First Reading of the Draft Act on Amendments to the 2024 State Budget Act (389 SE)
Session: 15th Estonian Parliament, 3rd sitting, plenary session
Date: 2024-04-03 21:19
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 23
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 27m
AI Summaries: 23/23 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda item concerns the preparation for the first reading of Draft Act 389, which amends the 2024 State Budget Act. The most significant amendments relate to the supplementary increase of the minimum salary rate for teachers and the adjustment of the pension rate serving as the basis for receiving the single pensioner's allowance. The amendments are introduced without changing the total volume of the 2024 state budget, and 9,273,000 euros are directed to the local government support fund for raising teachers' salaries through minor cuts in the state budget. Furthermore, it is emphasized that the state has already allocated a total of 25 million euros towards increasing teachers' salaries during the preparation of the 2024 budget, and the following levels are described: the minimum salary will rise to 1,803 euros (gross), the share of the differentiation fund was raised from 17% to 20%, and this results in an estimated average salary increase for teachers of 6.6%, reaching 2,184 euros. In the Ida-Viru region, the minimum gross salary for teachers is higher if they possess language proficiency, and combined with the 20% differentiation, this will increase further; all of this is treated as part of strengthening the financing of the career model for education workers and the work available to school principals. The second part reflects the views of various parties, including a discussion on how the effective and transparent process must continue, and how solutions, in cooperation with local governments and educational organizations, will reach a permanent conclusion. Finally, it is noted that the first reading will be concluded, and instructions will be provided regarding deadlines and next steps for organizing a parish-style meeting.
Decisions Made 1
The Finance Committee decided to place the draft bill on the plenary session's agenda and conclude the first reading. The deadline for submitting amendments was set for April 17 at 5:15 p.m. The decision also includes an instruction that the next item on the agenda to be addressed shall be the first reading of draft bill 370, the Act amending the Police and Border Guard Act, initiated by Riigikogu member Kalle Grünthal, and that should a lack of attendance render the debate impossible, the matter shall proceed according to the agenda.
Most Active Speaker
The position of the most active speaker: Other (delivering active criticism and raising issues related to teachers' salaries and the roles of local municipalities). He/She was one of the main participants who raised questions and offered several observations during the discussion of these topics, and strongly championed views concerning attributes and priorities throughout the debate.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The ninth item on the agenda is the first reading of Draft Bill 389, the bill amending the 2024 State Budget Act. We now invite the Minister of Finance, Mart Võrklaev, to present the report.
Rahandusminister Mart Võrklaev
AI Summary
Amendments to the 2024 state budget are being presented to the Riigikogu, which increase the minimum salary rate for teachers and adjust the support rate for single pensioners living alone. These changes are introduced without altering the total volume of the budget. To finance these adjustments, the budgets of the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Social Affairs will be reduced, and 9,273,000 euros will be directed to the local government support fund. As a result, the minimum gross salary for teachers will increase by 54 euros (to 1803 euros), the differentiation fund will increase from 17% to 20%, and the average calculated salary will rise by 6.6% (to 2184 euros). The minimum rate in Ida-Virumaa will be 2730 euros plus the 20% differentiation component (364 euros), totaling 3094 euros. We ask for your support for this draft bill.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas said that you have at least one question, and called upon Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart to ask the question.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart criticizes the fact that the teachers' salary problem has been escalating since September. Four months went by without reaching a resolution, and it culminated in a strike. Resources were wasted for the sake of a mere 17-euro pay raise, and teachers still haven't received their salaries. The situation is the same for teachers in Ida-Virumaa, which leads her to ask when this kind of administrative approach is finally going to stop.
Rahandusminister Mart Võrklaev
AI Summary
Finance Minister Mart Võrklaev claims that the problem concerning teachers' salaries and workload is mostly in Tallinn, and that the state has allocated 25 million [euros] for salary increases in 2024 and has again raised the differentiation fund to 20%, showing that the issue is being addressed seriously.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Jüri Ratas invited Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart to the stage.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart asserts that it is improper to blame local municipalities and shift the responsibility, given that the cause of the teachers' strike was the failure to deliver on the coalition agreement promise concerning wages (120% of the Estonian average), a situation reflected in Tallinn (where the average salary is 2,418 euros, or 133% of the Estonian average) and Tartu.
Rahandusminister Mart Võrklaev
AI Summary
Finance Minister Mart Võrklaev stated that he was not accusing anyone, but was merely presenting the facts. He highlighted the required level of the average salary in Tallinn and the excessive workload of teachers, noting that Tartu already had a collective agreement for teachers during the strike. He added that teachers had told him the strike was largely in support of others, especially teachers in Tallinn, but stressed that his goal was not to accuse, but to clarify the responses, as there was no truth behind those claims.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The speech was solely the raising of a procedural question, which was put forward by Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He asks whether posing a question to a minister regarding an issue of national importance immediately results in accusation, and if this is standard practice for getting a clear answer.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Ratas said that he is not a judge and does not consider it a procedural matter, thanked the esteemed minister, and said that he had no further questions.
Rahandusminister Mart Võrklaev
AI Summary
Minister of Finance Mart Võrklaev thanks.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Annely Akkermann, Chairman of the Finance Committee, to the Riigikogu rostrum to deliver her report.
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The Finance Committee discussed Bill 389, received exhaustive answers to questions concerning the change in the pension base rate, the funding of ministries, and the savings related to e-residency, and unanimously decided to submit the bill to the plenary session and conclude the first reading. Marek Reinaasa was scheduled to be the representative of the leading committee, but he was unable to attend this time and was replaced. The deadline for amendments is ten working days.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
He thanks the rapporteur, announces that there are no questions, opens the debate, and invites Kadri Tali, the representative of the Eesti 200 faction, to the podium.
Kadri Tali
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
According to Kadri Tali, the teachers' strike highlighted the persistent problems within the education system and calls for a long-term education agreement that would increase salaries, improve working conditions, and secure the necessary investment for the future of education.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas thanked the rapporteur and invited Vadim Belobrovtsev, the representative of the Estonian Centre Party faction, to the Riigikogu podium.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev said that although the draft bill is worth supporting, he highlights several problems concerning teachers' salaries and the fulfillment of promises: the promised 8% raise amounted to only 1.7% of the gross salary, the payment of additional compensation has been delayed, and the figures are unreliable; for instance, the salary supplement promised in Ida-Viru County has been postponed.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas requests just one minute.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev criticizes the government for evading responsibility and blaming local municipalities for the teachers’ strike, and he deplores the addition of 17 euros gross to the salary as a ridiculous sum, expressing hope that negotiations will lead to a genuine appreciation of teachers’ working conditions and workload.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The Deputy Speaker thanks the previous speaker and invites Tanel Kiik, representing the Social Democratic Party faction, to the podium.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik supports increasing the teachers' salary fund by 9 million euros, but stresses that this is just a drop in the ocean. He adds that a collective agreement and long-term solutions are required to address the ongoing issues within the education sector.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas adjourned the sitting, announcing that the first reading of Bill 389 had concluded and the deadline for submitting amendments is April 17th at 17:15, and furthermore, the debate on agenda items 10 and 11 could not take place due to the absence of speakers.