Draft law amending the Construction Code Act, the Administrative Cooperation Act, and the Water Act (531 SE) - second reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
Date: 2025-03-19 17:25
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 46
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 4m
AI Summaries: 46/46 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Bill 531 concerns amendments to the Construction Code Act, the Administrative Cooperation Act, and the Water Act, and is the second reading. The main objectives are to reduce the burden on bureaucracy and partially delegate responsibility to local governments, to speed up and clarify project coordination, and to terminate somewhat duplicated control mechanisms between the Environmental Agency and local governments. Within the changes, the Environmental Agency will in the future be limited to fewer cases of coordination; at the second level, the authority to establish sewage collection areas is transferred from the Ministry of Justice to the Director General of the Environmental Agency, and the organization of water sample takers' certification is delegated to a private legal entity under an administrative contract. Following the initial reading, no amendments were submitted by members of the Riigikogu or committees; the Environment Committee submitted two amendments of its own, and two committee sessions were preparatory discussions with stakeholder groups. After the second reading, the leading committee directed the bill to the Riigikogu agenda on March 19th, for the planned third reading. Discussions during the initial discussions raised important issues regarding legal certainty, drilling methods, and the smoothness of procedures for local governments, and the discussion included both groundwater protection, owner supervision, and the impact of geological drill holes on the water quality of rural areas. In summary, the committee adopted two amendments, and the vote to conclude the second reading ended with unofficial discussions.
Decisions Made 1
The Isamaa faction's proposal to interrupt the second reading did not find support: 14 in favor, 50 against, no abstentions. Therefore, the second reading was concluded and the bill moves on to the third reading in cooperation with the steering committee.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa faction). He spoke and commented repeatedly, often keeping the focus on questions regarding reducing bureaucracy, the government's role, and the consistency of implementing the bill. His positions within the context are right-wing, which is reflected in his faction affiliation and the tone of his criticism of the sector's administrative structures.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
During today’s fourth item on the agenda, the government-initiated draft bill No. 531, which concerns amendments to the Construction Act, the Administrative Cooperation Act, and the Water Act, will be discussed for the second reading, and the presenter is Jüri Jaanson, a member of the Environment Committee.
Jüri Jaanson
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Jüri Jaanson introduced the Riigikogu draft bill No. 531, which will reduce bureaucracy by amending the Construction, Administrative Cooperation, and Water Acts, and the vast majority of approvals for boreholes and wells will typically be issued to local municipalities; the burden on the Environment Agency will decrease and the processing of the permit may be faster, while at the same time giving the minister, under a delegation norm, the authority to establish drilling methods and transferring the right to establish wastewater collection areas to the Director General of the Environment Agency and placing the organization of attestation of water-sampling takers under an administrative contract to a private individual; the first reading took place on 11 December, the Environment Committee submitted two proposed amendments, organized January stakeholder-group discussions, and in March these were adopted, and the committee decided to take the bill for the second reading on the Riigikogu agenda on 19 March and for the third reading on 26 March 2025.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller thanks for the thorough presentation, announces that there are no questions, opens negotiations, invites Tiit Maran to speak first, and asks for extra time, promising three more minutes.
Tiit Maran
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tiit Maran said that the bill is entirely appropriate and necessary, because it protects the value of groundwater, reduces the burden on the Environmental Agency, transfers part of the proceedings to municipalities, and simplifies the drilling procedure and bans a single specific drilling method, but stressed that cutting the number of civil servants must not happen and that public power is not a business enterprise, but must remain serving the people and communities.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Next up is Andres Metsoja, and three more minutes have been requested.
Andres Metsoja
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Andres Metsoja noted that although the draft bill seems to reduce the administrative burden, it would lead to a decrease in the availability of drinking water in sparsely populated areas and would increase the price of boreholes, because it bans one drilling method and would grant supervision to the local government, which is why the Isamaa faction wants to suspend the second reading of draft bill 531.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman asks Igor Tarol to take the floor.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro said that although the bill deals only with the minister in charge's authority to draft a regulation on drilling methods and does not immediately solve the entire issue, it will entail the elimination of double checks, a reduction in the Environmental Agency's workload, and shortening the time to apply for a drilling permit, which will benefit the entrepreneur, reduce bureaucracy, and lessen the burden on people, and he emphasized the need to continue adopting bills that reduce bureaucracy, criticizing Isamaa's current position and asking for more time.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar said that three minutes of extra time are needed.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro says that there must be at least one person in the faction who has experience in the private sector, otherwise it's hard to understand why the state must be dear to the citizen's heart, but not to his wallet, and he believes that the complexity of the previous coalition is in the past and things will get better, and in reducing bureaucracy and regulations he does not want a chainsaw but an axe.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Speaker thanked and invited his fellow Riigikogu member, Jüri Jaanson, to speak.
Jüri Jaanson
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Jüri Jaanson said briefly that the draft focuses on reducing bureaucracy and addressing entrepreneurs' concerns in establishing boreholes, clarifies the permitted and prohibited drilling methods, and emphasizes that regulations related to mining are left out, and according to the representative of the Owners' Central Union, this makes the process of interacting with local government easier and reduces the need for double contact with the Environmental Agency.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chair Hussar clarifies that Andres Metsoja wished to take the floor before the speech, but withdrew it and instead submitted a request to speak, and now asks the Riigikogu's presiding colleague, Andres Metsoja.
Andres Metsoja
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
The reduction of administrative burden must be proportional and transparent and understandable to all — to the entrepreneur, to the local government, and to the case handler — in order to avoid disputes and to ensure a fair and reliable procedure.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, thanked a colleague, stressed that a speech may be delivered only in the name of Riigikogu members or their representatives, asked Igor Tarol to clarify whom he represents, and when Tarol replied "in his own name," Hussar allowed him to deliver the speech from the Riigikogu's speaker's chair in accordance with the same rules.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
The speech expresses gratitude to the director.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
He makes a small clarification: the previous speech by Igor Tarolt at the Riigikogu podium was on behalf of his faction, and now he speaks in his own name.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro called on the Isamaa faction to withdraw its plea for rejection, arguing that the drilling method does not affect the present draft bill and that increasing bureaucracy should be avoided.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, explains that the person who spoke on behalf of the faction now wishes to speak in person and invites Riigikogu member Jüri Jaanson to the podium.
Jüri Jaanson
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Jüri Jaanson confirmed that the proposal to suspend Isamaa concerns only the ministry's regulatory domain and does not solve the holistic issue that the commission has treated as a whole, and therefore the purpose of the suspension remains unclear.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asked the factions to clearly indicate when a speech is made on behalf of the faction, so that it could be traced, and let us proceed with the negotiations; he called his colleague Urmas Reinsalu to the podium and requested three minutes of extra time.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
He speaks from the podium as a demanding citizen of the Republic of Estonia, addressing Mr. Speaker of the Riigikogu.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The main point of the speech is that you are here as a member of the Riigikogu.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
He notes that you asked him to clarify whether he acts on behalf of the faction.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
A speech has already been made on behalf of the faction; now Urmas Reinsalu is speaking as a member of the Riigikogu.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu notes that the topic is of a technical nature and peripheral.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar explains that this is a clarification.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu called for halting the second reading of the bill, to introduce amendments that reduce bureaucracy and do not increase costs, and he stressed the rift that creates a trust crisis between the coalition's words and actions.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, announces that there are no more requests to speak, but the name Igor Taro was mentioned in the last speech, and therefore it is possible to give a reply speech on the spot.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro states that Isamaa does not want the complete abolition of the Estonian Environment Agency, but rather a reduction of bureaucracy, the elimination of double checks, a reduction of the Estonian Environment Agency's workload, and speeding up the processing of building permit applications, and emphasizes that the draft bill identified as last year's best law was useful, and Isamaa stands for good laws, not against them.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, ended the negotiations, said that a reply speech could not be given, offered procedural clarification if necessary, and asked Urmas Reinsalu whether he had a procedural question.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu notes that Eesti 200 also has difficulties.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar affirms that there is no confusion on his part, and that the current session must be held in accordance with RKKTS.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
He notes that he understands and adds that he presents you with a question from the platform of a demanding citizen.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman, Lauri Hussar, asks to discuss the procedure for conducting the meeting.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu said that the procedure for conducting the meeting does not allow him to respond to Mr. Taro's claim, and that the claim made on March 11 about Kristina Kallas that she intended to close the Environmental Agency is not his claim.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
He says at first "no" and then "yes."
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu quotes Kristina Kalla's assertion that some offices must be either completely restructured or completely shut down.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar praises and notes that Urmas Reinsalu has already submitted a counter-speech.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu gives an example from the Environmental Board.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar said that he cannot agree with it on procedural grounds.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu's speech has no substantive message; it's simply the end of a quotation.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar said that he does not agree with it.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
In conclusion, it was claimed that this was the direct quote of the chairwoman of your party.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar informed that negotiations concerning the amendments to Bill 531 have ended, and the lead committee wishes to conclude the second reading, but the Isamaa faction submitted a proposal to suspend the second reading for the same bill, and the preparation for the vote begins.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
For the proposal, 14 Riigikogu members voted in favor; 50 were against; there were no abstentions. The proposal did not receive support and the second reading of bill 531 has been completed.