Money
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, information briefing
Date: 2024-01-24 14:15
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 14
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 11m
AI Summaries: 14/14 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Today's agenda item for the Riigikogu information session focused on questions posed to Prime Minister Kaja Kallas concerning state finance, the budget strategy (RES), and the teachers' strike. The questions were submitted by Riigikogu member Helir-Valdor Seeder, who sought clarification from the government regarding the resulting chaos, citing contradictory positions held by ministers (Läänemets, Kallas) both on supporting the strike and on the necessary financial sums. Seeder presented three main questions: who in the government is striking, what are the actual uncovered financial needs (is it 400 million or a billion euros), and what do the "brutal cuts" mentioned by Foreign Minister Tsahkna actually mean. Prime Minister Kallas responded that no one in the government is striking; rather, everyone is working. She confirmed that 400 million euros remain uncovered in the state budget strategy, and there are four options to cover this gap: additional tax increases, savings, borrowing, or a combination of these. Kallas emphasized the Reform Party's preference for finding areas for savings, as there is no longer room for tax increases. In a follow-up question, Seeder focused on the funding of education reform, criticizing the cutting of funds intended for the transition to Estonian-language education. Kallas refuted this accusation, noting that an additional 70 million euros had been allocated from the budget for Estonian-language education. The discussion concluded with an unexpected supplementary question regarding the use of cryptocurrency as a means of payment in Estonia, toward which the Prime Minister expressed skepticism.
Decisions Made 1
No new binding decisions were adopted under this agenda item, as it was the Riigikogu (Parliament) information hour. Prime Minister Kaja Kallas detailed the government’s previous decisions aimed at improving the budget position by 500 million euros and announced an ongoing budget review intended to identify further savings totaling 150 million euros.
Most Active Speaker
The most active participant was Riigikogu member Helir-Valdor Seeder (BGRipc3XmbQ), who posed a comprehensive three-part question to the Prime Minister, followed by a clarifying supplementary question. Seeder, representing the opposition, focused on exposing the government's financial chaos and discrepancies, specifically challenging the size of the uncovered sums in the State Budget Strategy (RES) (400 million versus 1 billion) as well as the funding mechanism for the education reform. His stance was critical, demanding that the government provide clarity on both current expenditures and planned future austerity measures.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
In today's second question, Riigikogu member Helir-Valdor Seeder is addressing Prime Minister Kaja Kallas with a question concerning the topic of money.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder poses a three-part question: who is actually pulling the strings regarding the teachers' strike, and whether the government itself is responsible for the strikers; what sums are deemed necessary for the State Budget Strategy (RES) and the current budget (originally 400 million for RES, but according to Läänemets, a billion or more, plus 26 million for public transport and 10 million for teachers' salaries); and whether we are facing brutal cuts or tax hikes, and how these measures will be softened to cover the necessary costs.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas announced that nearly 18,000 people are participating in the teachers' strike (involving 330 schools and approximately 9,500 teachers; the total number exceeds 18,000 when including the solidarity strike). She noted that the national budget strategy currently has an unallocated gap of 400 million euros. This gap must be covered using one of four options: tax hikes, spending cuts (savings), borrowing, or a combination thereof. The Reform Party's stance is to reject tax increases and instead find the necessary funds through cost-cutting measures. Additionally, 150 million euros are anticipated from the ongoing budget revision involving three ministries, and prior work has already improved the fiscal position by roughly 500 million euros.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman of the Session, Lauri Hussar, announced that there are nine questions today, and they will likely be addressed within two hours. Following that, it will be possible to pose questions to Foreign Minister Tsahkna. Helir-Valdor Seeder then asked a clarifying question.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
He thanks the esteemed Chair and notes that this naturally depends on the number of procedural questions.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asks us to prevent them.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder criticized the cuts to education funding and inquired about the exact contents and cost of the comprehensive education reform. He noted that compulsory schooling until the age of 18, four-year vocational education, and changes to the school network will all increase expenditures, adding that the funding sources detailed in the coalition agreement are unclear.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kallas announced that funding for Estonian-language education has increased to 70 million euros. She noted that the cabinet will discuss education reforms on Thursday, including the school network, teachers' workload and career model, and vocational and higher education. Kallas emphasized that the money must truly reach the teachers, given that the strike highlights the range of issues they face.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The address urges the audience to take action, declaring that their time has come.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Kaja Kallas stresses that it needs to be clearly determined who exactly is responsible.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanked [the previous speaker] and invited Aleksei Yevgrafov to ask a follow-up question.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Aleksei Jevgrafov asks what the Estonian government's stance is on cryptocurrency and whether cryptocurrency could be used as a means of payment in Estonia.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said she hasn't given much thought to cryptocurrency and sees that countries which have used crypto as a currency have run into a lot of trouble because of it, and she wouldn't take that on in Estonia right now.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked his colleague Jevgrafov and said that next time, one should request the opportunity to ask a question and include the exact topic of cryptocurrency, so that the Prime Minister could prepare better and the answer would be significantly longer and more detailed.