Tax Festival Continues
Session: Fifteenth Riigikogu, sixth sitting, press briefing.
Date: 2025-09-17 16:19
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 26
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 16m
AI Summaries: 26/26 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
During the seventh interpellation in the Riigikogu, the government's tax policy was debated between Prime Minister Kristen Michal and Riigikogu member Mart Maastik (Isamaa). Maastik called this policy a "tax festival," asserting that it has created chaos in state finances and eroded the confidence of entrepreneurs. Maastik criticized the constantly changing justifications for implementing the car tax (climate, defense, road construction) and demanded a concrete answer as to whether the government intends to abolish the car tax before the 2027 elections.
Prime Minister Michal rejected the accusations of creating uncertainty, emphasizing that the government's goal, as the economic situation improves, is to leave more money in people's hands through tax reductions. He highlighted the decrease in the tax burden (due to the rise in the income tax-free minimum and the abolition of the tax hump) and confirmed that car tax benefits for families with children (€100 per child) are currently being processed in parliament. Michal stressed that the tax burden will fall to the 1995 level, while defense spending will rise to 5% of GDP, thereby ensuring confidence. In a follow-up question, Andres Metsoja (Isamaa) criticized the feeling of neglect in rural areas and the unfair car tax. Michal responded that the car tax would become fairer and its revenue would be directed toward road construction.
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman announces that they are moving forward, and Riigikogu Member Mart Maastik puts a question to Prime Minister Kristen Michal concerning the continuation of the tax festival.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced that the seventh question on the agenda was addressed to Prime Minister Kristen Michal and concerned the continuation of the tax festival. He then asked Riigikogu member Mart Maastik to approach the podium to present his question on the matter.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik criticizes the Prime Minister for the chaos the government has created in state finances and the destruction of business confidence, highlighting the continuous shifting goals of the car tax and contradictory signals regarding its cancellation, which undermines the state's credibility. He demands a concrete answer concerning the plans for canceling the tax and the total amount collected to date.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik is accusing the government of creating a financial crisis and instability by implementing the car tax. He demands a concrete plan for abolishing the car tax before the 2027 Riigikogu elections and asks how much car tax has currently been collected into the state treasury compared to the approximate 200 million forecast.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal defended the proposed car tax bill in parliament, stressing that the concession for families with children had been agreed upon in the coalition agreement, and was not election-related. He affirmed the government’s objective to leave more money in people’s hands to help them cope with inflation, while simultaneously criticizing the “tax hump” created by the opposition. He argued that eliminating this hump and sharply raising the income tax-free minimum starting January 1, 2026, would improve consumer confidence and significantly boost people’s incomes, adding that he hopes the income tax increase will also be avoided.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed that the draft legislation amending the motor vehicle tax is currently being processed by parliament, and that tax changes are planned once the economic situation improves. These changes include expanding the motor vehicle tax relief for families with children and abolishing the progressive income tax, which, starting January 1, 2026, would increase people's disposable income and boost consumer confidence, with the possibility of foregoing the income tax hike.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked [the previous speaker/group] and invited Mart Maastik to ask a clarifying question.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the listeners and then handed the floor over to Mart Maastik so he could pose a clarifying question.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik expresses profound concern regarding the uncertainty and unreliability of the government's policies, demanding the complete abolition of the car tax and criticizing the elimination of the flat-rate income tax exemption. He also condemns the cancellation of benefits for large families and asks whether the government is prepared to halt foolish investments, such as excessively expensive offshore wind farms, and start listening to experts, or if the "tax spree" will continue.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik sharply criticizes the government's policy instability and shortsightedness, citing the cancellation of benefits for large families and the car tax issue as examples that have eroded public trust. He demands that the government put an end to this "tax spree" and start listening to experts and entrepreneurs before making foolish decisions, thereby avoiding harmful and prohibitively expensive investments, such as the offshore wind farm projects.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik criticized the government's tax policy, stressing that he does not want to abolish the car tax or the linear income tax exemption. He also brought up the detrimental effects of the support measure for large families and energy infrastructure projects, and questioned whether the government would start learning from its mistakes and listen to businesses and experts before making decisions.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal stated that the government learns from its mistakes, listens to entrepreneurs, and will improve the business environment. It will promote new technology and renewable energy, which has helped lower energy prices, and will continue cooperation with NATO and the advancement of the special planning for the nuclear power plant, maintaining an optimistic outlook for the next 10 to 20 years.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed that the government is working closely with entrepreneurs, supporting hundreds of proposals aimed at improving the business environment. He also defended renewable energy as the cheapest and cleanest solution, noting that it has helped bring down energy prices, while simultaneously expressing optimism about Estonia's future and the development of new technologies, including nuclear energy.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal emphasized the government's strong cooperation with entrepreneurs, highlighting the Efficiency and Economic Growth Council's contribution to improving the business environment and noting that hundreds of proposals have already received backing. Furthermore, he defended the development of renewable energy, asserting that it is the most cost-effective and cleanest solution, which has helped keep energy prices low. The speaker expressed optimism about the future, stressing the necessity of developing new technologies, clean energy, and nuclear power to guarantee Estonia's competitiveness and prosperity.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gives his thanks and announces that Andres Metsoja will be asking a follow-up question.
Andres Metsoja
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Andres Metsoja stresses that although the government's talk of life improving sounds convincing, rural areas feel abandoned due to unfair taxes, a deteriorating road network, and diminished services, and they need genuine hope and concrete solutions.
Andres Metsoja
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Andres Metsoja contrasts the Prime Minister's convincing rhetoric with the reality that members of the Riigikogu encounter in rural areas ahead of the local elections, stressing that instead of the promised sense of security, chaos prevails. People feel abandoned and are suffering due to the unfair car tax, the shrinking school network, and the poor condition of gravel roads. Therefore, concrete solutions are demanded from the government, not just rising costs of living and increasingly inaccessible services.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed that the tax burden in Estonia will drop to 35.6% next year, despite defense spending reaching 5%. He also introduced amendments to the car tax designed to make it fairer, specifically by offering a 100-euro discount to families with minor children and reducing the tax burden on minibusses, while simultaneously directing the revenue generated towards road maintenance.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed that the tax burden will decrease if the income tax hike is not implemented. He also introduced reforms aimed at making the car tax fairer, coupled with tax benefits for families with children, and announced approximately 70 million euros in additional annual funding for roads, including the Pärnu–Tartu highway and local roads.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced the conclusion of the consideration of the seventh question, cancelled the eighth question concerning security directed at Prime Minister Kristen Michal due to the absence of Riigikogu member Mart Helme, and subsequently gave the floor to Lauri Laats for a procedural question.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the discussion of the seventh item, announced that the eighth question, addressed to Prime Minister Kristen Michal regarding security, was being dropped due to the absence of the questioner Mart Helme, and subsequently gave the floor to Lauri Laats to present a procedural question.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the Prime Minister, concluded the seventh question, and announced that due to Mart Helme’s absence, the eighth question could not be opened. He then proceeded to the ninth question, where Lauri Laats would pose a question regarding the procedure for conducting the sitting.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats expressed interest in the procedural order regarding a situation where the questioner is currently absent, seeking to know whether such a person is removed from the list of speakers or if their turn is deferred.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He asks what is done when the respected questioner is not present: does he drop off the list entirely, or does he simply move down until he gets the floor.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar explained the procedure for submitting questions, specifying that after the registered questions have been exhausted, Riigikogu members can register new questions, noting the addressee and adhering to a strict time limit: two minutes for asking the question and three minutes for answering.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
If the questioner is absent or the registered questions have been exhausted, members of the Riigikogu may register a new question. Before starting, they must state to whom the question is addressed, followed by two minutes for asking the question and three minutes for the reply.