First reading of the Bill amending the Income Tax Act (416 SE)
Session: Fifteenth Riigikogu, Third Session, Plenary Session.
Date: 2024-04-30 15:24
Total Speeches: 103
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 25m
AI Summaries: 103/103 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda item concerned the first reading of Bill 416, initiated by the Government of the Republic, amending the Income Tax Act, which addresses the fixing of tax-free income for old-age pensioners. Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo introduced the draft legislation, according to which the tax-free income for old-age pensioners will be fixed at 776 euros per month (9,312 euros annually) starting from 2025. The Minister stressed that this rate remains higher than the tax-free income threshold for the working-age population (700 euros) and that there are no plans to reduce pension indexation. Riisalo defended the amendment as necessary for flexibility in a changing economic environment and to avoid passing on debt to future generations.
The opposition (EKRE, Center Party, Isamaa) sharply criticized the bill, accusing the government of breaking election promises, particularly the pledge to keep the average pension income tax-free. Critics, led by Martin Helme and Rain Epler, pointed out that the government is taxing vulnerable groups (pensioners, families with children) while the state's finances have deteriorated and many pensioners live in poverty. Jürgen Ligi, representative of the Finance Committee, defended the bill by referencing previous governments that had completely eliminated the tax exemption for pensioners. Following heated debate, the rejection proposals put forth by the three factions were voted down (20 in favor, 46 against), and the first reading of the bill was concluded.
Decisions Made 3
The motion to reject Bill 416 at the first reading (submitted by the Isamaa, EKRE, and Centre Party factions) failed to gain support (20 in favor, 46 against).
The first reading of Draft 416 was concluded.
The deadline for submitting amendments was set as May 15, 2024, at 5:15 PM.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Martin Helme (EKRE), who posed several pointed and critical questions to the minister, accusing the government of lying and breaking its promises. He represents the right-wing opposition.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The third item on the agenda is the consideration of the first reading of the draft act on amending the Income Tax Act, initiated by the Government of the Republic, and the Minister of Social Protection, Signe Riisalo, is invited to the Riigikogu rostrum for a presentation.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Effective 2025, the tax-free income for old-age pensioners will be fixed at 9,312 euros annually (approximately 776 euros per month). This rate remains higher than the 700 euros per month allocated to the working-age population. Furthermore, pension amounts will not be reduced, and indexation will continue. The impact of these changes is widespread: roughly half of all old-age pensioners will receive a pension higher than the average, while the rest will generate a tax-free surplus. This surplus can be utilized as an additional tax exemption if they choose to work, which aligns with the bill's objective of streamlining taxation and safeguarding the tax-free threshold for old-age pensioners.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Ratas thanks the Minister, notes that he does indeed have questions, and invites Aleksandr Tšaplõgin to speak next.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Chaplygin accuses the minister of refusing to implement a special tax on bank profits while simultaneously wanting to tax pensions, and asks if he has any shame.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo offers her thanks and confirms that she is not embarrassed.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas asks Martin Helme to speak.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme claims that liberals and socialists have no shame, and cites the example of the Reform Party's election ad clip, which promises pensioners a 400 euro pension increase over four years.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Riigikogu Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas stated that such sound engineering solutions are not standard procedure during the Riigikogu's work, and gave Martin Helme 27 seconds to pose his question.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme accuses the coalition of lying about the pension tax exemption and asks what promise they plan to break next.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that old-age pensions have increased significantly over the last four years, and this growth is continuing. The national pension, however, is too low. Therefore, it is both wise and sensible that all working-age individuals and young people save for their retirement in the second or third pillar, and that they are aware of this necessity from the very start of their careers, working in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
This is a short request for Rain Epler.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler criticizes the government, arguing that its promises and the coalition agreement have been broken. He emphasizes the importance of fulfilling those promises and asks what he should tell his children—are promises intended merely to mislead people, or are they meant to be genuinely fulfilled?
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo says that promises must be kept, but we must take into account changes in the surrounding environment and be flexible and agile and resilient in order to make the necessary changes at the right time; otherwise, the future could be even bleaker.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas called upon Arvo Aller to speak.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller noted that the steamroller is moving forward, and although it would have been possible, based on the state budget strategy, to draw up a development plan and an impact analysis, an urgent decision is now being made and those tasks will not be carried out. He also inquired about the tax-free income for pensioners, asking whether the amount is 776 euros or if 700 euros is calculated when the pensioner is working.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Signe Riisalo said that the tax-free income for people who have reached retirement age is 776 euros, regardless of whether they work or not.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas asked Martin Helme to present his question via the microphone.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme accuses the minister of dishonesty and breaking promises, claims that pensions have not risen above inflation and that the statistics presented are manipulated, and asks what promises you plan to break next.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Over the course of 30 years, the average pension has increased approximately 26 times: from 30.10 euros in 1994 to 776 euros today. This represents a 4.73-fold increase in purchasing power. This year, the average pension is set to rise by about 10.6%, while the price level is projected to increase by 4% in 2024.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas called upon Andrei Korobeinik to deliver a speech.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik criticized the plan to grant a tax break to the wealthy starting January 1st, arguing that three pensioners will end up paying for a minister's salary hike—about 400 euros a year and about 150 euros a year.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that pensions are financed by funds collected through social tax, which are earmarked exclusively for pension payouts. Furthermore, due to the aging population, the number of people eligible for old-age pensions is increasing: they are projected to reach 317,326 in 2026 and approximately 323,000 in 2027. This growth translates to an additional need for roughly 20,000 people and consequently, greater utilization of the pension fund's resources.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas said that Andrei Korobeinik had a procedural question regarding the conduct of the sitting.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik requested guidance on how a Member of the Riigikogu can obtain a proper response from a minister when the minister avoids the submitted question and addresses a completely different topic instead.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
In summary, you have the following statutory mechanisms available: to question the minister outside the Riigikogu chamber, to submit a follow-up question arising from the first reading, and to submit a written question or an interpellation.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev accuses the new government of cutting benefits for large families and failing to keep its promises, emphasizes the loss of trust, and asks how pensioners should react if the average pension does not remain income tax-free.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that he has met with pensioners' associations and explained the challenges facing the country to them. Although they have been understanding and a proposal has been made to temporarily suspend indexing, he does not consider this sensible. Furthermore, despite the difficult situation, a higher tax-free income threshold will be maintained for those of retirement age than is applicable to the working-age population.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Jüri Ratas turns to Mart Helme with a request.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme asserts that the nation's wealth was created through the fruits of labor of his generation and mine, and the situation resulting from the minister revoking this privilege is morally unjustifiable and constitutes age discrimination.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo confirmed that pensions and their indexation will not be removed, and the legitimate expectation has been met. The only change is that the tax-free income threshold for pensioners will remain higher than the current level and will continue to be higher than the threshold for the working-age population.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas calls upon Alar Laneman to speak.
Alar Laneman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Alar Laneman emphasizes that promises must always be kept, because their importance lies both in providing a substantive foundation for decisions and serving as a binding instrument for society. Furthermore, if they are not adhered to, there is a risk of living in a society where a promise holds no value.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that keeping promises is crucial, and it’s the same principle he has taught his own children. However, life changes, and the impact of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine has spilled over into energy prices and the economy. Therefore, two things are currently at stake: either keeping his word or leaving the burden of debt for his children to carry. He prefers to be thrifty today so that his children can have a better tomorrow.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He recommended that when discussing the pension increase, they should consider real purchasing power and use the consumer price index calculator, because the consumer price index has risen by approximately 44% over the past five years, and absolute figures can be misleading when factoring in inflation.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Jaak Valge to speak.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo said that over the last four years, the average old-age pension has increased from 552 euros to 774 euros, and although the pension rose by 10.6% this year, inflation is projected to be around 4%.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Jüri Ratas invites Andrei Korobeinik to speak.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Korobeinik refers to Andrus Ansip’s interview, claims that the current government should take responsibility and resign, quotes Maris Lauri’s statement regarding the financing of pensions, and asks for a personal opinion on whether money should be taken from pensioners during a crisis and distributed to ministers and members of Parliament.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that funds collected via the social tax can only be disbursed for pensions (in addition to 13% allocated for health), clarified the amendments made regarding the extra funding, and urged Riigikogu members to implement the same salary change, noting that government salaries are not increasing as rapidly as those of Riigikogu members.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Rain Epler is invited to the stage at the beginning of the address.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler thanks the Presiding Officer and the Minister and apologizes if noise arises in the chamber, and the Chair rings the bell.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas requested respect for the questioner, the respondent, and the audience, and then asked Rain Epler to pose his question, noting that the discussion currently underway in the hall was inappropriate for the moment.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler criticizes the government for using arbitrary comparison bases to justify its positions, and brings up historical facts as an example, questioning how that information is relevant.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo said that the information presented doesn't really concern the Estonian pension system.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invited Vadim Belobrovtsev to speak.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He praised the retention of indexation and, speaking as a Reform Party minister, inquired whether the promise that the average pension would reach at least 1000 euros by 2027 still holds, despite the fact that the taxation of pensions is currently under consideration.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that the average old-age pension will rise to approximately 896 euros by 2027, which is contingent upon pension indexation, the associated social tax, and the development of people's employment and income. Furthermore, while additional changes are possible, he does not currently have a firm commitment regarding if or when those decisions would be implemented in light of the economic forecast.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Siim Pohlak to take the floor.
Siim Pohlak
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Siim Pohlak criticized the government with unprecedented ferocity, claiming that large families lost their support payments and now pensioners are being targeted. He went on to ask the minister what he would tell them and what recommendations he would offer to people who are unable to cope with their utility and electricity bills.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo said that people whose family budget doesn't make ends meet can apply for the subsistence benefit, which provides 200 euros for the first family member, 240 euros for every child, and 160 euros for the second adult and every subsequent adult, after housing costs have been covered. Furthermore, debt counseling services are available in every local municipality to help people communicate with creditors and banks.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas asked Anti Poolamets to come forward.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He/She asks for clarification on who supported the suspension of indexing and whether pensioners' organizations agreed with this idea.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
The proposal originated with one group of pensioners, but they were not the only group involved, and the draft bill has now passed the required consultation phase, which included participation from organizations representing those of retirement age.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Alar Laneman to take the floor.
Alar Laneman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Alar Laneman criticizes the government's careless alteration of promises and emphasizes that although problems should not be passed down to subsequent generations, this is actually being done by changing the conditions of those promises, because promises are the glue, and conditions, including taxes, do not change by themselves.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that he is extremely concerned about the state of both security and the economy, and that his objective as Minister of Social Protection is to support people's financial resilience and prevent them from falling into poverty, while noting that the decisions passed with the coalition's support—including issues related to large families and the tax-free income threshold for old-age pensioners—were not made lightly, and he hopes that future generations will understand these choices.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk criticized the minister's justification for halting pension indexation as insufficient and emphasized that social policy must not be shaped according to wealthier pensioners. Simultaneously, he asked whether audits have been conducted regarding the funding of all possible NGOs to see where the money is going and whether it is possible to make cuts in some areas.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Jüri Ratas makes a request to Rene Kokk.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
According to Riisalo, a comprehensive overview exists regarding the NGOs funded under his portfolio. Furthermore, state budgetary support is provided exclusively through the resources of the former Gambling Tax Council, which has been converted into a strategic partnership framework, and which is subject to strict rules governing application, reporting, and oversight.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas calls Kalle Grünthal to the stage.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal said that ESTDEV distributed 101 million euros of taxpayer money worldwide last year, and this year they plan to allocate 518,000 euros for digital education in Moldova, 106,403 euros for a journalism stipend, 400,000 euros for rural development in Georgia, 550,000 euros for an Estonian family home in Ukraine, and 376,000 euros to the Olena Zelenska Foundation for building a family home, and asked if the listeners weren't ashamed that they were coming here with yet another tax levy?
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that Estonia will assist in the reconstruction of Ukraine, and his ministry is planning to build two family homes for children who have been orphaned, as well as sharing knowledge on how to create a child-friendly environment within institutional settings.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
This is just a request to Mart Helme.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme criticizes policies that distribute resources solely for the benefit of the "most disadvantaged." He then proposes a thought experiment: imagine yourself poor, sick, and old, without children, and ask yourself what your attitude toward this government would be.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo, drawing on his extensive background in social work, emphasizes empathy and the necessity of care reform and accessible home services so that people can receive help and support. He also recalls the previous government's extraordinary 20-euro pension increase, which ultimately resulted in pensions rising by 17 percent last year.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Ants Frosch was invited to speak at the beginning of the address.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch refers to a rumor circulating about Võru, emphasizes the impact of regional inequality and the new draft law, and asks whether, in a hypothetical situation, this could lead to the conclusion that Võru has mean-spirited pensioners.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo spoke about meetings in Võru and Valga with people of retirement age and people with disabilities, and emphasized that while regional differences impact employment and poverty, social benefits must not deter people from working, and all support schemes must incentivize employment.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Jaak Valge to take the floor.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge emphasizes that although the average pension has increased from 552 euros to 774 euros over the course of four years, the consumer price index has risen by about 41% and the pension growth, according to his calculations, stands at 40%. Consequently, the average pension has actually slightly decreased in real terms, and he reiterates that inflation must be taken into account when calculating changes in pensions, benefits, and salaries.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo thanks you for the recommendation.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas calls Kalle Grünthal to speak.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal criticizes the state's allocation of funds and asks why approximately half a million is being given for Moldova's digital transformation and 400,000 for Georgia's rural development, and how this improves the lives of Estonian people. He requests an honest answer as to whether the welfare of Estonians is finally a sufficiently important priority.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo acknowledges that although there is a lot of negativity, Estonia has made significant progress in recent years, including the long-term care reform, which allows about 50% of nursing home residents to receive dignified elderly care services for the cost of their pension. Furthermore, services aimed at families have been developed, and 5 million euros has been allocated for preventative treatment for children with special needs. The Minister of Foreign Affairs will provide a precise explanation regarding the use of ESTDEV funds.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas requests the floor for Aivar Kokk.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk accuses the government of systematically withdrawing aid from large families and pensioners, pointing out that next year there are plans to take 17 million from pensioners, and over 70 million euros by 2028, and that, according to data from Statistics Estonia, this could reduce the number of pensioners living alone and enable other taxes, asking how far this government is willing to go to exploit the weakest—families and pensioners.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo stated that individuals of retirement age and those unable to work for health reasons are in a vulnerable position in society, and children are similarly vulnerable. She stressed the importance of continuing services that support child-rearing and providing reasonable benefits. She further added that the next steps involve amending the Social Welfare Act to better organize specialized care services and increase their availability, alongside a draft Child Protection Act designed to improve the identification of children needing assistance and the provision of support services to families caring for children in substitute care.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Jüri Ratas invited Aivar Kokk to speak.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk accuses the current government of taking from the weakest—cutting child benefits for families raising three or more children by 200 euros and planning a car tax—and attacking pensioners, even though the coalition promises income tax exemption on the average pension. Finally, he asks just how much Estonians can actually afford to pay in taxes.
Sotsiaalkaitseminister Signe Riisalo
AI Summary
Riisalo said he was concerned, emphasizing the importance of keeping one's word and the need for flexibility in a rapidly changing environment, so that the future would be a little easier for children and they wouldn't have to bear the burden of our debts.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas thanked the Minister for his presentation and answers, announced that there were no further questions, and invited Jürgen Ligi, a member of the Finance Committee, to the Riigikogu rostrum to deliver a report.
Jürgen Ligi
AI Summary
According to Jürgen Ligi, the debate in the Finance Committee was more a matter of following protocol than a sharp discussion. He also points out the unfunded promises, the history of tax-free income for pensioners, and notes that today's fiscal situation necessitates a modest but realistic freeze.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Ratas announced that the first item was a procedural matter, and invited Andrei Korobeinik to pose his question.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Korobeinik said that Jürgen Ligi delivered an 8.5-minute presentation at the Finance Committee meeting, which did not concern the committee's work, and he asked the presiding officer of the session to provide an overview of what had transpired in the Finance Committee and an explanation regarding Ligi's mindset.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas thanked the rapporteur, stressing that the overview of what happened in the committee is provided by the rapporteur, and that adding personal sentiment is the decision of each individual rapporteur. He added that experienced Riigikogu member Jürgen Ligi knows very well whether the line has been crossed in this instance.
Jürgen Ligi
AI Summary
Jürgen Ligi thanks Mr. Chairman.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas announced that there were no questions, opened the debate, and invited Rain Epler, the representative of the EKRE faction, to the podium.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler begins with thanks and greetings to his colleagues, noting that they are allowing the 'angry people of Võru' to speak here, before he first addresses the minister.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Jüri Ratas emphasized that the people of Võru are not mean, but rather good and lovely, just like the residents of every other county, and requested that the presenter continue and not feel uncomfortable.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler accuses the government of breaking its promises and burdening the less affluent, recalling the Reform Party's pledge to make the average old-age pension income tax-free. On behalf of the EKRE faction, he calls for the rejection of the bill during the first reading, for the coalition agreement to be formally documented in writing, and for the government to collectively resign.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas requests that the floor at the Riigikogu rostrum be yielded to Aleksandr Tšaplõgin, the representative of the Estonian Centre Party faction.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The Centre Party faction of the Riigikogu does not support the government's taxation of pensions, stating that a pension is paid by the state in return for taxes previously paid by the individual, and that taxation increases inequality and poverty, while offering, as an alternative, a solidarity tax on bank profits and a progressive income tax.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The representative of the Isamaa Party faction, Aivar Kokk, is invited to the Riigikogu podium.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk is accusing the ruling coalition of breaking their promises to pensioners and eliminating the income tax exemption on the average pension, due to which 17 million euros will be taken from pensioners' pockets in the first year, rising to a total of 76 million by 2028. He further adds that he is simultaneously critical of the planned car tax.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas requested three additional minutes.
Aivar Kokk
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Aivar Kokk criticized the car tax bill and the broader tax policy, arguing that taxes do not make the state richer, and questioning what the government actually wants. He also announced that the Isamaa faction intends to propose rejecting the first reading of Bill 416.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Ratas announced the conclusion of the debates and the first reading, and informed the chamber that three motions—submitted by the Centre Faction, EKRE, and Isamaa—call for the rejection of Draft Law 416 during its first reading. Lauri Laats is now invited to speak and the microphone is handed to him.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats announced that the Estonian Centre Party faction is requesting a ten-minute recess before the vote.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Martin Helme to the microphone.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme repeats the same request and asks whether the ten-minute recess, which is tied to the three factions' voting proposal and includes two specific requests, could be extended to 20 minutes.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas stated that the presiding officer is conservative and adheres to the established Riigikogu practice: if there are identical motions and a single vote, breaks may not be aggregated; the presiding officer selects the longest requested recess, and if those requests are equal, the recess is ten minutes.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas announced that the recess had ended and that, following the proposal of the Isamaa faction, the Conservative People's Party of Estonia faction, and the Estonian Centre Party faction, Bill 416 must be rejected during the first reading, and he requested that members state their position and proceed to a vote.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The result of the vote was 20 in favor, 46 against, and zero abstentions; consequently, the proposal failed to gain support, the first reading was concluded, the deadline for submitting amendments is 5:15 PM on May 15th of the current year, and the consideration of the third item on the agenda has been completed.