Discussion of the significant national issue initiated by the Economics Committee: "How to increase productivity in the Estonian economy?"
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session.
Date: 2025-06-05 13:08
Total Speeches: 100
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 3h 1m
AI Summaries: 100/100 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda addresses a nationally important issue: "How to increase productivity in the Estonian economy," and has been initiated by the economic affairs committee. The day is structured around a central theme, with three speakers: Marek Reinaas, as chairman of the economic affairs committee (presentation up to 15 minutes, questions and answers up to 15 minutes), Urmas Varblane, as a member of the competitiveness expert group and as professor of international entrepreneurship at the University of Tartu and as an academic (presentation up to 30 minutes, questions and answers up to 30 minutes), and Raivo Vasnu, as a board member of Viru Keemia Grupi (presentation up to 20 minutes, questions and answers up to 30 minutes). Each member of the Riigikogu can submit one question to each speaker. Following the presentations, discussions will begin, and the initiators desire that representatives of the parliamentary groups speak first. At the end of the agenda, a plan was raised to extend the session if necessary, and a decision on this was made later. Topics were represented that touched on the conclusions of the competitiveness report, the role of exports and the service sector, the use of data in the economy, the European Union's internal market, and a number of independent issues (including energy policy, investments, regional development, and reducing bureaucracy). This discussion reflects critical questions and potential risks associated with demographic trends and future investments.
Decisions Made 1
Decision to extend the meeting: the meeting will continue until the agenda is exhausted and no later than 2:00 PM. Voting result: 24 in favor, 0 against, 0 abstentions.
Most Active Speaker
Marek Reinaas – Chairman of the economic affairs committee, affiliated with a political party, a leading speaker and a participant in the discussion like a moderator. He was the most active speaker and answered several questions, playing a leading role throughout the agenda discussion.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Three presenters (Marek Reinaas, Urmas Varblase, and Raivo Vasnu) are scheduled today to discuss the national issue, "How to increase productivity in the Estonian economy?" This will be followed by a question-and-answer session and subsequent negotiations. The initiators request the participation of representatives from the factions, and Marek Reinaas will be the first speaker.
Marek Reinaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Marek Reinaas stated that Estonia's competitiveness hinges on a long-term marathon. This marathon requires coordinating the growth of exports and services, implementing data-driven solutions, and managing public and private sector investments (including Team Estonia and SmartCap). Furthermore, he noted that demographic changes necessitate long-term economic planning.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller offered his thanks, noted that there were questions, and invited Tanel Kiik to respond.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik thanked the authors of the competitiveness report but questioned how the government’s decision to start exporting prison services—that is, housing prisoners from other countries—aligns with an innovative skilled labor policy, considering this to be a reputation-damaging sector.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech urges listeners to take action and assume responsibility, saying: 'Your time!'
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik asks briefly about accommodation.
Marek Reinaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
I highlighted that the 2024 expert panel report has been partially implemented, and progress has been made in alleviating the shortage of qualified labor, as well as in education, digitalization, and reducing bureaucracy. However, regarding the issue of prisons, he emphasized that providing services from outside Estonia must not jeopardize Estonian security, and the state stands to gain approximately 30 million euros in revenue from utilizing the empty prisons.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a very brief request addressed to Aivar Sõerd.
Aivar Sõerd
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Sõerd emphasized that nominal labor productivity relative to the European Union average is a very specific and adequate indicator, which is among the prominent metrics for Estonia 2035 and also belongs to the set of indicators crucial for the activity-based budget. He mentioned that the last known value was 77.5% in 2023, and requested that the previous year's indicator be presented, or at least that they state whether we are moving towards the 120% target or moving away from it, adding that the indicator had fallen prior to 2023.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller thanked.
Marek Reinaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Marek Reinaas notes that the Estonian economy's biggest concern is the decline in productivity, and he sees digitalization and automation, supported by AI, as the solution to achieve an ambitious 120% of the European average productivity and develop the economy in a new way.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller invites Urmas Kruuse to take the floor.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse asks whether Estonia is a better exporter of services compared to Latvia and Lithuania, and whether this reflects our wisdom and knowledge or simply easier market entry. He also asks if the share of services in exports will grow in the future, while recalling that in 2014, IT was considered a taboo subject that is now paying off.
Marek Reinaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Marek Reinaas stresses that Estonia's success stems primarily from the export of IT services and the cultivation of our national image, but industry and agriculture are also crucial, and the state's IT services procurement policy should be geared toward their further development.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a brief address in which Anti Haugas is approached and something is requested.
Anti Haugas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Haugas voices concern regarding Tanel Kiik's ideological wandering, asserting that Sweden's inmate population will triple in the coming years due to the shortcomings of the Social Democrats' reintegration and societal inclusion programs. At the same time, Estonia stands ready to export meaningful social services and discuss broadening cross-border cooperation into other sectors.
Marek Reinaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Marek Reinaas notes that prisoners are brought to Estonia, where they serve their time and see nature from behind bars, but there is no need to worry about Estonia’s security. Cooperation with other countries is carried out by Estonian IT entrepreneurs who export the experience they have gained to foreign nations, for instance, using the model of the Tax and Customs Board’s services. This brings jobs and tax revenue, and this work should be carried out by the entrepreneurs themselves, not the right-wing government.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is the quick Q&A segment, and we're calling up Pipi-Liis Siemann.
Pipi-Liis Siemann
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Pipi-Liis Siemann stressed the importance of competitiveness and the necessity, given the context of energy prices, of ensuring existing and new companies have the capacity, while also maintaining and improving overall competitiveness, referring specifically to the electricity excise tax and fees addressed in the report.
Marek Reinaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The report highlights that the optimal share of renewables in Estonia’s energy system stands at roughly 60–80%. This is because the price decreases up to this threshold, but going beyond 80% stops affecting the price and may become impractical. Moreover, in the long run, oil shale energy ought to be replaced by an alternative solution (gas or nuclear), even though the Riigikogu has ruled that nuclear energy development could proceed if it proves to be even marginally beneficial.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Even though there are still many questions, time is running out, and the Q&A session has finished.
Marek Reinaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Marek Reinaas thanks all the listeners.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Next, please welcome to the stage Urmas Varblane, a member of the Competitiveness Expert Council, and an academician and Professor of International Business at the University of Tartu Faculty of Economics. His talk will last up to 30 minutes.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
Urmas Varblane stressed that maintaining Estonia's competitiveness requires adhering to rules-based trade, close cooperation with neighbors and the European Union on balancing renewable energy, investing in the development of communication infrastructure and networks, and ensuring the balanced development of the interests of consumers, industry, and agriculture.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller offers his thanks and announces that the thirty minutes allotted have been completed, and even exceeded.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
Academician Urmas Varblane hints that he will be finishing up soon, and the speech is almost over.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a brief, straightforward note which says, "Got it!" and then invites you to listen.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
He recommended reducing the fragmentation of subsidies and concluded his speech by saying that this was the very last slide.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The presenter was thanked, and questions were invited. Urmas Kruuse is asked to respond.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse raised the point that the development of broadband infrastructure has been delayed due to issues with ownership relations and the involvement of local municipalities, noting that reaching household consumers is limited, competition is low, and investments are not being realized effectively. He drew a comparison with Lithuania, where they invested in industry, whereas we focused on livestock farming and production. He also mentioned the restoration of the Paide factory and the improvement of cheese product exports, but acknowledged that low volume increases costs and raises the critical question of how to maintain competitiveness in the future.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
Urmas Varblane said that the success of the Epiim factory demonstrates the importance of creating added value and restoring the trust of producers, and that in the future, investments should be channeled into value-adding in agriculture (e.g., the processing of grain and milk), rather than just the export of raw materials.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller invites Tanel Kiik to speak.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik thanks the presenter for the comprehensive overview and quotes from the final report that a successful market economy must ensure the fairest possible distribution of income within society.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
This utterance is short and sharply affirming, expressing simply the word "Just!".
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik asks the server how well Estonia has managed the fair distribution of income and how wealth inequality affects competitiveness.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
Academician Urmas Varblane discusses the issue of globalization's winners and losers, stressing the necessity of retraining and regional development. He also illustrates how, in Estonia, finding employment requires moving people toward jobs located in county centers, and promoting the entrepreneurial revival of local communities, citing Karksi-Nuia as a specific example.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Vice-Chairman asks Lauri Laats to speak.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats discussed boosting the productivity of the Estonian economy, noting the energy sector as a major concern and asking whether considering regional tax breaks might be a solution for getting certain regions to become economically active.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
Academician Urmas Varblane stated that Estonia should be divided into two NUTS 1 regions—Harjumaa and the rest of Estonia—so that the co-financing conditions for European aid money would be more effective and investments would be directed outside of Tallinn. He made this statement while simultaneously acknowledging the abuse of previous regional tax differences and emphasizing that entrepreneurship outside Harjumaa must be maintained.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller addresses Vladimir Arhipov and asks him for something.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The presenter claims that government tax increases and the implementation of the green transition are slowing down the growth of productivity in the Estonian economy, citing examples from Finland and Germany for comparison, and asks whether Estonia is moving in the opposite direction.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
Academician Urmas Varblane emphasized that curbing the growth of national debt and maintaining credibility requires investment in the digital economy and the development of AI technologies, especially since tax increases have been postponed. Maintaining a balanced budget and competitiveness is vital in the current situation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
At the beginning of the address, Jaak Aab is invited to speak.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab stated that while the tax debate has been intense, he did not wish to discuss it today. Instead, he stressed the necessity of maintaining the labor supply through investments and job creation, as well as the need to boost the productivity of the existing workforce.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
The talk is brief and conveys strong affirmation with the word "Just!".
AI Summary
Jaak Aab acknowledged that the recommendations provided regarding the immigration of foreign labor emphasize high productivity, the supplementing of local skills, and integration, but the current government plan brings in workers paid the average wage, which does not comply with these conditions.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
Urmas Varblane emphasizes that the economy should be measured by job retention and higher value-added activities, rather than by the sheer number of jobs created, and should focus on four directions for boosting productivity: automation, digitalization, increasing the value of the product portfolio, and technological innovation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Reili Rand is being asked to come up to the stage.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand highlighted the significant gap in regional competitiveness: Harju County's GDP is more than twice as high as that of Southeast Estonia, and Hiiumaa's contribution to GDP is almost zero. She called on the government and the Riigikogu (Parliament) to implement targeted regional industrial and investment policies, complete with tax incentives and infrastructure investments, to increase the added value of remote regions, noting at the same time that previous regional policy, led by the Reform Party, has once again been shelved.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
Urmas Varblane emphasized the necessity of knowledge transfer and cooperation within the plastics sector in the context of Hiiumaa's development. He further proposed establishing a dedicated plastics research advisor position for Hiiumaa, whose role would be to connect local businesses with scientists and assist in securing funding for applied research.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The 30-minute question and answer session has concluded. We still have questions, and more are certainly going to arise. A huge thank you to the presenter and everyone who asked questions.
Akadeemik Urmas Varblane
AI Summary
Academician Urmas Varblane thanks the audience for their attention.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller announced that the debate was lively and that an extension of the sitting would be arranged before the third speaker arrived. He then requested a vote on extending the session until the discussion is exhausted, but no later than 2:00 PM.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The proposal was adopted by 24 votes in favor, with none against and no abstentions. We now move on to the next presentation, and Raivo Vasnu, Member of the Management Board of Viru Keemia Grupp AS, is invited to speak.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
To develop the Estonian economy intelligently, we must direct long-term investments into the manufacturing industry and agriculture, promote the circular economy and energy security, reduce excessive bureaucracy, ensure equal treatment for domestic and foreign investors, and resolve the labor and education shortages.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanks the speaker and invites the audience to ask questions of Tanel Kiik.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik asks the rapporteur how five governments in five years and constant legislative changes have affected the operational certainty of the business sector.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
According to Raivo Vasnu, the tax debate doesn't have a huge impact, but the industry needs assurance for 15-to-25-year investments that rules and promises won't change due to ideological shifts, and the future of CO2 policy is unpredictable.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab noted that foreign investments have often brought little added value, with the benefits going elsewhere, and that we must invest in developing our own people and capital. However, he questioned how this could be done in a way that boosts both productivity and added value—what might be the key to achieving that?
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invites Jaak Aab to speak.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
In assessing investment grants, we are replacing job creation with added value metrics, focusing on Estonia's existing strengths (timber, natural resources, expertise). We will evaluate the investment's lifespan and prioritize projects that are sustainable over the long term.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asks that Urve Tiidus be given the floor.
Urve Tiidus
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The speech addresses the question of what recommendations an experienced industry executive would offer young people regarding their educational choices, taking into account Estonia's long-term investments in industry, manufacturing, and agriculture, as well as the development of productivity.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
Raivo Vasnu advised young people to study engineering and the exact sciences, arguing that these fields guarantee employment and stability in Estonia regardless of the economic situation, unlike fashionable majors.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman called Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski to speak.
Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski highlighted that the government is increasing quotas for highly skilled foreign labor and hopes thereby to prevent the sad incident of the young man leaving for Canada, but she is focusing on reducing bureaucracy and, speaking as an entrepreneur, asks how you evaluate this activity and what else is needed to stimulate the economy.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
Raivo Vasnu stressed that bureaucracy should be cut by leveraging the benefits of the e-state and integrating KOTKAS with ESG reporting. This integration would minimize the need for extra personnel and wouldn't be intimidating, provided the state supports the creation of this interface.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman invited Riina Sikkut to speak.
Riina Sikkut
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riina Sikkut called for changes that would ensure capital has not only a national identity but also a local district or parish connection, and which would give Estonian local companies and graduates the opportunity to invest and export higher value products—those worth more than one euro per kilogram.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
According to Raivo Vasnu, the priority must be to support domestic companies, offering them the same opportunities as in Sweden. We need to prioritize innovation in decision-making, attract talent from the IT and service sectors into higher value-added manufacturing, and boost their overall role in the economy. This includes helping them expand and develop, even outside of Estonia, provided the parent company maintains its roots here.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar calls on Reili Rand.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reeli Rand addresses the broader impact of the living environment on entrepreneurship and highlights that the termination of the state's rental housing program and the deterioration of housing affordability could affect the existence of businesses and job creation in the counties.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
Raivo Vasnu pointed out that the Ida-Viru region faces a problem affecting both business and education: attracting young people with high salaries only brings them temporarily. They stay in Kohtla-Järve for five years and then move to Tallinn once they have saved up enough for a down payment on an apartment there. While modern rental accommodation could initially attract people to the region, residential construction is not their core business, and global competition forces them to restrict costs.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman invites Andres Metsoja to speak.
Andres Metsoja
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Andres Metsoja thanks Vasnu for the illustrative example and compares him to an orchestra, but highlights the main problem: that during the drafting phase of legislation, industrial sector entrepreneurs are often not listened to, nor are their proposals taken into account, because the plan is already finalized. He calls for finding a way to overcome this so that the entire Estonian state can work better as a team.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
Raivo Vasnu emphasized that engagement is crucial because legislative drafts often move quickly and sometimes without notice. Therefore, it is necessary to meet more frequently and listen to the representative organizations of industry and entrepreneurs, as they are close to the issues and fully aware of all the concerns.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar called upon Jaak Valge to speak.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge emphasizes the importance of critical scrutiny and points out, based on OECD data, that Estonia’s labor productivity, measured by constant prices and purchasing power parity, fell from 77% to 69% between 2020 and 2023. He notes that we have fallen behind in competitiveness (dropping from 22nd place in 2022 to 33rd place in 2024) and asks the business community where and how this mistake was made.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
Raivo Vasnu stated that Estonian industry has jumped directly from Industry 4 to Industry 5/6, skipping the automation phase entirely. Consequently, many production processes (dosing, weighing, measuring) are still carried out manually, because the shortage of engineering and technical personnel, coupled with a lack of functioning support mechanisms, hinders the creation of automated added value and the retention of existing jobs.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asks that Riina Solman be called to the stage.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman thanked the speaker for the address and emphasized that the first speech had focused on increasing productivity and competitiveness, as well as the active role of the government. She then requested that those seeking solutions be able to swiftly correct the errors stemming from the state's plans and the work of the ministries.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
Raivo Vasnu stressed the need for clearly explaining the promises to investors, treating the green transition not as dogma, and focusing on resource efficiency and the circular economy in cooperation with the Environmental Board. This is aimed at eliminating obstacles, making production cleaner and more efficient, and offering opportunities for newcomers in waste valorization.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar calls upon Urmas Reinsalu to speak.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu stresses that Estonia's competitiveness is inseparable from that of Europe. Furthermore, within the context of the green transition, Estonia's national interests must be clearly defined, and we need to ensure that the government has actually carried them out.
Viru Keemia Grupi AS-i juhatuse liige Raivo Vasnu
AI Summary
Raivo Vasnu stated that, for the sake of energy security, Estonia should reasonably and sustainably develop its natural resources, consider self-sufficiency, and re-evaluate existing promises and projects, given that the environment and overall circumstances have changed.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanks the rapporteur, announces that there are no questions, and opens the debate. On behalf of the Isamaa faction, colleague Urmas Reinsalu is invited to the Riigikogu rostrum to speak, and three minutes of additional time are requested.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu is calling on Estonia to shed its pessimistic and defeatist mentality and instead focus on a winner's economy, ensuring regulatory stability and tax cuts, reducing bureaucracy, and reforming the conditions for energy and foreign investment so that the Estonian economy can once again be competitive.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar expresses his thanks and, on behalf of the Eesti 200 faction, requests that his colleague Stig Rästa address the Riigikogu from the podium.
Stig Rästa
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Stig Rästa emphasized that increasing Estonia's productivity requires a long-term transition to a smart economy, where added value grows, research and development increases (to at least 3% of GDP), education and skills are reformed, and the state sets an example by investing in automation, data-driven management, and the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence, in order to reduce low value-added activities and create a better life for everyone.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invited Jaak Aab to the podium and stated that he was speaking on behalf of the Social Democratic Party faction.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab emphasized in his speech the importance of improving economic competitiveness through a comprehensive labor strategy. This strategy integrates retaining the existing workforce, boosting productivity, digitalization, and, where necessary, the inclusion of foreign labor. Crucially, however, he stressed that the main priority is raising productivity and ensuring a suitable balance of wages across different sectors, with the ultimate goal of reaching 110% of the European Union average.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar requests three minutes of extra time.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab emphasized that action in employment must be smart and focused on increasing added value, concentrating on education reform and improving the quality of vocational and secondary education, implementing the achievements of science and higher education into production, and ensuring the state’s systemic contribution to investments and support mechanisms, so that the recommendations adopted by the government and the economic cabinets lead to long-term development.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanks [the previous speaker] and subsequently invites Colleague Lauri Laats to speak on behalf of the Estonian Centre Party Faction, requesting three minutes of additional time.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats argues that the current tax and green policies fail to support the economy, instead increasing inflation and placing the heaviest burden on the poorest citizens. As a solution, he proposes reviewing tax policy, investing in education and retraining, and fundamentally shifting the direction of the energy system—focusing on oil shale (and potentially nuclear power), high technology, and higher education institutions.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Speaker called Mario Kadastik, a member of the Reform Party faction, to the Riigikogu podium to speak.
Mario Kadastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kadastik emphasized that Estonia’s competitiveness depends on the growth of added value and productivity, and on securing decent employment, which is being promoted through economic growth measures via strong research and development, applied research, and the inclusion of foreign labor in the fields of engineering, IT, and healthcare.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar requests three minutes of additional time.
Mario Kadastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
We are not importing labor arbitrarily; instead, we are utilizing the potential of the Estonian populace in critical sectors. We are attracting targeted investments and implementing digitalization (AI, AIRE, TI-Hüpe), expanding communications infrastructure, and developing energy and interconnections (Estonia–Finland, Estonia–Latvia). Furthermore, we are reducing bureaucracy and, based on input from ENMAK, compiling a competitive action plan designed to achieve a reasonable total cost for the consumer.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the discussions, thanked the presenters and all colleagues who participated and asked substantive questions, and declared today's session closed.