15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, press briefing

This report covers the opening remarks of the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) Question Times held between January and September 2024. The Question Times strictly followed the prescribed procedure: attendance was checked at every sitting, participating government members were introduced (usually the Prime Minister or the minister acting as Prime Minister, and …

Riigikogu member Martin Helme submitted an interpellation to Prime Minister Kristen Michal regarding the state of national defense, focusing on recent drone incidents and the management of defense expenditures. Helme accused the government of deliberately misleading the public regarding Estonia's airspace defense capabilities. He referred to events at the end …

Riigikogu member Vadim Belobrovtsev submitted an inquiry to Prime Minister Kristen Michal regarding the car tax, criticizing the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the government's policy. Belobrovtsev (Centre Party) emphasized that politicians from the coalition parties had spoken one day about abolishing the tax (referencing Kristina Kallas's proposal), but only cosmetic …

Riigikogu member Urmas Reinsalu submitted an interpellation to Prime Minister Kristen Michal regarding the state's governance choices, focusing primarily on drone defense capability and security issues. The impetus for this was a recent drone incident in Estonia and the shooting down of Russian drones in Poland. Reinsalu asked about changing …

Under the fourth item on the agenda of the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament), Riigikogu member Helle-Moonika Helme submitted an interpellation to Prime Minister Kristen Michal regarding the situation in the country, focusing on the government's activities and the alleged use of war hysteria for domestic political purposes. Helme began by criticizing …

Riigikogu member Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart posed a question to Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi regarding the government's decisions, focusing initially on the buyback of Enefit Green. Kovalenko-Kõlvart criticized the chaotic nature of the government's policy (initial privatization, followed by a buyback for 68 million euros) and referenced criminal proceeds related to …

The sixth question posed in the Riigikogu addressed the government's budget plans for boosting the economy and household purchasing power. The question was submitted by Riigikogu member Riina Solman (Isamaa) to Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi. Solman began the debate by discussing the impact of income tax exemption, arguing that the …

Riigikogu member Rain Epler submitted a question to Prime Minister Kristen Michal regarding the suitability of Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur for office, accusing Pevkur of lying in connection with the National Audit Office report. Epler highlighted the National Audit Office’s criticism concerning the Ministry of Defense’s use of defense investment …

MP Vladimir Arhipov submitted an inquiry to Prime Minister Kristen Michal regarding the state of taxes and the national budget, focusing on the recently disclosed budget surplus of nearly 800 million euros. Arhipov wanted to know the exact source of this sum and why the government is imposing new taxes …

The Question Time session began with the skipping of agenda items 9 and 10, as the questioners, Jaanus Karilaid and Varro Vooglaid, were absent from the chamber. They therefore moved on to question number 11, which Mart Helme posed to Prime Minister Kristen Michal on the topic of security. Mart …