Draft law amending the Emergency Situations Act (589 SE) – first reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
Date: 2025-03-25 13:05
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 11
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 8m
AI Summaries: 11/11 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The first reading of draft law 589, amending the Emergency Situations Act, initiated by the Government of the Republic, was presented. The purpose of the draft is to change the organization of the provision of vital services and to increase their efficiency and accessibility, including when data or equipment are located in a foreign country. Significant changes include ensuring two technologically separate communication channels to guarantee the operation of vital services, and restructuring the supervision arrangement by replacing the sole competence of the State Information System Agency with supervision at sites. In the discussion, it was pointed out that these changes create flexibility for entrepreneurs and better service accessibility for consumers, while maintaining necessary security margins.
Collectively, these principles were approved in their entirety, and in the discussion, initial nuances regarding the restructuring of the supervision arrangement were clarified, along with the next steps in the draft’s procedure. The Defence Committee supported the general principles of the draft and unanimously proposed to the Riigikogu to end the first reading, to place it on the agenda, and to name the committee member Kristo Enn Vaga as the rapporteur. In the concluding chapter, the deadline for submitting amendments was also confirmed, along with the procedure for the day's conclusion, to ensure the process is clear and organized.
Decisions Made 2
The Defence Committee supported the general principles of the bill, and a consensus was reached to conclude the bill's first reading, place it on the agenda, and designate Kristo Enn Vaga as the presenter. The deadline for submitting amendments was fixed at 10 working days, as stipulated by law.
The leading committee's proposal is to conclude the first reading of bill 589. The final decision will be formalized within the plenary session of the Riigikogu, and the deadline for submitting amendments is April 8th at 5:15 PM.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Arvo Aller (EKRE). He presented a strong and detailed explanation of the bill's meaning and provided examples of everyday situations to help illustrate the bill’s impact. He aligns with the right-wing political spectrum.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Riigikogu has reached the third item on the agenda and will begin the first reading of the Government-initiated draft amendment to the Emergency Act, bill no. 589, inviting the Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta to the podium.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
The draft bill will make essential services in Estonia cheaper for both businesses and consumers. It allows, if necessary, the use of data or equipment located in another country to provide the essential service with two communication channels, and changes the supervisory arrangement so that it takes place directly in courts and designated authorities, replacing the exclusive competence of the State Information System Authority.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chair thanks and invites his colleague Arvo Aller to take the floor and present his question.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller asked for clarification on the difference between the authority responsible for ensuring the continuity of an essential service and the provider of the essential service, and how their roles are distributed between them.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
The local municipality ensures heating for apartment buildings during cold weather, and the operation of this service is guaranteed by the district heating provider, whose work the municipality organizes for emergencies.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks and announces that there are no more questions, and Kristo Enn Vaga, a member of the Defence Committee, presents the leading committee's deliberations and decisions.
Kristo Enn Vaga
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The National Defence Committee discussed Draft Bill 589 and noted that an essential services provider, whose data or equipment necessary for its operation are located abroad, must ensure a connection via at least two technologically distinct electronic communication channels, supported the general principles of the draft, and decided to conclude the first reading, to put it on today’s agenda, and to designate me as the rapporteur, and to set the deadline for submitting amendments at 10 working days.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
In the speech, gratitude is expressed, and it is said that Arvo Aller has one more question up his sleeve.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller asks how the regulation that governs the uptake of frequencies from devices located in a foreign country into Estonia applies, how many frequency bands Estonian companies should cover, and what would change if the devices were located in Estonia.
Kristo Enn Vaga
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kristo Enn Vaga emphasized that there must be two technological means of connectivity with Estonia from abroad, so that if the communications in Estonia are disrupted, the data would not be lost, and he added that the draft bill does not change that number, which is written in the Emergency Situations Act and which was not discussed in this draft bill.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi declared the first reading of Draft Bill 589 completed, set the deadline for submitting amendments to April 8 at 17:15, and adjourned today's session.