Draft law amending the Unemployment Insurance Act and, in consequence thereof, amending other laws (519 SE) – Second Reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-05-07 19:14
Total Speeches: 76
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 26m
AI Summaries: 76/76 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The fourth agenda item concerned the second reading of the draft law 519 amending the Unemployment Insurance Act and related laws, initiated by the Government of the Republic. The core of the draft law involves replacing unemployment benefits with a basic rate of unemployment insurance compensation, starting January 1, 2026, which would be 50% of the minimum wage from the previous calendar year. For example, in 2024, this would have been 374 euros and 50 cents. The eligible group of recipients must have worked at least eight months within the last 36 months; the compensation is paid for up to 180 days (a longer period in some cases). In addition, the commission added clarifying provisions: cross-border data exchange, transition to reserve service, and amendments to the Disability Support Act regarding rounding rules. The Social Commission also raised the issue of inclusivity and invited parties with differing viewpoints to the session of April 21, where the commission then listened to their views. Financial impacts and administrative burden issues were also central topics: supplementary funds (approximately 1.7 million euros) and the involvement of local governments. The draft law concludes with a plan to continue the second reading and to prepare for the third reading next week.
Decisions Made 1
Twenty-four members of the Riigikogu voted in favor of the motion to discontinue, 49 voted against, and there were 0 abstentions. The second reading of bill 519 has concluded.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was emSc80KD_vw (Signe Riisalo) – represents the coalition and fulfills the role of the social affairs committee chair; position: right (right-wing / coalition icon).
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
As part of the fourth item on the agenda, the government-initiated draft to amend the Unemployment Insurance Act and related laws, No. 519, will be discussed in the second reading, and the presenter is the chair of the Social Committee, Signe Riisalo.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo highlighted that the first reading of Bill 519 provides for replacing the unemployment benefit with the base amount of the unemployment insurance benefit as of January 1, 2026, and that the discussion included the committee's amendments (including cross-border data exchange and a transitional provision related to reserve service) as well as questions of involvement and the budget, on the basis of which there is a plan to move the bill to the second reading next week and to begin preparations for the third reading.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller announces that there are questions, and asks Andrei Korobeinik to speak.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The Union of Towns and Municipalities highlighted that the growth in the number of recipients of subsistence benefits is not accompanied by an increase in state funding, and the additional burden falls on local governments, which have to assess additional applications, and whether anything has been done in this regard between the first and second readings?
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo said that there is no reason for concern, and the draft contains an additional 1.7 million euros, which includes procedural costs and has previously been increased similarly to local governments' administrative operating costs, so that the resources are planned to cover both administrative costs and the addition of further households.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman invited Vladimir Arhipov to speak.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov criticizes that, due to the new compensation system, those who do not qualify will remain recipients of the municipalities' subsistence allowances, and the subsistence allowance will ultimately be paid through the state by the municipalities, and he asks what is actually being saved by this, when the money moves from one pocket to another.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In this question, no savings or surplus have been taken into account, but it has been assessed what characteristics people moving from one system to another have (about 600–700 households), and the draft also includes the necessary costs that can be planned within the RES framework.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Arvo Aller invited Lauri Läänemetsa to speak.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets said that the Estonian Chamber of People with Disabilities has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the bill's exclusion of involvement and the opaque procedure, and heard about it only from the media, which raised the question of why a representative of the vulnerable target group was not sufficiently involved before the government approved it.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Riisalo said that the bill was prepared with the involvement of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and the House for People with Disabilities, and the concerns raised at inclusion events about the extension of the caregiving obligation were alleviated by the care reform created in cooperation with the Social Democrats, which significantly eased their lives, and EPIKoda received precise information about the changes planned for the information day directly from the source.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman invited Andrei Korobeinik to speak.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The presenter highlights that a considerable number of people are moving into the ranks of subsistence-benefit recipients, that the subsistence benefit has not been increased in five years, and that purchasing power has declined considerably, and asks whether this situation is a problem or satisfactory.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo said that the methodology for calculating the subsistence threshold is outdated, and by spring next year a new methodology will be ready, with which it is hoped to significantly increase the actual amount of money the state provides to a person in cases of economic hardship.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller invites Jaak Aabi to speak.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab criticized the Centre Party faction, emphasized the issue of the additional workload raised by representatives of local governments in connection with the amendment to the law, and asked whether during the proceedings there had been consideration of reducing or compensating the administrative burden.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo said that funding allocated for the administration of the subsistence allowance for local governments has been increased, and in the Ministry of Social Affairs the next draft bill is being prepared, which would simplify the determination and reduce administrative steps, so that local governments can make decisions with more reasonable resources.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair announces that questions will be taken for the presenter and Varro Vooglaid is invited to respond.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asks whether the opinions of the involved organizations were actually taken into account during the processing of the draft bill, and which major criticisms were taken into account in improving it.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The briefing showed that there were no concrete amendment proposals for the draft, and the risks were described based on the roles of the parties; the commission made technical amendments related to a letter from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. Letters were sent to all parties, and although different organizations did not submit amendment proposals, as the new chair I tried to address the concern about the lack of engagement through additional deliberations.
Tiit Maran
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tiit Maran expresses concern that the proposed amendments to the law would reduce the opportunities of pupils and university students via Töötukassa and could cause young people to depend on family support or subsistence benefits, and he asks why a separate support for young people has not been created or some other solution that would not force them to apply for subsistence benefits.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Tiit Maran to speak.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Riisalo said that the aim of the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund is to help people into work; the draft eliminates unemployment benefits and replaces them with the base amount of unemployment insurance, if in the last three years there has been work for at least eight months; up to 24-year-olds may independently apply for a subsistence benefit if they live in another city for the purpose of studying, and young people while unemployed can use all labor market services, including retraining and further education, career guidance, and services tailored for people with disabilities.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech includes a short prayer asking to invite Vladimir Arhipov to speak.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov suggested stopping the research and convening the heads of municipal social services, who in five minutes would say how large the current subsistence allowance should be, and asked whether the planned approximate €47 million in savings for 2027–2028 would come at the expense of human dignity, leaving many unemployed and without support.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo said that the subsistence allowance system will be replaced by the base rate of unemployment insurance, which today provides unemployment benefits to 33% of people and in the future to 64% of non-working adults, and the amount of the subsistence allowance, i.e., the minimum food basket, must be determined by a science- and evidence-based methodology, continually and in comparison with changes in inflation and the macroeconomic environment in other countries.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller turned to Heljo Pikhofi and said, "Please."
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof said that the bill abolishes the right to unemployment benefits for thousands of people and increases the number of households in need of subsistence benefits, and it is not clear what share of people who have so far received unemployment benefits will qualify in the future for subsistence benefits or for unemployment insurance benefits.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo stated that those people whose income falls below the subsistence threshold will receive the subsistence benefit, which may not cover all those who receive unemployment benefits, because these are two completely different benefits with different purposes and their target groups do not overlap, and the subsistence benefit helps exactly those who fall under the threshold; in response to criticism from the Central Trade Union Confederation she stressed that costs have been accounted for in the state budget and we know exactly how many people and households need these benefits.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is merely a plea to invite Evelin Poolamets onto the stage.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Evelin Poolamets asks whether unemployment insurance benefit is the same size for everyone, regardless of salary and of how unemployment insurance is funded.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo said that in the future, people with reduced or disabled working capacity will simultaneously receive a base-rate insurance benefit and a partial or total disability benefit, which will increase their monthly income by more than 1,000 euros.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller invites Riina Solman to speak.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman referred to the accusations of the Estonian Chamber of People with Disabilities and asked how the proposed amendments to the bill would affect people with disabilities, increase the workload of social workers, and could lead to long-term unemployment and higher municipal costs.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
According to Riisalo, activity requirements will not be increased, and people will still have the option to register as unemployed and to use the measures offered by the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund to actively re-enter the labor market, while emphasizing the role of local governments and the need to jointly make greater efforts to steer NEET youths toward work and study.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman thanks and asks Riina Solman to take the floor.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman highlights the vulnerable situation of rural-area youths with special needs and their family caregivers, where the caregiver cannot go to work because they must raise a child with a disability, and in the future unemployment insurance benefits will disappear and real services will be lacking.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo said that for 16–17-year-olds today you do not receive compensation, but an employment subsidy, and although a change is coming, it does not affect this current bill; it is in the amendment bill to the Act on Social Benefits for People with Disabilities, which the committee is processing, and the topic can be continued separately in the committee, because the bill is in proceedings.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman thanked, announced that there were no more questions, and asked Andrei Korobeiniku to pose a question to the chair of the meeting.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik noted that Jaak Aab represents the Centre Party's positions and that no proposals were made in the committee, and they submitted an adjournment motion at the first reading, which the Social Democrats opposed, and now they have the opportunity to pull themselves together and support our adjournment motion.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
He notes that procedurally, during negotiations, a motion to suspend may be made, he opens the negotiations and asks Andrei Korobeinik.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
According to the presentation, the speaker accuses the Social Democrats of hypocrisy and states that, with their help, the coalition increases inequality when health insurance and the subsistence allowance are taken away from the vulnerable — single mothers, young people, and people with disabilities — and calls on members of the Riigikogu to support a motion to suspend consideration of the draft.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks for three more minutes in his speech.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik criticizes the new draft bill as increasing bureaucracy, because it forces people to apply for income support and to undergo assessments, which will likely leave them without support and will not help the state save money, and in the long run reduces the motivation to return to the labor market, therefore the draft bill should be withdrawn and all stakeholders, including the Social Democrats, should be called to make the right decisions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
During the speech, Vladimir Arhipov was invited onto the stage.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov claims that the draft bill, under which unemployment benefits are terminated and a new base-rate unemployment insurance benefit is established, leaves those in need without support, increases the burden on local authorities and leads to social exclusion, and does not solve unemployment, and therefore this draft bill should not be adopted.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller turns toward Lauri Läänemetsa and asks him.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
They address the honorable chair of the meeting and the esteemed ambassadors, and ask for three minutes of extra time.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller requests three more minutes.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets said that Centre Party MPs have been focusing mainly on the Social Democrats and their accusations, and noted that the reinstatement of Mihail Kõlvart as Tallinn's mayor is probably the biggest obstacle for the Centre Party.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller asks whether we should proceed with the draft bill.
Lauri Läänemets
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Läänemets accuses the Centre Party of systemic corruption, emphasizes that the context and the government's plans may significantly harm people’s ability to cope, therefore the Social Democrats cannot support this draft bill, although he has pointed out some positive aspects (care reform, doubling of student grants, the impact of the minimum wage) and he calls for halting the second reading.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy chair, Arvo Aller, thanks and presents a procedural question to the chair of the meeting, Andrei Korobeinik.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik expresses confusion, accuses the Social Democrats of the car tax, pensioners' income tax, and failing to raise the subsistence allowance over three years, and asks how to restore justice in the Estonian Parliament.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Indeed, this is the Estonian Parliament; I did not see that there was anything here related to a procedural question; the presenter spoke for eight minutes about the draft bill, and now we will move on.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tšaplõgin claims that the draft bill, which intends to save on social spending precisely from unemployment benefits, child-rearing, education, and prisoners’ expenses, is problematic, and social spending should be increased, not reduced, and for that purpose funds should be found by cutting state administration and other unnecessary expenses, and to ensure that aid recipients do not live in poverty and that state health insurance would guarantee timely medical care.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman gives thanks and turns to Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvarti.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In his speech, the speaker accuses the Social Democrats of hypocrisy and of their role in the growth of inequality and in tax increases, and calls for a public debate on corruption issues and on Porto Franco's shared responsibility.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller called for continuing the discussion of this draft bill.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart criticizes the draft bill's hypocrisy, emphasizes that Mihhail Kõlvart has not been criminally punished or charged, and sees corruption and political manipulation of the interests of people with disabilities.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
They want to add three minutes.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart claims that the Social Democrats are hypocritical, because, being in opposition, they pretend not to support the very decisions that they themselves developed, and they submit a motion to suspend proceedings.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
In the speech, please invite Riina Solman to perform.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticizes the clash between the opposition and the Social Democrats, emphasizing that although the bill’s aim is to reform the system and establish a common baseline amount for everyone, it must not overlook vulnerable groups or exclude their participation, and it calls for broader cooperation with stakeholder groups, and Isamaa does not support the present bill.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair, Arvo Aller, thanks and invites Signe Riisalo to take the floor.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo stressed that the unemployment insurance system will not change, that the number of recipients of the subsistence allowance will grow, and that young people, parents with children at home, and people with disabilities require taking into account special conditions in the administration by local authorities.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller asked for three more minutes.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
According to Riisalo, the bill will help vulnerable people return to the labor market more effectively by combining support for reduced working capacity and unemployment insurance and increasing their incomes based on the minimum wage, which motivates working-age people to return to work more quickly.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair invites Vadim Belobrovtsev to perform.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The wording of the speech views the bill submitted to the Riigikogu as amendments to the Employment Contract Act that are in the employer's favor and leave employee rights in the background, which is inappropriate at a time when inflation and tax increases and rising prices are making life difficult for people, and recalls the 2008 situation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Three minutes have been extended.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev said that they do not support the draft that would make labor law vulnerable for workers and give the employer greater freedom, and he called to reject the draft and start a broader discussion that takes into account the interests of all three parties.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair Arvo Aller thanked those who requested to speak and closed the negotiations, and invited Helmen Kütt to pose a question to the chair of the session.
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
This is a procedural clarification for the transcript, and also for those who are following the broadcast or will read the transcript in the future, because Centre Party colleagues have on two occasions confused the terminology used for the handling of draft bills, and at the first reading the draft bill can be rejected and at the second reading it can be interrupted, so that it is understandable.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
It was said that negotiations have been held, five amendments proposed by the steering committee of the Social Committee were submitted, and the plan is to suspend the second reading of Bill 519, which has been submitted by both the Estonian Centre Party and the Social Democratic Party factions, and a vote on it will have to be taken.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Riigikogu rejected the motion to suspend proceedings: 24 in favour, 49 against, 0 abstentions, and the second reading of Bill 519 has been completed.