Personnel policy in the security and defence sector
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th sitting, press briefing
Date: 2025-04-16 16:47
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 11
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 7m
AI Summaries: 11/11 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Today's session addressed the Defence Ministry's structural reform and the filling of related positions, including the merging of the Deputy Secretaries for Defence Planning and Defence Readiness, and the creation of the Deputy Secretary for Defence Capability position. Additionally, the Riigikogu raised the issue of the importance of experience and knowledge in the state defence sector, and the suitability of the public service commission's formed competition in relation to the presented criteria, according to which the candidate was required to have critical experience in understanding both state defence and international security organizations.
The selection of Siim Sukles as the candidate presented by the commission sparked widespread discussion and criticism, as he did not possess the critical experience and knowledge described in the competition announcement in line with the expected profile. The Prime Minister explained that an assessment must first take place by the ministries and senior civil servants commission, and that relevant evidence and notes are ready to be clarified and, if necessary, discussed with the Defence Minister and the State Secretary. The discussion raised an additional question about the commission's independence and adherence to the conditions, and proposals were made to consider a possible revision or reorganization of the commission's composition.
Decisions Made 1
There were no official decisions made during this session. The purpose of the discussion was to check and clarify the competition's adherence to the criteria outlined in writing, and it was permitted to forward concerns to the State Secretary and the Minister of Defence, and to submit a written clarification if necessary. Furthermore, it was permitted to review the composition of the commission or the assessment mechanisms if necessary, but a decision on that matter was not reached.
Most Active Speaker
Most active speaker: Ants Frosch, Member of the Riigikogu; position: other
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Riigikogu member Ants Frosch submitted today's ninth question to Prime Minister Kristen Michal on the topic of personnel policy in the security and defense sector.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch describes the Ministry of Defence's structural reform, through which the offices of the deputy undersecretaries for defence planning and for defence readiness were merged, and the posts of Deputy for Defence Capability and Deputy for Defence Industry and Innovation were created, and asks for an explanation of how Siim Sukles, who lacks the critical experiences and knowledge named in the vacancy notice, obtained this position.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that to be appointed one must meet certain criteria, and these criteria are checked by the chancellors and the Higher Civil Servants Commission, and if concrete evidence is presented that Siim Sukles does not meet these criteria, he is prepared to examine them more closely.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair thanks and asks Ants Froschil to present a clarifying question.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch asks why the State Chancellery's selection committee did not follow its competition terms, and whether anyone in the government exerted pressure on the committee to appoint Siim Sukles, although he lacks the competencies listed in the criteria.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar thanks and appeals to the Prime Minister with a request.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
This is a long-standing Estonian civil servant who has worked as the ministry's chancellor and whose powers in this office are presumably in place, but during the current review it cannot be confirmed whether he had all the knowledge about the European Union, NATO, and the functioning of various organizations, and the question will be referred to the State Secretary and the Minister of Defense for review and, if necessary, may be clarified in writing.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair thanked and announced that, since no one else has registered an additional question, Ants Frosch may also submit an additional question.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch proposed that the government carry out a small revision of the process for appointing the deputy secretary of the Ministry of Defence and of the commission's composition, since the commission sets the conditions and then a candidate who lacks the necessary experience and skills is selected.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that the decision to appoint a deputy chancellor does not fall under the government, but is carried out by the ministries, and the candidate's suitability is verified by the Commission for Higher State Employees, and he promised to speak with the State Secretary and the Minister of Defense to obtain confirmation that the process is correct and that the person can perform the job.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar ended the information hour, noting that two minutes are allotted for questions and three for answers, thanked the participants for a substantive discussion, and announced that the information hour would be put on the agenda as a point and we will continue at two o'clock with the Riigikogu plenary session.