Draft law amending the Basic Education Act, the Education Act of the Republic of Estonia, and other laws related thereto (establishing the obligation to attend school) – First Reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th sitting, plenary session
Date: 2025-05-13 14:34
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 36
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 29m
AI Summaries: 36/36 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
First reading: Draft law number 644 amending the Basic Education Act and the Education Act of the Republic of Estonia, and amending other laws related thereto (establishment of compulsory schooling), and amending the draft law. The main objective of the draft is to reduce bureaucracy related to the organisation of catering in childcare facilities, excluding the licensing requirement arising from the Food Act for those entrepreneurs who provide catering in childcare facilities. The amendments were prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research, the Regional and Agricultural Ministry, and the Rural Affairs Committee. Initial discussions took place extraordinarily on May 27th, during two sessions. The Rural Affairs Committee chairman was responsible for the presentation, and the proposal to conclude the first reading was confirmed unanimously.
Decisions Made 2
The first reading is to be completed and the deadline for submitting amendments is set for May 27th at 5:15 PM.
The Riigikogu approved the Reform Party faction’s proposal to extend today’s sitting until the agenda is exhausted with 52 votes in favor, 8 against, and 1 abstention. This allowed for continued negotiations and debates, and to complete the first reading.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was biLjMj6qfEs; he is a representative of the Ministry of Rural Affairs and a member of the government. Position: other (government representative, ministerial role).
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Riigikogu moves on to the second item, and the first reading of Draft Bill 644, which concerns the amendment of the Preschool Education Act, the Education Act, and related acts for the purpose of establishing a learning obligation, will be presented at the rostrum by Urmas Kruuse, Chairman of the Rural Affairs Committee.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
At the Riigikogu session, it was explained that the draft bill amends the Preschool Education Act and the Education Act in such a way that the licensing requirement arising from the Food Act concerning catering in childcare institutions will be abolished, and, in cooperation with the relevant ministries, concepts and references will be harmonized to reduce bureaucracy.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked everyone and requested that one question be posed to Reili Rand.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand emphasizes that while the reduction of unreasonable regulations is welcome, and initiatives to change school meal subsidies are expected from the Rural Affairs Committee, a lack of funding could jeopardize the availability of healthy school meals. This situation would impact both family budgets and local food producers, as decisions are primarily driven by price and the proximity of raw ingredients.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi thanks the audience.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In summary, the question is whether the Rural Affairs Committee is planning any initiatives on this topic, and if so, what those initiatives are.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse pointed out that in Estonia, local governments offer various examples of improving the quality of school meals through parental contributions. Furthermore, criteria have been implemented to increase the proportion of organic food, and they are currently considering how to give greater preference to local Estonian food in public procurements. These matters are being discussed by the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture and the Rural Affairs Committee, who are seeking clear solutions during the Riigikogu session.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This is a request directed to Margit Sutrop to come and give a presentation.
Margit Sutrop
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Margit Sutrop asked, for the record, whether the recently adopted legislative amendment was due to an oversight or if it represented a new initiative to reduce bureaucracy, and she requested an explanation.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse stated that the errors occurring in the proceedings stem from the parallel handling of two laws, and it is correct to acknowledge and rectify them so that matters can progress. He further emphasized that the missing intermediate step when notifying the European Commission about food safety must be quickly addressed, and that the support of the Riigikogu and seeking the opinion of the Cultural Committee are integral parts of the expedited procedure.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi calls upon Reili Rand to speak.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand praises the organic food subsidy, highlights the rapid increase in food prices, and asks whether school meals could be standardized and of the same quality for everyone, regardless of the family's financial situation.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks the audience.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand asks whether every child has enough to eat, regardless of the family's financial situation.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Local governments and schools decide how wide a selection of meals is offered and whether meal payments are waived. And although inflation and supply chain issues have pushed prices up, Estonian prices are generally lower within the European context.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi calls upon Anti Allast.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas believes that school meals should be free, but the state has failed to achieve this goal, and local municipalities have covered the shortfall resulting from the price increase. He then asks whether we might ever be able to reach that objective again.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse stated that the discussion focused on the school meal subsidy, not free school meals, and that achieving the best result requires joint financing from the state, local governments, and parents, as this is the only way to guarantee a high-quality school lunch or morning porridge.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Lauri Laats to speak.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats finds it strange that members of the party that was in power are discussing free school meals, and highlights that the increase in land tax raises farmers' costs and thus directly impacts food prices, which is why he is calling for rapid changes.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse stated that the price of land has risen. Although land is an extremely vital tool for farmers, the price increase is not always correlated with global market prices. Moreover, the taxation of land has been delegated to the jurisdiction of local governments. Given that forest land and agricultural land are often treated together, the Rural Affairs Committee has requested that the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture analyze the separation of the link between these two categories and consider proposing reasonable tax hikes. This analysis is expected to be finalized in the first half of the year, with discussions scheduled for September.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi called upon Vladimir Arhipov to speak.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov criticizes the ideological notion that school meals are solely the burden of local authorities or parents, suggesting state support would be minimal. He stresses the necessity of providing at least a basic subsidy to establish the actual cost of a school lunch, and questions whether the government intends to drop the program altogether.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse noted that although he is not a member of the government and has never participated in discussions where discontinuing services is being weighed, he nonetheless has examples of less affluent local governments achieving better results through community agreements. This doesn't mean offering things for free, but rather finding methods and opportunities, and the final decision on this matter for each local community rests with them.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi calls upon Jaak Aab.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse stated that although childcare services were brought under the law via social welfare provisions, and the April 2021 amendments have been reviewed, this doesn't mean that food can be prepared or sourced just any old way. This is because the same procedure applies to the businesses that service these childcare facilities. The Agriculture and Food Board organizes risk-based inspections at least every two years, and even though childcare facilities might start operating quickly and in small premises, they are ultimately subject to food hygiene and supervision requirements.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This is just a request to invite Peeter Ernits.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He compares the two highly bureaucratic laws to two large ships that could theoretically meet in the future without colliding. He stresses that their alignment must be taken very seriously and, if necessary, discussed more broadly across the entire chamber, utilizing AI.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse stated that although the atmosphere was very positive and the discussion was substantive, and the committee reached decisions by consensus, a procedural error arose because two laws were being handled in parallel. Consequently, the necessary incorporation of the food law amendment was not completed. This necessitated an extraordinary session to finalize the amendment before the spring session, ensuring that once it enters into force, food service providers will be able to begin operations on September 1st.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi addresses Anti Allas and asks him to come forward.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas asks how to resolve the uncertainty surrounding the covering of school meal costs, and whether the state should increase its contribution and make efforts to do so, or if a different system should be sought, and what your and the Reform Party's opinion is on the matter.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse emphasized that the organization and financing of school meals, kindergarten places, and children's education are matters for local governments to decide, and that the state's additional support was a political decision that would be reviewed in the autumn budget, with discussions on the matter continuing thereafter.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The motion by the Reform Party faction is to extend today's sitting until the agenda is exhausted, but no later than 14:00. We will vote on this, and subsequently, we will open the debate.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller asks the members of the Riigikogu to vote on the Reform Party faction's proposal to extend today's plenary sitting until the agenda is exhausted, but no later than 2 PM.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Riigikogu adopted a decision (52 in favour, 8 against, 1 abstention) to conclude the first reading of Bill 644, announced that there was no request for debate and that the debate was closed, and confirmed the deadline for submitting amendments as May 27th at 17:15, thereby concluding the second item on today's agenda.