Security
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, press briefing
Date: 2025-09-10 16:52
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 13
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 4m
AI Summaries: 13/13 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Question Time session began with the skipping of agenda items 9 and 10, as the questioners, Jaanus Karilaid and Varro Vooglaid, were absent from the chamber. They therefore moved on to question number 11, which Mart Helme posed to Prime Minister Kristen Michal on the topic of security.
Mart Helme accused the Prime Minister and the government of obfuscation and inaction regarding the construction of the eastern border. Helme claimed that before he became Minister of the Interior, only a three-kilometer-long "pakasuhha" (a sham construction) had been completed purely for showing to foreigners, and that it was he who initiated the announcement of real procurements. He sharply criticized the nearly five years of stagnation following EKRE's departure from the government, citing as an example the theft of a border buoy by Russia, which, in his estimation, demonstrates Estonia's helplessness. Prime Minister Kristen Michal responded by confirming that the eastern border would be completed by the end of 2027. Michal refuted Helme's claims, referring to a national broadcasting news report which covered Martin Helme's statements regarding the need to cut back on border funding during Jüri Ratas's government. The Prime Minister also corrected Helme's claim regarding the location of the stolen border buoy. The Chairman of the session then concluded the Question Time, reminding the attendees of the rules concerning the handling of questions as stipulated in the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act.
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made
Most Active Speaker
Mart Helme was the most active speaker, leveling sharp accusations regarding the construction of the eastern border and security. His position is stronger.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced that questions 9 and 10 would not be addressed because the questioners were absent. They then moved on to question 11, the topic of which is security, and the questioner is Mart Helme, who is present in the chamber.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme accuses Kristen Michal and the previous government, claiming the construction of the eastern border was merely a promise and allocated funding, and that no actual work was done over the course of five years, leaving the border defenseless while Russians are operating along the line.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme accuses Kristen Michal and previous governments of stalling the construction of the eastern border, stressing that before he became minister, all that had been done was an expensive decision and showing foreigners a three-kilometer-long "Potemkin village," whereas Mart Helme was the one who actually initiated the real procurements and construction work. Furthermore, he sharply criticizes the fact that in the nearly five years since EKRE left the government, nothing has been done to secure the border, leaving it vulnerable and an easy target for Russians, as the theft of the border buoy also demonstrated.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme accuses Kristen Michal of obfuscating the facts regarding the construction of the eastern border, claiming that prior to Helme’s term in office, the project was merely a three-kilometer "pakasuhha" (a mere showpiece). He asserts that it was he (Mart Helme) who initiated the actual procurements and construction works, while simultaneously criticizing subsequent governments for nearly five years of inaction, which has left the border in a vulnerable state, a situation proven by the theft of the border buoy.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The main message of the speech is that now is your time.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Referring to the southeastern border, he questions their purpose—is it the protection of people or the creation of resistance for military units—and asks for a public explanation of the actions taken.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanks Mart Helme.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme discusses how to ensure the security of Estonia's eastern border within five years.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar addresses a brief request to the Prime Minister.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed that the eastern border will be completed by 2027, responded to the opposition's criticism, and recalled that construction began before the current government and must be finalized with all necessary elements.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed that the eastern border will be fully completed by the end of 2027. However, he used a significant portion of his address to criticize the previous government (referencing a national broadcaster’s news report) for cutting back border funding. He stressed that construction had begun long before their tenure and expressed satisfaction that the debate has now reached the point of acknowledging the facts—that the decisions and actions regarding the border construction had already been made previously.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the first information hour of the session, reminding colleagues of the strict procedural rules regarding staying on topic and the right of the session chair to terminate the discussion of questions, thanking the participants and wishing them a productive workday.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the information hour, reminded attendees of the rules for conducting the session (RKKTS Section 72, Subsection 1, and the commentary on Section 146), affirmed the presiding officer's right to discretion and confirmed that the rules are clear. He thanked the participants and wished everyone a productive continuation of the workday.