The economic situation
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, information briefing
Date: 2024-01-10 14:33
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 36
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 18m
AI Summaries: 36/36 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Today's session addressed the state of the Estonian economy within the framework of a question posed to Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Isamaa member Urmas Reinsalu raised alarming economic issues, citing the Bank of Estonia's December forecast, which indicates overestimated revenue collection, rising unemployment, and an impending recession instead of economic growth. Reinsalu criticized the government's passivity, noting that for a month and a half, the government had not addressed the economic and financial situation in its sessions.
Prime Minister Kallas responded that the government continuously monitors the economy, and the 2024 budget includes public sector investments of 2.4 billion euros, which constitutes 5.8% of GDP—significantly more than the European average of 3%. During the discussion, electricity prices were also addressed, with Rain Epler pointing out that the price of electricity in Estonia has been significantly higher than in Finland for the last three years. At the end of the session, procedural questions arose, including those concerning language use in parliament.
Decisions Made 1
No concrete decisions were made. The Prime Minister promised to develop a clear plan during January on how to quickly channel 1.9 billion euros from the 2024 budget into the Estonian economy, but that was a promise, not a decision.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa), who raised the main questions and offered criticism regarding the government’s economic policy. Reinsalu represents a right-wing conservative position, criticizing the government’s anti-business policies and proposing Isamaa’s alternative action plan to support the economy.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The third question today is addressed to Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. It was submitted by Riigikogu member Urmas Reinsalu, and the topic is the economic situation.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu stated that Isamaa is an alternative to the Reform Party government, and criticized the government's passive economic policy and budget forecasts, calling on the prime minister and the government to address the need to change economic and public finance policy.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The speaker offers thanks and submits their request to Mrs. Prime Minister.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas confirmed that the state’s finances and economy are under constant monitoring. Budget investments for 2024 total 2.4 billion euros (5.8% of GDP), which exceeds the European average, and represent a growth of 277.3 million euros compared to 2023. A plan will be drawn up in January detailing how to quickly channel 1.9 billion euros into the economy through measures supporting infrastructure, real estate, and entrepreneurship, alongside the utilization of European funds. Additionally, the 2025 income tax reform will reduce the burden on businesses and put more money back into people's hands, while simultaneously taxing consumption and cars.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar offers his thanks and calls upon Urmas Reinsalu to ask a clarifying question.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu is criticizing the government's economic policy, pointing out that Estonia suffers from the lowest business confidence in the European Union, and that there is a complete lack of clarity regarding the four-year state budget plans and tax policy. He is calling for real-time action, presenting Isamaa’s January work plan, which proposes abandoning unproductive substitute activities and focusing instead on bolstering the economy and accelerating the utilization of EU funds.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
He says that now is your time.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu, speaking on behalf of the Isamaa party, is launching a message of positive cooperation aimed at overcoming the economic downturn.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar expresses his thanks and addresses Madam Prime Minister with a request.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas emphasizes that economic confidence has dropped and that the agreed-upon measures must be utilized. At the same time, she criticizes the previous government regarding the increase in expenditures and the plans to cut jobs, asking why those cuts weren't made sooner.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
This is the call: your time has come.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
The main question of the discussion is whether it could have been done.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked [them], asked one follow-up question, and invited Rain Epler to respond.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler greeted the Speaker of the Riigikogu and the Prime Minister, wished them a lively and varied year, and stated that he had both posed questions and delivered speeches. He asked the Speaker if he could start over from the beginning, and noted that Mr. Reinsalu had interrupted the Prime Minister, which might have hampered his concentration.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Hussar said that Epler could calmly continue his question, but he would take the incident into account.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gives Rain Epler time to start over, counting this towards the 30 seconds allowed.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler referred to Nord Pool's official data and asked whether the government has a clear goal for improving competitiveness—specifically, to bring the Estonian electricity price at least to the level of Finland—and what specific steps are planned to achieve this.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas stated that Estonia's competitiveness hinges on several elements, noting that the tax burden and labor costs are more favorable compared to Finland, the price of electricity is below the European Union average, and we plan to accelerate renewable energy production, consider building a nuclear power plant, and strengthen connections with the Mainland European grid in order to desynchronize our own grid and reduce dependence on Russia.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman concludes the discussion on today's third item. Before the fourth item is introduced, he draws attention to the rules governing the conduct of the session, requesting assistance from Urmas Reinsalu.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Thank you to the Speaker of the Riigikogu, and I wish him success in leading the parliamentary work during this session.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanks the audience.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu expressed a desire for constructive cooperation alongside a degree of confusion, asserting that the government failed to substantively address the economy and state finances throughout December and January, and that he has not received a meaningful response to his two questions. He therefore calls upon the Speaker of the Riigikogu to impartially evaluate whether those questions have been answered whatsoever.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar stated that the presiding officer of the Riigikogu session does not evaluate the answers, and if the debate remains on topic, they do not intervene. Therefore, he could not address Aivar Kokk's question regarding the rules for conducting the session.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk stated that he wishes to refute the Prime Minister's lie, adding that the LNG terminal discussion concerned a private company, not the state.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar starts with an affirmation, but immediately adds a condition or an objection.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk stated that the price of gas climbed to 285 euros per megawatt-hour, while simultaneously mentioning 50 euros per megawatt-hour.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanks Aivar Kokk.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk points out that there is something happening today, and he will manage it starting next year.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The text of the speech has only been provided in part ('Thank you! But we don't have...'), so the entire text is required to create an accurate summary.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk requested that the manager not allow anything—a voice was heard from the hall.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar says that the rules of procedure are not the place for objections.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk accuses the Prime Minister of lying in this chamber.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar stated that inquiring about procedural rules does not constitute grounds for an objection, and he directed Helle-Moonika Helme's attention to the rules governing the conduct of the sitting.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme stresses that the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act stipulates that only Estonian is to be spoken in the chamber, and any foreign language word must be translated. Furthermore, there should have been a duty to intervene and state that Russian is not spoken in this chamber when the Prime Minister used Russian.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanks the audience.