Government decisions
Session: Fifteenth Riigikogu, sixth sitting, press briefing.
Date: 2025-09-17 16:36
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 29
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 14m
AI Summaries: 29/29 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The session addressed three main topics. Firstly, the Riigikogu conducted an inquiry regarding Eesti Energia Enefit Green's gas matter and the potential consequences of internal information handling, including the right to publicize a list of insiders and how such analyses and data should be published. Riigikogu member Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart raised the question of a list of individuals possessing internal information, noting that the initial materials were incomplete and questions remained regarding the sharing of insider lists. It was also noted that a criminal investigation is underway and the Financial Supervision Authority has emphasized the right of Riigikogu members to review the complete list of insiders. The second topic was a research project and research partnership for the Ministry of Finance in the field of tax policy, the tender for which cost €330,000; the question was whether research was conducted to measure the impact of tax changes on the economic environment and people’s ability to cope, and whether scientific capacity is involved within the final tender to thoroughly analyze the impact of decisions made. The third part focused on the procedure for conducting the session and the question of names appearing on the screen, which was discussed alongside restrictions related to the Chancellery's regulations and procedural protocols; for example, it was explained why there may be situations where respondents cannot reach the hall and how guidelines resolve such situations. Overall, there was a desire to increase transparency and values based on science, but at the same time, the importance of constitutional means, the independence of institutions, and maintaining the boundaries of oversight, investigation, and procedure were emphasized.
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made.
Most Active Speaker
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart – Member of the Riigikogu; position: other. She was the most active speaker at the session, speaking on several occasions (speeches 2, 6, and 9).
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced that the agenda had moved forward to the ninth question, bypassing the eighth, and requested that Riigikogu member Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart address a question to Prime Minister Kristen Michal concerning government decisions.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The eighth question was not addressed; we proceeded to the ninth question, which is being presented by Riigikogu member Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart to Prime Minister Kristen Michal, and the topic of which is government decisions.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart inquired about the government's stance on the Enefit Green case, highlighting the insider information leak and the related criminal investigation, and requested that members of the Riigikogu be provided with the full list of insiders, citing the Financial Supervision Authority's view that the list ought to be made available.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart is requesting a clear stance from the Prime Minister regarding the criminal investigation into the leak of insider information related to Enefit Green shares. She criticized Eesti Energia's refusal to provide the special anti-corruption committee with the complete list of insiders, and she questioned whether members of the Riigikogu should be entitled to receive all the information, or if the matter is merely a "meaningless thing," as alleged by the Minister of Finance.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar offers his thanks and submits a request to the Prime Minister.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal stressed that while the sharing of audits and reports is reasonable and their accessibility is necessary, the investigation itself must remain independent for the court and the Prosecutor's Office, and the parliamentary commission must not interfere with its proceedings, except in cases where systemic anti-corruption changes are required.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal affirms his principled stance that audits and reports should be shared with members of the Riigikogu (Parliament), even when dealing with sensitive information, but simultaneously stresses the necessity of distinguishing parliamentary oversight from criminal investigation. He believes that politicians must trust the independence of the prosecutor's office and the courts, and that the special anti-corruption committee's role is not to interfere in ongoing investigations. Instead, its task is to address systemic problems and amend legislation after a court ruling regarding the misuse of insider information has been issued.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanks [the previous speaker] and invites Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart to ask a clarifying question.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart emphasizes her consistent work and recalls that she raised the suspicion of insider information abuse (due to unusual trading volumes) already in April, criticizing the Prime Minister's initial attitude. The main problem is not the ongoing criminal procedure, whose rules she knows, but the fact that members of the Riigikogu special committee have been denied the list of insiders since spring, thereby hindering the investigation into the suspected information leak and the violation of internal rules—a point contested by both Eesti Energia and the Minister of Finance.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart emphasizes that she already raised the topic in April, complaining that members of the Riigikogu (Parliament) do not have access to the insider list or other information, and that a criminal investigation is underway concerning the possible leakage and misuse of information, which underscores the necessity of parliamentary oversight.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The speech emphasizes that the listeners' time has come and they must take action.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart emphasizes that the inability to exercise oversight over what is happening in state institutions and enterprises is a serious problem.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart notes that oversight of the activities of state institutions and state-owned enterprises cannot be carried out, which is a serious problem.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar offers his thanks and submits a request to the Prime Minister.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal stressed the separation of powers, arguing that parliamentary committees must not substitute for the independent investigation conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office, because only a court can convict and the investigation itself is carried out by the Prosecutor’s Office.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal is correcting the legal interpretation concerning state-owned enterprises and commends the good questions raised, but focuses primarily on the principle of separation of powers. He warned the parliament's special committee that it must not passionately attempt to usurp the investigative mandate of the Prosecutor's Office, because in Estonia, independent investigations are conducted by the Prosecutor's Office, and only the court can convict; therefore, the work of the Prosecutor's Office should rather be supported.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the participants for the preceding discussion and then gave the floor to Lauri Laats so that he could ask a supplementary question.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanks the speaker and notes that Lauri Laats has a follow-up question.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats asked in the Riigikogu why a 330,000 euro tender is being organized for tax policy research and scientific partnership, whether the evidence-based understanding created within this framework regarding the impact of tax increases on the economy is already available, and whether the results of the tender will truly be applied when shaping tax policy.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats is questioning the true purpose and seriousness of the Ministry of Finance’s €330,000 tender for tax policy research. He criticizes the government, pointing out that while they claimed to have existing analysis when adopting the tax hikes, the content of the current tender reveals a fundamental lack of understanding regarding the broad impact of these changes on the economy and people’s ability to cope. He further asks whether the necessary data was actually available when the decisions were made, and whether the results of this expensive study will even be taken into consideration.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar addresses Mr. Prime Minister with a request.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invited the Prime Minister to begin his report, giving him the floor and noting that his time had come.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that the Ministry of Finance will acquire a research partner through a framework agreement in the field of tax policy, and follow-up analyses will be conducted to assess the impact of legislative changes, involving researchers and experts, so that decisions are evidence-based and achieve the desired outcomes.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed that the Ministry of Finance is utilizing a framework procurement to acquire a research partner in the field of tax policy. The goal is to conduct a post-implementation analysis of legal amendments that have already been adopted—an obligation mandated by state law. The analysis aims to evaluate the actual effects of the changes and whether the intended objectives were met, noting that involving researchers and experts is considered merely sensible for ensuring evidence-based decision-making.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman concludes the discussion of this matter and notes that Helir-Valdor Seeder has his hand raised regarding a question concerning the procedure for conducting the session.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced the conclusion of the current topic, but halted the progression of the agenda to give the floor to Helir-Valdor Seeder, who wished to raise a point of order regarding the procedure for conducting the sitting.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
He notes that in the Q&A session, the quality of the questions is generally better than the quality of the answers, and he raises a procedural question regarding a telepathic phenomenon during which Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart’s name appeared on the screen before she entered the room.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar described the unexpected situation involving two consecutive questions where the respondent would not be present in the chamber, explaining the passing on of the speaking order due to Mart Helme's absence and the arrival of Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, and noted that Lauri Laats had used the opportunity to ask a procedural question to gain time.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar explained the surprising shift in the speaking order by saying that because Mart Helme was absent from the chamber, the floor for questions was automatically given to the next speaker. This was done to avoid a situation where two consecutive questions would be missed, and Lauri Laats skillfully used the resulting pause to stall for time.