Draft law amending the Holiday and Commemoration Day Act (636 SE) – first reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary session
Date: 2025-09-11 01:04
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 60
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 27m
AI Summaries: 60/60 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The first reading of the draft law amending the Holiday and Commemoration Day Act (636), initiated by the Social Democratic Party faction and Members of Parliament Tanel Kiik, Jaak Aab, Andre Hanimäe, Züleyxa Izmailova, and Ester Karuse, is presented. The purpose of the draft is to provide an additional day of rest on Monday when a national holiday falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), so that people can have a more sustained period of respite instead of just weekends. It is important to emphasize that the additional day of rest is not given in lieu of the national holiday, which always falls on a weekend, and the scope of the established regulations and compensations depend on the calendar year. The draft draws examples from solutions used in the European Union and neighboring countries, which provide people with an additional day off or other forms of compensation when a holiday falls on a weekend.
Decisions Made 1
The first reading was completed; the leading committee will prepare and submit amendments, and the deadline for submitting them is 5:15 PM on September 24th.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Member of Parliament ZGNja-THxg8 (delivered a presentation primarily about the objectives and impacts of the bill). He represents the position of the responsible faction, which leans to the left (representative of the left-wing area), and requests a thorough discussion and a unified procedure during the bill's first reading.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
We now have the first reading of the draft bill to amend the Law on Holidays and Significant Dates, initiated by the Social Democratic Party faction and other members of the Riigikogu. The rapporteur is Heljo Pikhof.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller introduced the eighth item on the agenda, which was the first reading of the draft Act on amending the Public Holidays and Anniversaries Act [636], initiated by the Social Democratic Party faction and members of the Riigikogu, and invited Riigikogu member Heljo Pikhof to serve as the rapporteur.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof proposes granting an extra day off on the following working day whenever a national or state holiday falls on a weekend. The goal is to improve work-life balance, employee satisfaction, and productivity without harming the economy.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof is presenting the Social Democrats’ draft bill, which aims to grant people a compensatory day off when a national or public holiday falls on a weekly rest day. She emphasizes that this measure is necessary to reduce the excessive workload and the high number of working hours among Estonians—the highest in the European Union—and to improve work-life balance.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller, the Deputy Chairman, offers his thanks and invites the audience to ask questions, requesting Raimond Kaljulaid to step forward.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid praised the presentation but voiced personal skepticism regarding the initiative being discussed. He inquired about its economic impact, expressing concern that additional public holidays and a reduced workload for people would hinder economic growth.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid said that he is skeptical of the initiative and wanted to discuss its economic impact, noting that additional days off would result in less work and could potentially slow down economic growth.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof referenced a prior debate concerning the Working and Rest Time Act, quoting Risto Kaarna, a fiscal policy analyst at the Ministry of Finance. Kaarna explained that the economic effect of extra public holidays varies across sectors, is not directly tied to GDP, and could actually be stimulating through tourism and entertainment, particularly when scheduled adjacent to a weekend. She emphasized that the overall impact is contingent upon the economic cycle and also presents positive aspects given the inherent need for rest.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof highlighted Risto Kaarna’s view that the economic impact of additional public holidays varies by sector and depends on the economic cycle and the year. There is no direct correlation between GDP and hours worked, and although an extra day off might boost consumption and tourism, and it would be sensible to attach it to a weekend, the monetary impact is difficult to measure precisely.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asked a question to the presiding officer of the session.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid said that he had a very substantive answer, but he wasn't able to catch everything, and requested that it be repeated.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid admitted that although the previous response was very substantial, he hadn't managed to register everything, and politely requested, accompanied by laughter from the audience, that the answer be repeated.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller said that they cannot revisit this procedural matter at the moment and called upon Lauri Läänemets for the next question.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller explained that the previous item could not be repeated due to procedural reasons, and immediately gave the floor to Lauri Läänemets to ask the next question.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets criticizes the government's draft bill and argues that the additional days off don't actually provide extra free time, since the holidays might fall during the week or on a weekend, and the impact on schools and businesses is debatable.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets believes that the government's reasoning for rejecting the bill—which claims it would harm educational institutions' ability to fulfill their curriculum due to extra days off—is illogical. This is because the law, in reality, only compensates for public holidays that fall on a weekend and does not significantly add any new days off, especially given that schools already have a break during the Christmas period.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech emphasizes that now is your time.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets is puzzled and expresses his incomprehension as to why national holidays falling on a weekday should necessarily spell disaster.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He/She expresses confusion and claims that if national holidays fall during the week, a catastrophe should occur.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a brief thank you.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof supports the Social Democrats' proposal, which would ensure certainty for schools and entrepreneurs regarding a consistent number of days off. She emphasizes that the number of public holidays does not affect the course of the school year, and she dismisses the government's unfounded fears about a negative impact on entrepreneurship, especially since the government's representative was unable to explain what this impact would be.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof stressed that the Social Democrats' regulation provides schools and businesses with the assurance that there will be exactly the same number of holidays every year, but the impact on schools and businesses is still under debate, and government representatives were unable to explain it.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller called Andre Hanimägi up to the stage.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Andre Hanimägi acknowledged the thorough answers concerning the economic arguments, which are often the main focus, but he was interested to know whether a health expert had also participated in the commission, and whether similar detailed data exists regarding mental and physical health aspects and their impact on the costs incurred by the state.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The rapporteur thanked the chairman and the speaker, noting that the economic aspect is often the main argument, and asked whether the impact of health (both mental and physical) on the state has also been addressed, and whether similar examples have been highlighted from the health sector as those provided for the economy.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof explained that the committee addressed specific health impacts, highlighting that longer holidays allow family members living geographically dispersed to meet up and socialize, which positively affects mental health, although this effect is difficult to measure.
Heljo Pikhof
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Heljo Pikhof emphasized that spending time with family and celebrating holidays can positively affect mental health, even though the impact is difficult to measure.
Mario Kadastik
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Mario Kadastik voiced confusion regarding the presenter's assertions, pointing out significant discrepancies in energy consumption forecasts that drastically vary between working days and non-working days. He further questioned how a fixed monthly salary could be maintained when the workload is heavily dependent on the fluctuating number of special days (holidays), suggesting this likely necessitates a salary review.
Mario Kadastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He/She highlights confusing claims regarding the impact of the energy sector, the specifics of the manufacturing industry, and the topic of fixed monthly salaries, and asks for the respondent’s opinion.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller invited Mario Kadastik to speak.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof says she doesn't understand it and puts forward the argument that salary depends on electricity consumption.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof expressed clear incomprehension and astonishment regarding the hypothetical connection according to which salary should depend on electricity consumption.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
There are no further questions. Next, we welcome Katrin Kuusemäe, a member of the Constitutional Committee, who served as the summarizer and presenter of the discussion held in the Lead Committee.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller thanked the participants, declared the question period closed, and then gave the floor to Constitutional Committee member Katrin Kuusemäe, who will present a summary of the discussion held in the lead committee.
Katrin Kuusemäe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Katrin Kuusemäe provided a brief overview of the discussion held in the Constitutional Committee concerning the draft amendment to the Public Holidays and Commemoration Days Act, which was initiated by the Social Democratic Party faction. She noted that the government did not support the bill because the impact assessment indicated potential burdens on employers and production. Consequently, the committee decided to add the bill to the agenda for September 10, conclude the first reading, and designate Katrin Kuusemäe as the rapporteur for the lead committee.
Katrin Kuusemäe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Katrin Kuusemäe presented the Constitutional Committee's report regarding the handling of the draft amendment to the Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, which had been initiated by the Social Democratic Party. She noted that while the bill's initiators sought quick advancement, the Government of the Republic did not support it, citing concerns about a negative impact on employers and a drop in production volume. Consequently, the committee decided to propose placing the bill on the plenary session agenda for September 10th.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller gave the floor to Lauri Läänemets and said that there were questions.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets is requesting clarification at the session regarding why a negative impact arises when holidays fall during the week, and why the commission or the government has not addressed this issue, considering that these holidays occur on weekdays, which burdens employers and schools, and why he wants them to fall on weekdays every time.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets is criticizing the government's position that shifting movable holidays from the weekend to a workday would cause a negative impact on society. He is demanding an explanation for why this is considered a problem, given that these same holidays already frequently fall on workdays, and this situation has been successfully managed up to this point.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller handed the floor over to the next speaker with the short and precise phrase, "Your time!", thus initiating a new presentation or discussion.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This speech is simply a thank you.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets explicitly asks what the exact problem is, demanding a thorough explanation of its substance and underlying nature.
Katrin Kuusemäe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Katrin Kuusemäe, the presenter on behalf of the committee, says that she will talk about what was under discussion at that specific committee meeting, and that the topic was not discussed in depth by the committee.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller concluded his address with a brief thank you.
Katrin Kuusemäe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Katrin Kuusemäe, who also serves as the commission's rapporteur, stresses that she is limiting her report strictly to the matters discussed during that particular commission session, given that the topic was not actually addressed with such depth and substance by the commission.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof reported on the committee meeting where Ants Frosch questioned the government's claims regarding employers' opposition to the amendments to the bill, citing as an example the additional leave that stimulates the French economy. However, he simultaneously criticized the government representative, who was unable to substantively answer the questions presented, which made the meeting rather awkward.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof notes that the discussion on the topic was profound. She provides an excerpt from the minutes, describes Ants Frosch's question concerning the government's position and the example of France, and observes that the meeting was strange because the government representative failed to answer the questions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller invites Heljo Pikhof to come forward and speak.
Katrin Kuusemäe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Katrin Kuusemäe relayed the position of government representative Mariko Jõeorg-Jurtšenko, stating that the government has adopted a conservative line concerning similar recurring draft bills. She emphasized that mapping and analyzing the potential impacts is the primary responsibility of the party developing the changes, and the government cannot undertake impact analysis on behalf of the bill's initiator, thereby leaving the final decision-making power to the Riigikogu (Parliament).
Katrin Kuusemäe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The report revealed that similar bills have been repeatedly introduced, and the government has consistently taken a conservative stance each time. Mapping and analyzing the impact is the primary task of the drafter of the amendments, and the final decision rests with the Riigikogu.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller invites Riina Sikkut to speak.
Riina Sikkut
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riina Sikkut pointed out that the government's positions on the car tax, the income tax hike, and the salaries of teachers, rescuers, and police officers were issued on June 6, 2025. However, these have since been revised, and she inquired whether the draft bill had gained support within the government in the interim and if a new official stance should be sought.
Riina Sikkut
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riina Sikkut emphasized that since the government's original position on the current draft bill—which covered both tax amendments and public sector salary issues—was given a long time ago, and all those positions have changed in the interim, the government should be asked for a new and updated endorsement or position.
Katrin Kuusemäe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Katrin Kuusemäe says she can't answer that question.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He stated that the issue had been repeatedly discussed in the Riigikogu and that the government should have sought the opinion of employers and employees. He referred to the opinion of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, which confirms the usefulness of adding rest days for employers, employees, and society alike. He also noted that the matter had been discussed at length in the committee, although not everything was recorded in the minutes, and government representatives had not familiarized themselves with the discussion.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a brief request addressed to Heljo Pikhof.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof reproaches the government for failing to solicit the opinions of employees regarding the topic (adding extra days off) that has been repeatedly debated in the Riigikogu. Furthermore, she notes that the government ignored a clear study by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, which confirms that adding days off is beneficial for employers, employees, and society as a whole.
Katrin Kuusemäe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Katrin Kuusemäe said that she has the protocol right in front of her and is currently relying on it.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller declared the debate closed and announced that the first reading of Bill 636 had concluded, and the deadline for submitting amendments is 5:15 PM on September 24th of this year.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller closed the question period and the debate, confirming the conclusion of the first reading of Draft Bill 636, as proposed by the lead committee, and setting the deadline for the submission of amendments as 5:15 PM on September 24th of the current year.