Draft Law on Declaring the Security Tax Act Invalid (595 SE) - First Reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-05-08 00:21
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 29
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 41m
AI Summaries: 29/29 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The first reading discussed the draft law to declare the security tax law invalid, initiated by the Conservative People's Party of Estonia faction, number 595. The event focused primarily on criticism of tax policy and the coalition's promises of tax cuts, contrasting them with the actual tax changes and budget forecasts. The debate was characterized by accusations directed at the government and the coalition regarding the impact of the tax changes – discussions revolved around whether the security tax was indeed a temporary measure, and whether the funds were being distributed appropriately and were going towards national defense or elsewhere (such as infrastructure support and subsidies). It was also noted that the draft law had not been in the Riigikogu for two months, and the parties highlighted the coalition's difficult negotiations and the political communication games hidden within them. The second part addressed other agenda items (596 and 597), but it was not possible to open their proceedings, and the focus remained on moving forward with the processing of one main draft law.
Decisions Made 2
Bill 595's first reading has been postponed. The vote result: 39 in favor, 9 against, 0 abstentions. The bill is dropped from consideration.
The opening of procedure points 596 and 597 was impossible due to the inability to discuss; the discussion was not opened and further procedure remained outside the planned session.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker in this session was Martin Helme (EKRE), who belongs to the right-wing political direction (right-wingers). He presented and discussed primarily on the topics of invalidating the security tax and tax policy, and criticised the coalition's and the government's consistency regarding tax changes and forecasts.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
In the Riigikogu, as the eighth item on the agenda, the first reading of the EKRE faction-initiated bill No. 595 to declare the security tax invalid will be considered, and Riigikogu member Martin Helme is invited to the podium to speak.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme claims that the right-wing government has not presented a bill to lower taxes within two months, and the abolition of the security tax looms as a shadow over the rise of VAT and income tax, and the creation of a tax on business income, so that the actual tax relief will not materialize.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech begins with thanks and announces that one question will be asked, addressing Arvo Aller.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller emphasizes that the abolition of the security tax is a move that places responsibility on the coalition, allowing them to act quickly and to demonstrate cooperation, but he also asks whether it would bring about solidarity and everyone's equal contribution to the Estonian state and security.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme said that the security tax is one of those bad tax policy ideas whose revenue does not go into the national defense budget, but is redirected toward subsidizing wind turbines and building Rail Baltica, and no additional money goes into the budget regardless of whether the tax remains in force or not.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvarti onto the stage.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In the presentation it was noted that there have been two lies about the security tax, and although it is allegedly temporary, the temporary nature is being scrapped, and with new bills the 24% value-added tax and 24% income tax will remain in force, which the Estonian Reform Party and Estonia 200 want to last indefinitely, which recalls what was said during the crisis and the repetition of history.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme claims that a right-wing government has drafted bills that would make the tax relief permanent and turn the plan to raise taxes into reality, and that the earlier talk of temporariness was merely a cover story.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi asks Helle-Moonika Helme to come onto the stage.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He criticizes the Reform Party, stating that security is used to intimidate and to extract money from the people, and asks whether abolition of the security tax would increase or decrease actual security.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme accuses the government of having pushed through the introduction of a defense tax by intimidation, and that the tax increases were made on the basis of false forecasts, according to which the promised revenue did not materialize and the money has not gone to national defense, and he emphasizes that taxes will rise and the tax increases will become permanent, and coalition members must be made to press the button, and voters should see tables of voting results.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Vladimir Arhipov onto the stage.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov warns of the spread of lies about taxes and numbers, which could become a political norm and threaten the Estonian state and democracy.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme expresses deep pessimism, stating that lying has become a political norm, and that if the bill is evidently in conflict with the Constitution, it is ignored, and he accuses liberals of undermining the rule of law, emphasizing that a true rule of law means the laws apply equally to everyone, not with double standards.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Evelin Poolametsa to perform.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
According to the presentation, the security tax was not a single specific tax, but consisted of several components (including increases in VAT and taxing income from the first euro), which the public and pensioners supported as a contribution to security, and the Reform Party does not actually abolish the tax, but merely wishes to abolish only one of its components.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme states that the Reform Party's plan to abolish a portion of the corporate income tax would create a new type of tax and would be complex from the point of view of tax administration and yield very little revenue, while at the same time noting that pensions have been taxed from the first euro, and although there is currently a commitment to restore the income tax exemption, it is the same government that took it away six months ago.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Helle-Moonika Helme to speak.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme claims that a rise in taxes reduces GDP, and the Reform Party's tax policy, including the abolition of the security tax, may not bring better security, but may harm the economy, and asks whether under their leadership there will finally be the courage to be braver.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme says that Estonia's biggest newly added capability in national security is coastal defense capability, no additional capabilities have emerged, and to strengthen them one must take out a loan, buy, and repay the loan over the next ten years, while the Reform Party's tax increases are harming GDP growth and people's purchasing power.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks the audience, confirms that there are no more questions, and Maris Lauri, a member of the Finance Committee, presents the discussion that took place in the Steering Committee and the decisions that were made.
Maris Lauri
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The Finance Committee discussed the draft based on a report from Rain Epler and heard signals about the government's positions on abolishing the security tax and the corporate income tax; although the government offered as a single package a 24% income tax and the taxation of distributed profits, the committee decided to place the draft on the agenda for May 6, designate Maris Lauri as the lead committee's representative, and propose to reject the draft (6 for, 2 against).
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speaker thanks the audience and asks Evelin Poolametsa to pose one question.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The speaker thanks the chair and the presenter, and asks how far the Reform Party has progressed in developing the draft bill aimed at abolishing the security tax.
Maris Lauri
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
They emphasize that they represent the commission, not the Reform Party, and recommend that you familiarize yourself with the government's agenda for tomorrow's session.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked, informed that there were no more questions, opened negotiations, and on behalf of the EK faction Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart requested extra time, eight minutes as usual.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart demands the resignation of the government and accuses the Reform Party, Estonia 200, and the Social Democrats of causing tax increases and economic insecurity, which threaten the future of families and the birth rate among young people, and pledges to reverse this policy in the next elections.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi ended the negotiations, citing the impact of the fuel price and data from ERR’s website, according to which the price of diesel has fallen to zero euros, and announced that the lead committee wants to reject Bill 595 at the first reading and asked his colleagues to go to a vote.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi announced that although Draft Bill 595 had found support, it was rejected and dropped from the proceedings, and the processing of the first readings of 596 and 597 could not be opened due to the absence of the rapporteurs, as a result the meeting ended with the agenda exhausted.