Interpellation concerning the underfunding of state infrastructure (No. 334)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary sitting
Date: 2024-01-22 19:37
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 55
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 43m
AI Summaries: 55/55 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda item addressed Interpellation No. 334, submitted by Riigikogu members Helle-Moonika Helme and Kalle Grünthal, concerning the underfunding of state infrastructure. The questioners, representing the opposition (EKRE), sharply criticized the government’s policy, asserting that funding for road maintenance and construction has drastically decreased since 2021. This, they claimed, has resulted in deteriorating road quality, a growing maintenance backlog, and a decline in traffic safety, evidenced by an increase in chain collisions and traffic fatalities. The opposition highlighted the state's failure to fulfill its obligation to build out major highways, such as Tallinn–Tartu and Via Baltica, and accused the government of deliberately destroying Estonia’s road infrastructure sector.
Climate Minister Kristen Michal (Reform Party) responded to the interpellation, emphasizing that Estonia's investment-to-GDP ratio (5.7%) is significantly higher than the European Union average (3%). He confirmed that while the share of external funding has decreased, the state budget contribution to the road maintenance plan (2024–2027) is higher than in the previous period, reaching 680.5 million euros. Michal also shifted the debate's focus to other major infrastructure projects, such as Rail Baltic, whose construction, he stated, has accelerated, and the renovation of apartment buildings, stressing that there is sufficient work in the construction sector. The opposition maintained its position, accusing the Minister of prioritizing Rail Baltic over highways and demanding that the construction of Rail Baltic be frozen, with the funds redirected to national defense and road infrastructure.
Decisions Made 1
During the debate on the interpellation, no decisions were adopted, nor were any votes taken on the draft legislation.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker, who had an assigned speaker ID, was the initiator of the interpellation, Helle-Moonika Helme (WP2Ws2FDJU0). She represents the opposition (Estonian Conservative People's Party, right-wing) and gave the longest opening speech, criticizing the government for the underfunding of roads and the deterioration of traffic safety. Other EKRE politicians (Rene Kokk, Martin Helme) were also very active in the debate.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The fifth item on the agenda concerns the interpellation (Interpellation No. 334) submitted by Helle-Moonika Helme and Kalle Grünthal on May 13, 2023, regarding the underfunding of state infrastructure, which will be presented by our colleague Helle-Moonika Helme.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme criticizes the underfunding of state infrastructure and the reduction of road maintenance financing, noting that the query submitted on May 12, 2023, has remained unaddressed. She warns that due to the funding being cut by over 20%, the condition of the roads is deteriorating and traffic safety is endangered.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The time has come.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme said that she is afraid that this will once again result in nothing but beautiful slogans, just like during the discussion of the previous item on the agenda.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi called the Honourable Minister of Climate, Kristen Michal, to the Riigikogu rostrum to answer the questions of the interpellators.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Climate Minister Kristen Michal confirms that, to mitigate the negative impacts of infrastructure underfunding, Estonian investments and funding will be increased (including 5.7% of GDP, RES and CEF funds, and the construction of Rail Baltic and roads). Furthermore, cooperation with stakeholders and businesses will be engaged, and innovative solutions will be utilized (e.g., roads made from lignin and plastic waste) to ensure sustainable development.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi thanked the minister, said there were questions, and invited Anti Poolamets to present them.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets voiced concern that the government will not build a new four-lane section of the Tallinn–Tartu highway in the near future. He argues that the failure to approve the 2024–2027 plan indicates that this crucial artery will stagnate and that the project is severely underfunded.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Kristen Michal said that even though the agreement for the largest road construction project in Estonian history has been achieved, along with the expansion of the Tartu highway, and infrastructure investments are increasing, additional funding is required for roads. This requires utilizing both European funding and Rail Baltic investments, as well as the renovation of small residential buildings, along with the will and readiness of all parties for restructuring.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invites Arvo Aller to take the floor.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller's speech focused on the criticism that approximately 600 million in infrastructure funding is being allocated to Rail Baltic and the reconstruction of apartment buildings, while nothing is being directed toward roads—a lack of investment that could lead to more casualties due to traffic accidents. Furthermore, although the Jõhvi bypass on the Tallinn–Narva highway is complete and awaiting state approval and the announcement of the procurement tender, he questioned: "When are we finally moving eastward?"
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This short speech emphasizes the importance of time and the significance of the moment.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
According to Arvo Aller, improved roads could facilitate entrepreneurship, stimulate economic activity, and lead to the creation of new jobs.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Speaking about infrastructure, Climate Minister Kristen Michal said that 680.5 million euros will be allocated to road maintenance during the 2024–2027 period, which is more than in the previous 2023–2026 period. Funds will also be directed to other infrastructure projects, and we have submitted applications under the Connecting Europe Facility’s military mobility measure, but the answer will arrive soon, and I cannot say whether they will receive a positive response.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invites Mart Helme to speak.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme claims that the interpellation actually concerns roads, not Rail Baltic, and that very few roads have been built in the country. He adds that the Via Baltica and the four-lane Tartu highway have been discussed for years, but they still haven't been finished.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech focuses solely on the word 'Time,' stressing that it is time to act.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He/She is referring to the news published today, which reports that a man was killed in a traffic accident.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi thanks his good colleague and requests something.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He asks if the listeners also have responsibility for these traffic deaths.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
All politicians, both the coalition and the opposition, are responsible for what happens in the Estonian state.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invites Siim Pohlak to take the floor.
Siim Pohlak
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Siim Pohlak emphasizes that the Rail Baltic project has changed: instead of the initial variant featuring two pairs of tracks, only one is now being built, and the first phase concerning local stops might not be implemented. He is calling on the Riigikogu to reopen the debate on this, while simultaneously failing to ask what is being done to meet the deadlines for Via Baltica traffic safety and whether the four-lane road section will be finished on schedule.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Kristen Michal confirmed that the fines are not an issue, that the development of Rail Baltic is accelerating, and that the connection to the heart of Europe is vital for Estonia's economy and security.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi called upon Martin Helme to speak.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme asserts that the development of the Tartu highway has completely stalled under the Reform Party government, and that state funding is insufficient for both maintenance and investments. He argues this jeopardizes the fulfillment of EU obligations by 2030 concerning the Tallinn–Pärnu and Ikla highways, and he asks what the plan is for the completion of the four-lane Ikla road and when it will be finished.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Climate Minister Kristen Michal stated that we do not have to proceed with construction due to the penalty. Countries are requesting exemptions for sections they will not manage to complete on time. The estimated completion is around 2027–2028. The Kose–Mäo section was agreed upon during his own tenure as Infrastructure Minister. To complete the larger sections, certain choices must be prioritized. Although the budget situation is complex, road maintenance will now receive slightly more funding than during the previous State Budget Strategy (RES) period, and an application has been submitted under the Connecting Europe Facility's military mobility measure. Infrastructure investments will continue.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Rene Kokk to speak.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk stressed that the state has not yet acquired all the necessary land for the Rail Baltic project. He requested precise data regarding the amount of unacquired land and the current status of the process, noting at the same time that although 190 million euros are planned for this year and 250–300 million for the following years, the land directly underneath Rail Baltic has still not been acquired by the state.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
In the case of Rail Baltic, we have reached the main route construction phase in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, where over 70 kilometers of the route will be covered by contracts by next year, and construction is already underway, while planning and land acquisition are proceeding gradually.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech requests that Helle-Moonika Helme be invited to speak.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme highlighted that even though road construction is linked to climate mitigation efforts and the material load is increasing, there are insufficient funds for road maintenance. Furthermore, due to the heavy transport associated with Rail Baltic and wind farm projects, the roads are deteriorating, and there are no resources available for repairs.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi delivers a very brief thank you to his colleague.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme asks whether the additional expenditure has been budgeted for within the road maintenance funds or not.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Kristen Michal confirmed that Estonian road construction must be high-quality and innovative and receive more funding, because new solutions, such as Fibenol's lignin, can open up new opportunities. Furthermore, the quality of Estonian roads is significantly better compared to Russia, and we are continuously striving to move it in an even better direction.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi called upon Kert Kingo to speak.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo posed a critical question regarding Rail Baltic, emphasizing the heavy traffic and commuter travel on the Tallinn–Tartu highway, and asking who this expensive new line is actually serving and what purpose it fulfills if it bypasses Tartu.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Rail Baltic won't pass through Tartu, but it will transport people and goods and connect us with Europe. The hope is that it will be completed on schedule, and, as you mentioned, people will even be able to take it to the zoo.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi called upon Ants Frosch to speak.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch thanks the chairman and the esteemed minister, and asks if he may now continue.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He notes that if colleagues aren't interrupting, the answer is yes, and they are asked to continue.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch notes the dissonance that has arisen when compared to Russian oblasts, and praises the dynamics of road construction and completion in Poland over the last ten to fifteen years, emphasizing their connection to Europe and improved access, and suggests perhaps asking the Poles for advice.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Climate Minister Kristen Michal stated that he doesn't immediately have a comparison regarding road indices and indicators with Poland, but if they have good advice there, he will ask his colleagues whether they should seek advice from the Poles.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Varro Vooglaid to take the floor.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asks whether the respondent can confirm that they are unaware that the actual volume of goods is absent, and that the construction of Rail Baltic is therefore unjustified.
Kliimaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Kristen Michal stressed that a rapid connection to the European Union is vital for security and integration. He added that while the precise allocation of goods traffic might shift, the project's construction is largely financed by European taxpayers, and this fact should be viewed positively.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi gives thanks, concludes the questioning, and opens the negotiations, addressing Rene Kokk.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk asserts that Estonia's road infrastructure is in a critical state and that the leadership shown by the government and the Reform Party is short-sighted. He adds that the Rail Baltic project is no savior, and he stresses the risk to future infrastructure projects caused by the state's failure to acquire necessary land, a situation which will increase the involvement of foreign firms in construction.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi requests an additional three minutes.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk emphasizes that Rail Baltic will reduce the maintenance burdens on local municipalities, and he recommends freezing the construction of Rail Baltic for five to seven years and using that money at the European level for developing national defense, infrastructure, and infra.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Vice-Chairman thanks [the previous speaker] and invites Martin Helme to take the floor.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He says he doesn't know if it's necessary, but he's asking for three more minutes.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He/She is asking for three more minutes.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme claims that the current government is destroying Estonia through tax hikes, the dismantling of the family unit, disarmament, and Russification. Furthermore, he argues that key infrastructure projects, such as the Saaremaa bridge and the four-lane highways connecting Tallinn to Tartu, Tallinn to Narva, and Tallinn to Pärnu, have either been abandoned or replaced by ineffective decisions that pose great dangers to the people and the state, and he calls for the government to be immediately dissolved.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Thank you! We have concluded the negotiations and the proceedings on this agenda item.