Interpellation Regarding Mass Immigration (No. 617)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
Date: 2024-04-01 22:10
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 54
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 3m
AI Summaries: 54/54 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
This agenda item addressed Interpellation No. 617 concerning mass immigration, submitted by Riigikogu members Anti Poolamets, Ants Frosch, Helle-Moonika Helme, Mart Helme, Martin Helme, and Evelin Poolamets. Martin Helme, representing the interpellators, introduced the query, highlighting worrying migration statistics. He stressed that immigration into Estonia, particularly from third countries (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Asia, Africa), has in recent years risen to a level that surpasses even the figures of the Estonian SSR in the 1980s, which was then referred to as mass immigration. Helme claimed that Estonia’s share of foreign-born residents (15.9%) is now significantly higher than in Latvia (11.9%) or Finland (8%), and asked why the government is not restricting this situation.
The interpellation was answered by Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets (SDE), who emphasized that the large influx is primarily due to Ukrainian war refugees who have been granted temporary protection. The Minister confirmed that Estonia has accepted nearly 65,000 Ukrainian citizens, and deemed assisting them a moral obligation and a strategic contribution to Ukraine's fight. Läänemets rejected the claim of mass immigration, explaining that according to the EU definition, a mass influx only occurs when a state is unable to process applications properly, which has not happened in Estonia. He affirmed that immigration is restricted by the Aliens Act and that the government is preparing legislative amendments to mitigate the risks associated with migration, referencing the concern of the Internal Security Service (KAPO) regarding the emergence of a "second front" (extremism).
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made during the inquiry, as it was an informative session.
Most Active Speaker
Mart Helme (EKRE, right-wing opposition) was the most active politician in terms of the intensity and rhetoric of the debate. Helme posed a direct and emotional question to the minister, accusing the government of "hating the Estonian people" and seeking to suffocate the nation through mass immigration. In his closing statement, he sharply criticized the minister's responses as "inadequate" and "pure obfuscation," accusing the government of deliberate actions that would lead to the Russification of the country. Helme stressed that immigration constitutes an economically, linguistically, and culturally unsustainable burden for the Estonian people and compared the government's actions to those of an occupation regime.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas directed the Riigikogu to the seventh interpellation concerning mass immigration (No. 617), submitted by Anti Poolamets, Ants Frosch, Helle-Moonika Helme, Mart Helme, Martin Helme, and Evelin Poolamets. Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets will respond to the interpellation, and the representative of the interpellators, Martin Helme, is asked to introduce the interpellation (currently 617; the next item is 619).
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme claims that Estonia has experienced significant immigration in recent years, with a positive migration balance. A large portion of these immigrants come from third countries (primarily Ukraine, as well as Russia and Belarus), and this impact has increased both the population and the proportion of births to foreign nationals.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas requested Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets to respond to Query No. 617.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Lauri Läänemets said that there are nearly 65,000 people in Estonia under temporary protection due to the war in Ukraine, but mass immigration is not the solution to the demographic situation. Immigration must be restricted and better directed, focusing on control, adaptation, and increasing families' sense of security.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Jüri Ratas thanked the Minister and called upon Mart Helme to ask those questions.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme accuses officials and the government of manipulating inconsistent numbers and terms, and alleges that mass immigration threatens the Estonian people and economy. He then asks directly why they hate us and want to stifle our nation.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets stated that he respects all people in Estonia, does not see any government plan for mass immigration, and emphasized that while opinions may differ, in the context of the war in Ukraine, it is crucial to provide shelter so that families are protected and men are able to remain on the front lines—a point which was confirmed by the Ukrainian Interior Minister's own words.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas calls for silence in the chamber.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Lauri Läänemets emphasizes that he does not hate any Estonian person and that many people need support. Although the Social Democrats and EKRE might have similar positions on certain issues regarding people's livelihoods, they are striving in government to positively improve people's ability to cope. He also stresses that many Estonians have voted for right-wing parties and do not agree with the idea that a person must always manage entirely on their own.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Jüri Ratas called upon Martin Helme to speak.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme criticizes the opposition party's tactics as incessant narrative spinning, highlighting the numerical disputes surrounding immigration and taxes. He then asks where the limits lie, considering that people are arriving in Estonia due to the war in Ukraine, alongside others—perhaps even more than during the era of Karl Vaino.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets notes that there are differing views regarding the inclusion of war refugees among immigrants and concerning how long they will stay, adding that his assumption is not that they will remain here forever.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas stressed that the sitting must be conducted in an orderly fashion, adhering strictly to the question-and-answer round, and that those who interrupt would not be permitted to respond to the interpellation. At the same time, Mart Helme was asked to calm down, and Jaak Valge raised a procedural question.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge asks why the presiding officer does not permit interjections that could give substance to the debate, referencing the historical contrast between democracy and autocracy, and the fact that the content of those interjections could be read in the transcripts of the time.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas stressed that heckling is not tolerated in the Estonian parliament, as it disrupts the flow of the session and the ability to listen, and reminded [the members] that we are the parliament of the Republic of Estonia, not the parliament of Great Britain, asking Evelin Poolamets to behave properly.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Latvia has initiated a process of expelling Russian citizens who have failed to meet the tightened requirements of the Latvian immigration law, specifically, not speaking Latvian at the A2 level. This prompts the question of how to evaluate Latvia's method and whether Estonia should adopt a similar approach.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets stated that all residents in Estonia should be able to speak Estonian, and the state is doing everything in its power to help those who do not speak it learn the language. He also cited the example that Latvia did not previously have such a requirement, but this requirement has been in place in Estonia for a long time.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Jüri Ratas invited Ants Frosh to speak.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch points out that although German Chancellor Merkel called for mass immigration in 2015 and millions moved, mass immigration did not occur at the European level. However, it is now happening in Estonia, and he asks whether, despite the special status afforded to Ukrainian refugees, a moratorium could not be declared and all immigration completely halted.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Läänemets said that reducing migration would be detrimental to Estonia, and that Estonia must strive for Ukraine’s victory, work toward the return of refugees who have been granted temporary protection back to Ukraine, and engage the global community to ensure Ukraine’s security.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The announcement requests that Kert Kingo be called to the stage.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo asks the minister: how does it help Ukraine achieve victory if draft-eligible men immigrate here to seek shelter rather than fighting for their own country?
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Until Ukraine’s official request is clear, Estonia must not decide whether Ukrainians should be sent back or called to the front lines — we will adhere to the request made by Ukraine, because otherwise we risk creating an additional burden and diverting attention from the front.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Jüri Ratas addresses Kert Kingo and asks her to submit a procedural question.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo described the speech as an example of monotonous and generalized talk, and questioned whether bringing men of mobilization age to Estonia would help Ukraine win, adding that she personally did not hear what was being discussed there.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas stated that the matter was not a procedural question, and that he had heard the volume of the voice and called upon Arvo Aller.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller confirmed that EKRE is helping Ukraine while simultaneously considering the interests of its own people. He criticized the voluntary nature of declaring one's nationality and stated that obtaining a passport makes a person a citizen of the state, arguing that identity should not be based on ethnic affiliation.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Lauri Läänemets said that nationality cannot be determined by an Estonian passport or citizenship, and a person determines their own nationality, and for security purposes, other methods are used, including cooperation with the Ukrainian border guard and thorough checks at the border.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Varro Vooglaid is invited to take the floor at the beginning of the address.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asks whether the birth rate of East Slavic peoples is significantly lower than that of Estonians, whether mass immigration from those countries exacerbates Estonia's demographic problems, and why the government is pursuing an immigration policy that so aggravates demographic issues.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
I fail to see why this situation should cause tension, and I think that even if people within the East Slavic cultural sphere have fewer offspring than Estonians, it shouldn't create tension.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas asks to grant the floor to Henn Põlluaas.
Henn Põlluaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Henn Põlluaas criticizes the contradictory rhetoric surrounding immigration and integration, highlighting that Estonia has proportionally significantly more Ukrainian refugees. He discusses whether the difference in aid between Finland, and Poland and Romania, explains this situation, and finally refers to Prime Minister Kallas’s statement regarding the costs of aid to Ukraine.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas welcomes the esteemed questioner.
Henn Põlluaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He/She asks whether to follow the example of other countries and similarly abandon it.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas announced that the speaking period is 60 seconds, the introduction lasted 57.5 seconds, leaving only 2.5 seconds remaining for the question to be answered, and requested the esteemed Minister to reply.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets said that immigrants in Estonia must be integrated as well as possible, and while immigration will not fully solve the problem of population aging, these two things can coexist; Ukrainian war refugees are not given separate benefits and are treated the same way as other permanent residents of Estonia, although the support funds differ by country (for example, they are higher in Finland).
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Kalle Grünthal to the stage.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal raises a critical question concerning mobilization and European army plans, specifically asking why Estonian men are expected to fight in Ukraine while Ukrainian men, who ought to be defending their own country, are sitting here.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets stated that he would go to the front line if necessary, and called on everyone – both Estonian citizens and Ukrainian war refugees – to contribute to Ukraine militarily and financially. He made these remarks while discussing Macron’s plan and the European army, and noted that he lacks precise information regarding the participation of the Baltic states.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Kalle Grünthal to ask a procedural question.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal emphasizes that ministers must be very well informed within the scope of their competence, citing the example of Prigozhin’s men in Mali and Macron’s plan for 4,000 soldiers, and questioning how a minister can answer questions if they don't even know something that a member of the Riigikogu knows.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
This was certainly not a current procedural issue; the minister responded both to what he knew and what he didn't know, and then attention shifted to Leo Kunnas.
Leo Kunnas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The Director General of the Security Police Board highlighted the growth of the Muslim community (from approximately 1,500 to ~10,000) and stressed that, alongside countering Russia's subversive activities, a "second front" against Islamic extremism would emerge for them, which they lack the capacity to manage two fronts simultaneously, and asked the minister for his perspective on this issue.
Siseminister Lauri Läänemets
AI Summary
The government is amending the Aliens Act in several respects so that the Security Police Board and the Police and Border Guard Board can carry out their work more thoroughly and prevent the growth of communities where terrorist networks could form, taking cues from European countries such as France and Sweden. These draft bills have already been prepared.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas thanked the minister, announced that there were no further questions, opened the debate, and invited Jaak Valge to the Riigikogu rostrum.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He thanks the presiding officer for the distinguished invitation and immediately requests three additional minutes so as not to waste time.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The statement is merely a polite request, expressing a brief wish to ask for something.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge criticizes the Minister of the Interior, arguing that mass immigration poses a demographic threat that will not solve the population crisis. He suggests solutions such as increasing child benefits, extending life expectancy, and boosting labor productivity.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The Deputy Speaker thanks [the assembly] and invites Mart Helme, the representative of the interpellators, to the Riigikogu podium.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme expressed concern about the future of the Estonian people, accusing the government of facilitating mass immigration, and asserted that this threatens the economy, language, culture, and the very existence of the state.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The speech is brief and centers on a powerful plea.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme accuses the opposition and the coalition of dividing the country and promoting Russian power and mass immigration. He warns of the danger and demands that Lauri Läänemets express his personal opinion instead of using answers compiled by officials.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
He announced that there were no further requests to speak, the negotiations were being concluded, and the inquiry had been answered.