By Plenary Sessions: Jaak Aab

The focus is clearly at the national level on the regulation of the Local Government Organization Act (KOKS) and the internal functioning of local authorities. Specific attention is being paid to questions regarding council membership and the management of subordinate institutions, issues that impact all local governments.

The focus is entirely on national economic policy, taxation, and the recommendations provided by international organizations (IMF, OECD). Regional or local focus is absent.

A strong regional focus, emphasizing the unequal development of Estonia's regions, where the majority of counties significantly lag behind Harju County and Tartu in terms of GDP. This necessitates directing development and business support measures specifically outside the major centers in order to boost regional development.

The focus is at the national level, addressing the funding issues of Eesti Raudtee and Elron concerning nationwide public rail transport.

The focus is on national and sectoral topics, highlighting the competitiveness of the Estonian food sector and the revenue base issues of local governments (cities and rural municipalities). Topics of civil protection and crisis resilience, which are crucial at the local level, will also be addressed.

The regional focus is strong, emphasizing the need to develop the economy outside of Tallinn, Harju County, and the Tartu region, where the amount of support for large investments is slightly higher. Specifically, they are proposing the use of a regional coefficient to incentivize local governments to create jobs, citing the contrast between Võru (five euros) and Tallinn (one euro) as an example.

The politician emphasizes the need to accelerate job creation and the development of entrepreneurship specifically within Estonia's regions and areas. The objective is to reduce disparities in regional development, which clearly indicates a regional policy priority.

The focus is clearly national, emphasizing the strengthening of Estonian domestic consumption and the competitiveness of local food producers. The benefits derived from the entire domestic value chain are highlighted, encompassing farmers, processors, and transport companies.

The focus is on the national level (Estonian tax structure and public sector wages) and international recommendations (OECD, IMF).

The speaker draws attention to the role and financing of local authorities (LAs) regarding the fulfillment of compulsory education and the securing of additional resources. Furthermore, a regional issue is raised within the internal security sector, examining the salary disparities between police officers and prison officials in a specific region.