Inquiry regarding the future of the ferry connection (no. 739)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-05-06 01:52
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 37
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 33m
AI Summaries: 37/37 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda item under discussion concerns a question posed to a member of the Riigikogu regarding the future of the ferry connection in the context of Hiiumaa and Saaremaa. Ferry traffic is vital for local life – it connects the islands to the mainland for work, school, medical care, and business activities, and forms part of the community's social life. While the connection is technically in good condition, it was noted that dependence on political decisions and funding models causes justified concern regarding ticket prices and reliability. The questioners emphasized the need to view ferries in the context of a regional "road extension" and asked whether the state could assume the entire subsidy and make ferry trips free for everyone. The questions also considered the new ship (replacement of Regula), the procurement timeframe, and future state budget proposals to increase ferry traffic frequency and reliability.
The second part of the discussion focused on funding and long-term vision: what would the state's annual cost be for free travel, and when would it be possible to begin procuring a new ship for the ferry lines? Furthermore, it was discussed more broadly how to involve local governments and coordinate budget and investment decisions to strengthen the vitality of the islands and ensure the sustainability of the connections. Finally, plans were made to visit Hiiumaa and Saaremaa to gather more detailed development information and involve the communities in the decision-making process.
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made at this session. The focus was on an informative discussion and asking questions; further steps and specific financing and procurement decisions will be made in subsequent state budget and cross-branch discussions.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Riigikogu member Reili Rand; position: other
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Today's ninth agenda item concerns a written inquiry submitted on 27 March this year about the future of the ferry connection, submitted by Riigikogu members Reili Ranna, Tiit Marani, Madis Kallase, Züleyxa Izmailova, Enn Eesmaa and Raimond Kaljulaidi.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand stressed that the archipelago ferry connection is of vital importance and should be treated as an extension of the road network, so that residents and visitors of Hiiumaa and Saaremaa can travel for free; the state, however, would take on the full burden of subsidizing the connection and would invest in the reliability and frequency of the routes, and she submitted to the state questions about cost calculations, the timetable for a new vessel procurement, and about replacing Regula, as well as proposals for increasing ferry traffic in drafting the next state budget.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Lauri Hussar thanks and asks the Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Hendrik Johannes Terras to return to the chair so that he can answer the interpellation questions.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
Terras said that the ferry connection is the lifeline of the islands, and that the state ensures its quality and accessibility through balanced state support and users' contributions, taking into account free travel, the procurement of a new green vessel to replace Regula, and close cooperation with local communities in preparing the state budget proposals.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairperson thanked the audience and announced the start of the question-and-answer session, asking Tanel Kiike to answer.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik asked about the need to create a stable funding model for the island residents in organizing ferry traffic, in order to ensure clarity and certainty about mobility options.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
Regional Affairs and Agriculture Minister Hendrik Terras said that ensuring long-term sustainable baseline funding is the central challenge of this issue, and work on it is being carried out during the preparation of the upcoming state budget.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, requests that Andre Hanimägi be invited to perform.
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Andre Hanimägi asks whether the ferry connection should be free or paid, and whether it could be cheaper for businesses or local residents, and whether such an economic analysis has been done or is planned to be done, because a free connection could stimulate the economy.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
They pointed out that free connectivity could stimulate the local economy, but the increasing demand during the summer months and ferry occupancy make the analysis more complicated and it would require additional ferries and investments.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar asks Tiit Marani to speak.
Tiit Maran
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tiit Maran emphasizes the preparation of the upcoming state budget and asks whether subsidies for ferry trips for Hiiumaa's entrepreneurs and residents, and the intensification of Hiiumaa–mainland ferry traffic, would help stimulate economic activity and thereby increase the state budget.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
Securing the ferry connections between the major islands is important, and for this tens of millions of euros are allocated; growing volumes prove that people are willing to pay a certain price for a quality service, but drafting the exact form of the calculation and its explanation still requires more work.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
This is simply an invitation to Jaak Aab to perform.
AI Summary
They ask whether Eesti 200 has drawn up an even longer plan for a permanent connection, for example a bridge between Saaremaa and the mainland, and whether such plans have been made to avoid annual disputes over ferry subsidies.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
The Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Hendrik Terras, said that building the bridge would most likely not improve the quality of service or lower the price, and due to the large costs the toll for crossing the bridge would be so high that recouping the investment would be difficult.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar invites Raimond Kaljulaid.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid expresses concern that changes are being made to the ferry service to Hiiumaa's detriment and to Saaremaa's benefit, causing discontent among Hiiumaa residents and tensions between the islands, and at the same time asks in which national document or development plan Saaremaa's importance or the priority of Saaremaa's residents is stated in comparison with Hiiumaa or with the mainland ferry connection.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Hendrik Terras said that he is not aware of such a document and its content.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Prime Minister Lauri Hussar asks Helmen Kütt to come.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helmen Kütt asks what the concrete obstacles are to implementing full state funding and how they plan to overcome them, whether they are political, economic, or legal.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
Terras emphasized that full subsidization requires broad societal consensus and a political mandate in election programs, and without it this cannot be done, and after obtaining the mandate one must look at the obstacles ahead and how to remove them.
Madis Kallas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Madis Kallas emphasizes a three-year-long struggle to keep ferry ticket prices from rising, calls on the government to continue it, and asks to consider expanding the permanent resident discount to other islands, while at the same time asking why this decision was cancelled and stressing the often very difficult situation facing islanders' mobility.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman turns to Madis Kallas with a request.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
That measure lacked funding, and although I understand the need and we will discuss this option further in the future, there must be sustainable funding in the state budget to ensure stability and understandability.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar asks that Reili Rand speak.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Member of the Riigikogu Reili Rand asked how large the ministry's estimated expenditure is for the round-trip travel subsidy intended for residents of Hiiumaa and Saaremaa, and whether after the local elections they will face timetable cuts or an increase in ticket prices, citing budgetary pressures and underfunding.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
Hendrik Terras emphasizes that local elections do not play a major role in this matter, and it is important to understand the needs and challenges of the communities and to agree on ensuring a high-quality and sustainable ferry connection to the large islands.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair invites Riina Sikkut to speak.
Riina Sikkut
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riina Sikkut asked whether there is an economically viable transport link in Estonia for sparsely populated areas that does not require state aid or subsidies, referring to the subsidization of ferry traffic and to airBaltic's losses covered by Latvia.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
In a sparsely populated country, public transport is important and it must be subsidized, and under market conditions it is possible to offer better quality, which may partly relieve the financial pressure caused by subsidies.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Hussar invites Lauri Läänemetsa onto the stage.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets asks whether the price and the frequency of ferry departures and the state subsidy should be determined by a market economy, or whether the Estonian state should still invest taxpayers' money, and criticizes market-based thinking that pushes services onto people’s wallets and makes them poorer, and asks the Saaremaa community what message they can take: will the logic of a market economy prevail, or should there be an increase in the fight for subsidies in a social-democratic spirit.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
He said that in the event of a market disruption, the state must certainly come to the aid, including with ferry traffic, because without state support it probably won’t work well.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chair thanks the minister, announces that the questions have ended, opens negotiations, and asks the representative of the inquirers, Reili Ranna, to return to the podium and asks for three more minutes.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand emphasizes that the ferry connection is critically important for the islands' quality of life and economic opportunities, and calls on the government to make vision-based, bold, and fair decisions, so that the connections would be a central part of regional policy, ensuring long-term sustainability and equal accessibility.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
There are no further requests to speak; the minister does not wish to speak; we will close negotiations and conclude the consideration of today's ninth agenda item.