Draft law amending the Political Parties Act and the Credit Institutions Act (585 SE) – first reading
Session: Fifteenth Riigikogu, fifth sitting, plenary session
Date: 2025-03-18 13:00
Total Speeches: 118
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 2h 0m
AI Summaries: 118/118 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
First reading of the draft law (585) amending the Political Parties Act and the Credit Institutions Act in the Riigikogu. The draft expands the powers of the Political Parties Funding Oversight Commission (ERJK), prohibits the transfer of certain donations to the state budget, and adds the concept of affiliated organizations and regulations on the involvement of third parties. Additional requirements for submitting documents and explanations are also being discussed, and a priority is being added/changed to make media submissions formal documentation. The purpose of the draft is to ensure the transparency and self-regulation of party financing and to protect democracy from external influence. As a significant element, the presenter emphasizes that, from the point of view of the functioning of the state, it is essential to ensure the free, fair, and transparent representation of the will of the people, but the draft does not solve all problems, therefore, parliamentary parties are invited to find solutions to the draft's shortcomings. Negotiations, procedural and cooperation aspects, and the prevention of external influence have been particularly highlighted.
Decisions Made 1
The first reading was completed regarding draft 585. It was also decided that the preceding two proposals with identical content (from the ECR and Centre Party) to reject its first reading did not garner support, and the first reading was therefore completed. The deadline for submitting further amendments is April 1st at 5:15 PM.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Undersecretary of the Riigikogu for Justice and Digital Affairs, Liisa-Ly Pakosta (pid eoQySqbpowY), who represents a right-wing position. She introduced and emphasized the main problems of the bill, affirmed the importance of the fundamental values of democracy, and called on the parties to jointly find solutions to the bill’s shortcomings.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
As the third item on the agenda, we will consider the government-initiated draft bill No. 585 to amend the Political Parties Act and the Credit Institutions Act, in its first reading, and we request that the Honorable Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta present it at the Riigikogu's speaking podium.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta said that the bill will not solve important questions for the functioning of the state and the protection of democracy, and urged the Riigikogu's parties to jointly improve party oversight and transparency, to expand the powers of the Party Funding Supervisory Commission, and to clarify the concept of affiliated organizations, in order to safeguard the will of the people, fair competition, and protection against interference by foreign states.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chair thanked the audience, noted that there are a number of questions, and Varro Vooglaid will be the first to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid called for focusing on the content of the bill and raising real democracy reforms, such as restoring popular initiative and referendums, direct election of the president, and a reliable voting system, and at the same time he posed a question about the unclear wording of the definition of affiliated organizations, to clarify whether formal recognition or substantive recognition is important.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
According to Justice and Digital Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta, the concept of the party's affiliate organization should be clarified and made more practical, and solutions should be found that are broader and functional, and do not hinder the parties' outreach or the accounting of campaign expenses, but take real needs into account, for example by enabling the Kükametsa Hunters' Society to publish appeals in support of Rain Epler.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi notes that Rain Epler has already been named four times and the other colleagues are waiting for the same, Arvo Aller, please!
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller criticizes the length of the minister’s ten-minute introduction, emphasizes the need to investigate the funding of aggressor states and the ties to Slava Ukraini and the use of money received from Ukraine, recommends that the Eesti 200 party look in the mirror and explain the flow of money, and adds to the draft the powers of the Party Funding Oversight Committee and the concept of a “third party,” the absence of which could allow the committee to suspend up to 50% of state-budget payments.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
That was a short speech in which gratitude was expressed.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller asks what the third person is.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
She noted that the draft should first clearly define which affiliated organizations the party oversight commission can evaluate, and to specify and improve the rights of the participants in the proceedings, but before summoning anyone there must be factual evidence of their connection to party financing.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk criticizes the lengthy introduction and asks how the draft bill would, in practice, help investigate and bring to account Riigikogu members who are involved in schemes to siphon money from the people (such as in the Eesti 200 case, Slava Ukraini and Johanna-Maria Lehtme), and whether this could ultimately lead to their stepping down.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Rene Kokk to speak.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Thank you! The question was not related to this bill and did not touch on party-political activity either.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech begins by addressing Andre Hanimägi, and he is asked to come.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Andre Hanimägi raised the complexity of defining stakeholders and the topic of organizations that ideologically support political parties, and asked how to regulate situations where paying for advertising gives rise to discussions, referring to Epleri's example.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
This speech highlights the bill's core issue: how to guarantee democracy in Estonia in such a way that parties and candidates are not undermined by expensive campaigns and costs beyond their control, and that citizens can freely support politicians without the obligation to cover additional costs.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman interrupted with a procedural question before the minister finished answering and turned to Varro Vooglaid.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid asks whether the minister can make a proposal to reject the bill after the questions and answers round, if it turns out that the problem is so large that continuing the proceedings is pointless.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi said that a no-confidence motion against the minister cannot be filed and the bill can be withdrawn, but because of the sensitive issue the government does not want to dictate to the six factions represented in Parliament how things should be organized, and invites Parliament to reach an agreement on its own.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas asked whether the current financing of political parties in Estonia is fairly organized, noting that it depends on the number of Riigikogu members, although fixed costs are more or less the same for all parties, and he proposed an idea for funding based on total costs and the number of members.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
My opinion is that greater funding for the functioning of political parties should come from the membership dues of party members; the larger a party is, the more it can sustain activities funded by its members; and an ideal model of funding for political parties is a matter for discussion in the Riigikogu.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech was only an invitation for Rain Epler to come and perform.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler criticizes the fact that the current party no longer represents the views of the Estonian people and asks whether early elections are really necessary, even though there are no practical steps to trigger them.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
He, as a completely ordinary citizen of the Republic of Estonia, said that in the current situation organizing snap elections is not the right thing to do.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi asks Lauri Laats to come and speak.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats criticizes the draft’s deficiencies and its adoption without consulting the political parties, calls for its withdrawal and for it to be processed again in a consensus-based manner, and draws attention to paragraph 11 of section 122 concerning a loan, and asks how the new law will treat this provision and whether and how this paragraph has been applied in the previous ten years.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
The report notes that although the clause restricting parties' loan obligations is intended to ensure financial stability and parties have been involved since 2021, it cannot be implemented in its present form, and the solution lies in banks lending on market terms, with the expectation that they will not lend the parties into ruin.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi turned toward Kristo Enn Vaga and said, "Please."
Kristo Enn Vaga
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kristo Enn Vaga asked, in connection with the election campaign referred to in the Act on Political Parties, whether a period of active election campaigning could be established at the statutory level and would start from the moment when the President of the Republic has announced the elections, in order to ensure legal clarity and clearer reporting, and asked for the minister's position.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
The Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs, Liisa-Ly Pakosta, said that there is no universal solution when it comes to regulating campaign costs and poster sizes, and fair, equal competitive conditions must be found together with the parties.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Varro Vooglaid to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid criticizes the definition of affiliated organizations as formal and meaningless and finds that the law is absurdly broadly worded and does not contain clearly justified restrictions regarding a third party or documents.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Justice and Digital Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta said that one should speak honestly and transparently about the individuals the party has declared to be connected with it, and this public scrutiny could bring legal clarity to the law, and regarding third parties she noted that the Riigikogu can improve the draft bill, ensuring better rights for participants in the proceedings and finding a better wording, which she would welcome.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, invites Reili Randi onto the stage.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand expressed joy that the party law has finally reached the chamber, and asked how to reduce money's influence on elections and establish an upper limit on campaign spending to halt the arms race.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
He emphasized that although the influence of funding on elections is known, and foreign funding via digital platforms can threaten democracy, it is important to find solutions to these dangers and, in defense of democracy, apply the principle of self-defense.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Rene Kokk to speak.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk asks the minister how the draft would regulate specific situations, such as the Eesti 200 case and ERJK procedures, and asks for practical examples of how the amendment to the law would solve them, not just general talk.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
In all democratic countries there are situations where people regret having given their vote to a certain candidate, but in the next elections this can be corrected, and the same principle applies to candidates who have left EKRE as of today.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, announced that the Reform Party faction has requested an extension of today's session until the agenda is exhausted, but no later than 14:00, and that he will take two questions and then conduct a vote.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler suggests reducing the bureaucracy surrounding party funding by allowing only donations via bank transfer and having the State Audit Office examine the annual bank statement to ensure that all support is clear and transparent.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Pakosta raised in the Constitutional Committee the question of whether the Party Financing Supervisory Commission, established in 2011, is properly constituted in this form and formed in the best possible way, and said that the parties should discuss this themselves and agree on it, adding as a technical note that the money is the same, regardless of whether it is transferred in cash or digitally.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi invites Lauri Laats onto the stage.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats said that the parties had not discussed beforehand or organized a joint roundtable, although the draft has been circulated and the parties have submitted their opinions, and he recommended pausing the draft, holding a sensible discussion, and returning with a revised version.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks the audience.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
He said that there are no flaws in the draft bill, only topics that need to be discussed further; the party roundtable and the Riigikogu are places where the parties discuss together; and if one wishes to withdraw the draft bill and submit a new one, one must rely on the practical experience of the parties, because law does not teach underhand tricks, and those who have gained practical experience regulate best.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi announced that the Reform Party faction wants to extend the March 18, 2025 session until the agenda is exhausted, but not later than 14:00, and put this proposal to a vote.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Sixty members of the Riigikogu voted in favor of the proposal; 11 were against and 2 abstained. The proposal received support, and today's session has been extended until all items on the agenda have been addressed, but no later than 2:00 PM, and we will continue with questions and invite Jaak Valge.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
They note that the concept of democracy is defined differently, provide examples of the Polity system and the Freedom House index, and the assessments based on these can differ significantly, and they ask how you define democracy.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
He said that he has recently re-examined both our annotated edition of the Constitution and the Supreme Court's Constitutional Review Commission discussions on the principle of party democracy, and he derives guidance from them.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi asks Kert Kingo to come on stage.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo criticizes ERJK's partisanship, notes that procedures are decided by a vote, and asks which investigative powers are planned, and whether a vote-based initiation is a democratic and proper principle of investigation.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
He stressed that constitutional pluralism must be represented in the Riigikogu chamber, and that different ideas and opinions must be discussed together in order to find the best solution for organizing the party financing supervisory committee.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi asks Helle-Moonika Helme to speak.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He accuses ERJK of political bias, claims that it threatens the constitution and democracy, and emphasizes that this body should be abolished.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech focuses on the message that now is your time.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme asks whether ERJK adopts unbiased decisions.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
All parties have been represented in the ERJK since 2011, which ensures oversight, and although the protocols often leave the impression that one party is always opposed, today’s ideas are clearer and the Riigikogu can review them, but that does not mean unconstitutionality.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This call was simply a plea to invite Tanel Kiik.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik asks the minister for his personal stance and the position of the future government coalition on imposing limits on monetary donations to political parties.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
According to Liisa-Ly Pakosta, the main question for democracy’s self-defense in the current technological environment is how to limit both forms of donations that threaten the independence of political parties and the influence produced by artificial intelligence, and to jointly find a solution to establish upper limits on party funding.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks that Kalle Grünthal take the floor.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal criticizes the minister in a grandiose manner and argues that the law does not grant the government the right to command the Riigikogu or to issue orders for it to develop something; for a bill to proceed to the legislative process it must follow the Riigikogu's normative-technical drafting standards and the rules of good lawmaking, and he finally asks which norm grants the minister the right to give tasks to the Riigikogu.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta said that the answer is very simple, and she has submitted a petition to the Riigikogu.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Mart Helme to come on stage.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme states that although Europe should be a rule-of-law state and Estonia democratic, foreign funding and interference undermine democracy, and he cites examples from Romania, the AfD, Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen, and USAID funding, which he regards as an absurd substitute activity in ERJK discussions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The message calls on listeners to take action, saying that it is your time.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He claims that the clear aim is to create yet another instrument with which to control those forces that are not to the regime's liking, and this is completely undemocratic.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller ends his speech, saying “It's your turn!” and thanks the audience.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
He says that he does not agree with what is contained in this question and emphasizes that Estonia is and will remain a rule-of-law state.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme claims that Estonia is not a rule-of-law state, because the governing political parties have violated the constitution in recent years, and the institutions that should be performing oversight have not done so, or have justified the violations, and there is political bias, harassment and revenge processes within ERJK, therefore it is not certain that this ERJK should be granted the desired powers by the bill.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asked Helle-Moonika Helme to take the floor.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
They said that they hadn't heard the question and that you had said that you weren't sure whether ERJK should grant them these rights; that was a statement, not a question.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech is a short prayer addressed to Kert Kingo.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo claims that the supervisory authority led by the Social Democrats gives an undue advantage and asks whether there is another body in Estonia where the decision to take complaints for consideration is made by a vote rather than on the merits.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
He stressed the importance of Section 12 of the Constitution and that no one should be treated worse because of their political beliefs, as the drafters of the Constitution have written.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy speaker Arvo Aller emphasizes that the minister must be allowed to finish.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta emphasized that, pursuant to Section 12 of the Constitution, no one may be treated badly or discriminated against because of their party membership, and this applies to members of all political parties, which ensures that the best people work in the respective positions and that such discrimination is punishable under the Penal Code.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Kert Kingol posed a procedural question to the chair of the meeting.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo asks whether the minister indirectly hinted at violations of the law and discrimination, and at the same time emphasizes the rule of law, referring to the fact that a supervisory authority headed by one party lacks independence, impartiality and objectivity.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller said that the minister spoke about §12 of the Constitution and about rights, but it was not accepted to read a threat into it, and they asked Tanel Kiik.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik asks whether in the pre-social-media era the cap on donations was more important than it is now, and whether the question of the donation cap will become even more important, since online media have no practical restrictions.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Minister of Justice and Digital Development Liisa-Ly Pakosta said that there is a concern and a solution must be found, although at present there are no good examples from the practices of other countries, and to safeguard democracy they are jointly seeking new possibilities in the context of technological development.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal criticizes that work on the draft is being pushed forward by pressuring the Riigikogu, emphasizes the current standard of good lawmaking and the requirement to involve interest groups, and notes that not all parties have been involved and their views have not been solicited.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller invites Kalle Grünthali to speak.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Justice and Digital Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta affirms that she does not agree with the stated claim, recommends familiarizing herself with the rounds of consultation listed in the explanatory memorandum, and notes that in 2021, 2022, and 2024 Estonian parties were involved in the preparation of this draft bill.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Mart Helme to take the floor.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme accuses the opposition party of corruption, asserting that EKRE is the party with the most democratic internal procedures, which has brought to the floor draft bills for referendums and plebiscites, and accuses the opponents of discrimination, and notes that talking about democracy is in violation of Section 12.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a short but powerful call: "Your time" – now it is the listeners' turn to act and turn their opportunities into reality.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme claims that the American vice president has clearly given an assessment of the health of democracy in Europe, and that in Estonia the situation is even worse than in Europe as a whole.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
It was just a thank-you note.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme emphasizes that the Minister of Justice is responsible for this.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
They factually clarify that Section 12 of the Constitution does not regulate whether parties may speak well of or ill of one another, and international case law confirms that party pluralism and inter-party competition involve mutual criticism.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair, Arvo Aller, invited Andre Hanimägi to speak.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Andre Hanimägi asks in the chamber to explain the nature of ERJK and asks whether ERJK is a disciplinary body of a single party, recalling that previously representatives of all parliamentary parties belonged to ERJK, and that elections are taking place for the chair and the deputy chair.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Currently, this commission is organized democratically and transparently, and it is a sensible way to monitor party financing, based on the discussions from 2011 and an understanding of the parties’ own interests; if the Riigikogu takes a different position in 2025, the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs is ready to contribute to the discussion.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair thanks and says that there are no questions, and before moving to the steering committee, asks Mart Helme to present a question to the chair of the meeting.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
This is not procedural, but for the inquirer’s clarification he says that the Socialists in ERJK essentially have three points that indicate which way the matter is leaning, and this remark is important for clarifying the discussion.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Thank you, and we will continue with the discussion that took place in the steering committee, and we request the chair of the Constitutional Committee, Hendrik Johannes Terras, to deliver a speech.
Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
Terras described how the committee worked on preparing the first reading of the draft bill and discussed the roles of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Digital Affairs and ERJK in regulating party funding, the rights of affiliated organizations and electoral coalitions, the definition of donations and campaign periods, and the reduction of allocations in the state budget, and the committee decided to end the first reading with 5 votes in favor and 1 against.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair thanked, stated that there were no questions, opened negotiations with the factions, and on behalf of the EKRE faction Varro Vooglaid asked for three minutes of additional time.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid criticized the minister's presentation as pompous demagogy and stated that the draft would grant ERJK broad, constitutionally questionable powers to demand documents from third parties, would create the inclusion of prohibited donations into state revenues, and would result in a lack of oversight by affiliated organizations, therefore he recommended transferring the oversight to the National Audit Office and adding a constitutional analysis.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chair Arvo Aller emphasizes that your time has come.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid proposed to vote down the draft bill at its first reading and urged everyone to support this proposal.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
On behalf of the Estonian Centre Party faction, Lauri Laats asked for three extra minutes.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats states that the Estonian government and the Riigikogu are at a standstill, that extraordinary elections are needed, and that the bill must be withdrawn and discussed with all parties to draft a clear and effective law regulating the activities of political parties.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller thanked and informed that before the next presentation Mart Helmel has a question for the chair of the meeting.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme stresses that the minister should be in the chamber during the discussion of the draft bill, but he does not see him there and asks how this fits with our work and home rules.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The chair said that, in general, it is good practice for a minister to remain in the room during the presentation of a draft bill, and the minister informed about an important foreign meeting and promised to follow the discussion later via the transcript and the video.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal joined Helme's question about the minister's absence in the chamber, stressed that the Riigikogu's work is more important and the minister must be present, and proposed that until the minister returns, this matter be left unaddressed, because it is an essential part of our work.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller said that the minister has an off-site meeting, and he promised to review the discussion afterwards, and added that Andre Hanimägi is waiting and hopes to receive a mandate from the Estonian Social Democratic Party's parliamentary faction.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
According to Andre Hanimägi, although the draft has shortcomings, it should be improved; increasing the transparency of party financing is a step in the right direction; ERJK's expansion of powers will help ensure equal competition and oversight of campaigns; and the Riigikogu should further discuss and improve the draft, including a discussion on involving affiliated organizations and third parties.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller asked for three more minutes.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Andre Hanimägi said that although the bill increases funding transparency and provides a reason to discuss the upper limit on donations and campaign costs, he nonetheless has doubts whether all problems will be resolved, and the Social Democrats supported it with the aim that elections would depend on ideas and content, not on financial influence.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller thanked the presenter and announced that a response would be given to the EKRE faction's positions, directing it to Varro Vooglaid.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid stressed that transparency in party funding is important, but in pursuit of that goal the powers of the Party Funding Supervisory Commission must not be expanded, because procedures should be conducted by independent law enforcement or constitutional institutions, not by an organ under the control of political parties.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller ends the negotiations and informs that the first reading of Bill 585 has ended, and the proposals of the EKRE and Centre Party factions wish to return the bill for reconsideration and will be put to a vote.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
19 members of the Riigikogu voted in favor of the proposal and 57 against, therefore the proposal did not receive support; the first reading has been completed, the deadline for submitting amendments is 1 April this year at 17:15, we have completed today’s third agenda item and the meeting is adjourned.