claims that national policy and coalition decisions push people from rural areas toward Tallinn, because regional services and the closure of schools, as well as Tallinn's free public transport, give the city an advantage (for example, Narva demonstrates the withdrawal of state services), and the main reasons for moving are not the banks' business decisions, but these political decisions.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
At the start of the speech, Lauri Hussar is invited to perform.
Lauri Hussar
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Lauri Hussar notes that the focus of the discussion is Lithuania, and asks a question about the exact amounts of taxes and tax rates for Lithuanian banks, in order to show how much and to what extent banks pay in Lithuania compared to Estonia.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik emphasizes that bank dividends are taxed and retained earnings may accumulate; in Estonia bank profits are large and the margin is significant; casinos have clearly lower profits in comparison; in the European Union half of the member states have corporate income tax on credit institutions, and Latvia is testing a tax on interest rate spreads, which could constrain banks, but this scheme is a two-edged sword and its success is not certain.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This was a short, direct plea to Igor Tarole.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
He thanks the moderator and the presenter and asks why Lithuania is used as an example when the example is based on religion, not on numbers, and emphasizes that no requested number has been presented from Lithuania.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In the presentation, the Reform Party's economic policy and Eesti 200's involvement are criticized, claiming that they lead to a decline in Estonia's purchasing power and a rise in inequality, while Lithuania's economy grows faster in the Baltics.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The presenter's time is up, and we can listen to the leading committee's discussion and a briefing on the decisions that have been made, which will be presented by Aivar Sõerd, a member of the Finance Committee.
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The Riigikogu Finance Committee discussed bill 535, which envisages a temporary solidarity payment to the banking sector for the years 2025–2027, decided to put it on the agenda for January 21, 2025, and to designate the rapporteur to present it, while addressing the nuances of taxation and the bill’s potential impact on the existing tax system.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He thanks the audience and announces that the questions for the second round begin now, and invites Aleksandr Chaplygin to ask questions.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
They accuse the chair of the meeting of not lowering the value-added tax on food, which forces hundreds of thousands of Estonians to cut back on food, and of leaving banks' profits untaxed, although due to higher euro-area lending rates they earned more than a billion, and finally ask whether Swedish bankers are more important than Estonians' hunger?
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Sõerd rejects the claim that banks are not taxed, and provides 2024 examples: banks earned 1.1 billion euros in profit and paid 250 million euros in income tax on that; among the largest taxpayers were Swedbank with 221 million euros, SEB Pank with 136 million euros, and Olerex with 249 million euros.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
During the speech, Vladimir Arhipov is invited onto the stage.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov raises the question of whether it is right for the government to impose new taxes on people, while the banking sector remains untouched and earns very large profits, highlighting the contradiction between society's savings and banks' profits.
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Sõerd said that last year the income tax collected from banks was a significant part of the total corporate income tax revenue, and the Finance Committee recently received an overview of how large a share of the additional inflow came from banks and whether hundreds of millions are justified.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, invited Andrei Korobeiniku onto the stage.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik explains that casino margins cannot be compared with banks' margins in the same way, because Estonia has few large casino operators (Olybet’s margin about 40%), bank margins are traditionally calculated based on the total amount of undisbursed loans, and Swedbank’s margin was about 70% last year, to which he asks what it was compared with.
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Sõerd acknowledged that the comparison with casinos and the 75% return on capital figure are questionable, and the temporary upturn and the Euribor level brought profits to banks, which is now confirmed by a one-third drop in LHV Bank's Q1 net profit.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
In the speech, only January is talked about.
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Sõerd said that the business cycle is changing and banks are cyclical businesses whose economic results depend largely on the business cycle, and this is the peculiarity of this sector.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi clarified that the discussion about LHV concerned the January profit, not the first-quarter profit, and asked Vadim Belobrovtsev to respond.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He posed a double question: would SEB Estonia's headquarters open in Tallinn if we had exactly the same bank tax or banks' solidarity tax as in Latvia and Lithuania, and would Estonian people be willing to pay the recently introduced defense tax, especially compared to the residents of Lithuania and Latvia, where banks cover it.
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Sõerd said that a Lithuanian economic analyst warned that as excessive profits rise sharply, the state could treat them as extraordinary revenue for the state budget, and although investors evaluate the Baltic states and Estonia is ahead of Latvia and Lithuania, the warning proved true when SEB decided to establish its Tallinn headquarters.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
At the start of the speech, Aleksei Jevgrafov was invited onto the stage.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Aleksei Jevgrafov asks about the finance committee meeting and whether, besides Andrei, anyone else brought arguments in favor of the bank tax, and what those were.
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Sõerd said that the discussion was practical and thorough, we heard examples from Lithuania and Latvia, but their solutions are not exactly alike, and he gave a thorough overview of the committee's deliberations, which can still be reviewed in the transcript.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech is merely a request to invite Lauri Laats to perform.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats compares the tax systems of Estonia and Lithuania and highlights the differences in taxation of the financial sector: in Estonia the banking tax was 14% until last year and from this year 18%; a dividend tax is added. In Lithuania there is a classic corporate income tax together with a one-off bank tax for two years, and with that Lithuanian banks pay a larger share of taxes to the state.
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Sõerd stressed that the tax burden depends on the context: in Estonia there is an 18% advance income tax on net profit, and for dividends the rate is 22/78; in Lithuania the general income tax is 15% (currently 16% due to defense spending), and therefore before any discussion a thorough comparison of the Estonian–Latvian tax systems is needed.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi gives thanks, says that there are no questions, opens negotiations and asks Andre Hanimägi on behalf of the Estonian Social Democratic Party faction.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
In a speech, Hanimägi emphasized that the coalition should be statesmanlike, follow its election programs, and firmly defend the care reform and the indexing of pensions, rather than rush daily with AI-like bills and accuse the opposition.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He asks that the speech last for three more minutes.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Andre Hanimägi stresses the importance of being in government and standing up for social-democratic principles in extremely challenging times, and, while discussing in the coalition and analyzing the consequences of lowering the VAT on food, he shows that democracy is the art of compromise and statesmen do what is possible.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Thank you, that was a very lively, punchy speech, presented on behalf of the Reform Party faction by Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski.
Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski emphasizes that the populist Robin Hood-like idea of taking from the rich and giving to the poor may seem appealing, but instituting a temporary solidarity tax would bring negative consequences for both the economy and people, because in Estonia there is an advance income tax for banks and the dividend income tax remains in place, and from 2023–2028 they will contribute a total of 641 million euros to the state budget, helping to cover expenses, including defense costs, therefore a bank tax would be a bad choice, especially since it would restrict competition among local banks.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi asks for three more minutes.
Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski states that the temporary bank tax implemented in Lithuania is harmful, and extending it would be a long-term problem for the economy more broadly, citing the departure of fintech companies and a decline in venture capital investments, and although in Estonia there are examples such as Ericsson and the Narva Magnet Factory, a temporary tax cannot be justified, because the Reform Party does not support the bill, as it is not based on thorough analysis and does not protect Estonia's interests.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chair thanks and, on behalf of the Eesti 200 faction, gives the floor to Igor Tarole.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro said that Eesti 200 does not support the bill because it harms the economy and people's well-being in the long term, is based on religious rather than economic evidence, does not solve long-term problems, and increases borrowing costs and worsens the investment climate.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He asks for three more minutes.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
According to Igor Taro, Eesti 200 does not support a draft bill in Lithuania that would limit expansion, because it would harm Estonia's economy and competitiveness; he emphasizes prudent public finances, control of the national debt, and the need not to burden important sectors, while promoting a good investment climate and listening to bank experts.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi, vice-chairman, extends his thanks and informs that Lauri Laats represents the Estonian Centre Party faction and has submitted a request.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
They are asking for three extra minutes.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech simply says that its duration is eight minutes.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
From the speech, it seems that Lauri Laats accuses the current government of the economic downturn and of its tax policy, emphasizes the need to revive the economy, and calls for early elections to renew the mandate.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked his colleague, noted the surprising nature of self-criticism, offered a speech on behalf of the Isamaa faction to Mart Maastik, but he was not in the hall, and named Aleksandr Tšaplõgin as the representative for the Estonian Centre Party faction's counter-speech.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
In a speech, Tšaplõgin accuses the government of creating the banks' billion-dollar profit through high loan interest rates, rather than helping the economy or the people, and proposes to impose a tax on bank profits and to lower the value-added tax on food to help residents more easily.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked, said that there was nothing more to add, closed the negotiations, and asked the meeting chair, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, to pose a question.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
They explain §70 of the Riigikogu's Rules of Procedure and Working Order, which permits a reply speech, and ask what being named specifically actually means, since even a member named specifically may not have the right to submit a reply speech.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi emphasized that only representatives of the factions may participate in the negotiations, and each faction is allowed to make one rebuttal speech that is fair and in accordance with the principles of the first reading, and the leadership and colleagues also agree with this position, including Arvo Aller and Andrei Korobeinik.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik warns in the Riigikogu about the coming era of silence, asks whether it is against democracy, and recommends early elections to renew the mandate and revive democracy.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi admitted exaggerations, noted that the Reform Party was mentioned very often during the processing of the bill, and this confirms the legitimacy of his position, after which he called for ending the discussion and proceeding to prepare for the final vote.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats made a proposal to take a ten-minute pause before the final vote.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi said that the break would last ten minutes.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller informed that the ten-minute recess had ended, and that the final vote would be on the Riigikogu draft resolution 535 presented by the Estonian Centre Party faction, "Proposal to the Government of the Republic for establishing a temporary solidarity tax in the banking sector," the adoption of which requires a majority of the Riigikogu's membership.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Riigikogu decided that Bill No. 535 was rejected (votes: 10 in favor, 0 against, 0 abstentions), and proceeded to the second item on the agenda, where the EKRE faction's bill to form a Riigikogu investigative committee to examine the circumstances related to Nordica's cessation of operations (the first reading of Bill No. 543); however, due to the absence of faction members, the proceedings could not be conducted and the first reading of Bill No. 543 was postponed, the agenda exhausted and the session ended.