Inquiry regarding coping policies (no 736)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting.
Date: 2025-05-12 20:05
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 42
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 48m
AI Summaries: 42/42 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Third on the agenda was a request for information submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Vladimir Arhipov, Aleksei Jevgrafov, Andrei Korobeinik, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, Lauri Laatsi, Vadim Belobrovtsev, and Aleksandr Tšaplõgin, concerning the inquiry (No. 136) regarding survival policy, presented on March 26, 2025. The inquiry's focus is criticism of the coalition agreement’s inadequacy in the social sector and concerning issues related to people’s ability to cope. Several specific questions were raised: when is a plan for a social sector priority action plan to be prepared with the new government, how can the ability of families to cope be increased, and is the automatic linking of subsistence support with the indexation of the cost of living under consideration; simplifying the application process, digital solutions, and the state's ability to take into account actual needs and expenditures to reduce long-term survival problems. The second part of the discussion limited further steps and expectations concerning the final drafting of the coalition agreement and concrete actions. The concluding item for the third agenda point was the presentation of the minister’s responses and the coordination of further work on social sector topics.
Decisions Made 1
Not a single final decision was made. The meeting was divided into discussion and answering questions, but no specific innovation or law was passed. Ultimately, the impression remains that the formation of the coalition agreement and the action plan for social sector priorities, as well as more effective mechanisms for income support, remain to be discussed and directed to working groups. Further steps involve the completion of the final version of the coalition agreement, the continuation of discussions in working groups, and the consideration of potential policy changes and the simplification of applications.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker: Vladimir Arhipov. He is a member of the Riigikogu and actively guides the preparation and discussion of inquiries. The police are not directly intended as a left- or right-wing position, therefore we mark the active position as "other" (not ordered in a left- or right-wing block). Arhipov's speeches mainly focused on highlighting the content of the inquiry and the necessary responses, actively participating and drawing attention to social sector problems and possible solutions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
An inquiry No. 736 concerning the crisis-management policy was submitted on 26 March 2025 by Riigikogu members Vladimir Arhipov, Aleksei Jevgrafov, Andrei Korobeinik, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvarti, Lauri Laats, Vadim Belobrovtsevi and Aleksandr Tšaplõgini, and the rapporteur is Vladimir Arhipov.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov notes that the coalition agreement neglects the social sector and calls for the development of a priority action plan, whose centerpiece is the automatic indexing of the subsistence allowance to the cost of living, the simplification of applications, and long-term measures to reduce dependency.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chair Arvo Aller asked the Minister of Social Protection Karmen Joller to respond to the interpellation, and, due to the hall's noise, apologized to the Minister of Social Protection.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Speaking about the parliamentary inquiry, Social Minister Karmen Joller stated that the coalition agreement is almost ready and the aim is to make social and health care services more accessible, of higher quality, and more people-centered, while considering tying the income support to changes in the cost of living through the subsistence minimum, so that aid would be continuous and would not deteriorate suddenly.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller invited the audience to pose questions and asked Jaak Aab to answer.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab notes that the subsistence threshold has fallen behind the times and that the prices of foodstuffs and essential goods have risen significantly, and asks the minister whether a concrete proposal regarding this threshold will be made during the next state budget debate or whether a coalition agreement is expected.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller said that the coalition agreement must come before the state budget, and the raising of the border is their current priority, and they are discussing how to do it.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov reintroduced the item to the agenda and inquired whether the 60 million euros required for maintaining the care homes would be sourced via an income tax hike or if it constituted a separate sum, requesting a more detailed explanation in the future.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks that Vladimir Arhipov come.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Karmen Joller emphasizes that we stay on topic.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats noted that tax increases have mainly affected people with low and middle incomes and those living in poverty, and he posed two questions: whether to reduce the value-added tax to improve the availability of food, and whether, in the case of car tax, to grant exceptions or exemptions for large families and people living in rural areas.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Lauri Laats to come forward.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
The coalition has decided that it will not introduce any more tax changes beyond those already announced, reminding everyone that the tax-free minimum income has now been reinstated, and next year, the "tax hump" established under the leadership of Isamaa will be abolished. As a result, people with approximately average incomes will receive about 125 euros more per month. Although the tax burden is certainly a problem, the coalition has already taken steps to ease the burden on the populace, and the state budget currently does not allow for further tax amendments.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Arvo Aller invites Riina Solman onto the stage.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticizes the government and the Reform Party over tax increases, notes that the tax burden has risen this year to over one billion euros, and asks the Minister of Social Affairs what is being done to protect people's livelihoods and to curb price increases.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Minister Karmen Joller stressed that coping depends on both financial income and services, and that the social sector ensures this through pension increases, the modernization of the subsistence allowance, and services related to the care reform, while avoiding demagogy.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvarti to take the floor.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart says that we no longer have a Minister of Social Protection, but a Minister of Social Affairs, and although there is a desire to improve people's ability to cope, the permitted temporary tax increases have now become permanent, which does not actually improve people's ability to cope.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller spoke about the subsistence allowance, noting that car tax and other taxes are not being considered today, and that next year the income taxes for people earning around the average wage will decrease, which will be a big help to people.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik asked about livelihood policy, noting that the economic security of Estonians is significantly lower than in other EU countries, and whether it would be appropriate to reduce the value-added tax on food to improve the sense of security among low-wage earners.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller presents a request to Tanel Kiik.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Social Minister Karmen Joller thanked the questioner and stated that she could not answer it because the subject matter concerned tax policy.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller invited Rain Epler to speak.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler notes that the tax debate has indeed been opened, but the minister's speech focused on increasing living allowances, and asks whether the government has considered changes in tax policy such as a car tax, removing stay-at-home mothers from the Health Insurance Fund, and VAT, which could negatively affect low-income people and rural areas and reduce the need for living allowances.
Sotsiaalminister Karmen Joller
AI Summary
The subsistence benefit will be increased, and starting from the new year it will be seen how tax increases and decreases compensate people's incomes.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Arvo Aller ends the questioning and opens negotiations, starting with Lauri Laats.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The speaker Lauri Laats blamed the government for the worsening of people's livelihoods, highlighted tax increases, the rise in prices of services, and the impact of the car tax, as well as the drop in purchasing power from 85% of the European average to 78%, and stated that the cause was tax policy, offering solutions to preserve livelihoods.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks to add three minutes.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats believes that abolishing the tax whip is unfair, and that as a result half a billion euros will be taken from the state budget, which forces people to turn to the social services department for a subsistence benefit, and as an example he proposes lowering the value-added tax on food products, which would increase people’s purchasing power and would also provide money to pay for other services.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair invites Vladimir Arhipov to speak.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov emphasizes that the rapid rise in the cost of living exceeds the level of subsistence benefits and calls for their indexation, simplification of applications (also in digital form) and support for the vulnerable, especially pensioners living alone, so that the state would show care and would not leave them alone with worries.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller requests three more minutes for the meeting.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov calls on the government to take the social sector seriously, to restore support for pensioners living alone, to tie the subsistence allowance to the cost-of-living index, and to ensure that aid reaches those in need in a timely and adequate manner, standing up for those whose voices are often not heard.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller invited Riina Solman to speak.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman accuses the coalition and the Ministry of Social Affairs of worsening the livelihoods of vulnerable people due to tax increases and cuts, decries the siloed cooperation of ministries, and demands an honest answer to the inquirers and a clear plan to curb price increases.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech focuses on the desire to add three minutes.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticizes the Reform Party government's failure to fulfill promises and the tax increases, which increase the tax burden on people and businesses, cause price rises and inflation, and deepen the poverty issue and its stigma.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech emphasizes that it is your time.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman discusses the suffering this brings and why escaping the cycle of poverty is so difficult.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller turned to Anastasia Kovalenko-Kõlvarti and asked for three more minutes.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In the speech, the speaker accuses the government of lying and of imposing permanent tax increases, recalling that promises did not come true, and emphasizing the rising cost of living, the demographic crisis, and the deterioration of people's ability to cope, and calling on the government to resign and to focus on protecting people and national security.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller announced that there were no further requests to speak and that the Minister was absent from the chamber, thereby concluding the debate on today's third agenda item.