Agenda Profile: Mart Helme
Draft law amending the Defence Forces Organisation Act and the Economic Zone Act (strengthening maritime security) - first reading
2025-02-19
15th Estonian Parliament, 5th session, plenary sitting
Political Position
The speaker strongly supports strengthening maritime security and protecting infrastructure but sharply criticizes the government's reactive and inconsistent approach, which only addresses crises after they have already erupted. The political focus is currently on the failure to implement long-term planning and deliver on previous promises (such as autonomous fueling stations and generators). He/She stresses that while the draft bill is good, it is not enough on its own, demanding political will, funding, and necessary procurements.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates profound expertise on the topics of national defense, maritime security, and critical infrastructure, referencing previous discussions held by the government and the National Defense Committee. He/She utilizes specific data (e.g., 2,000 vessels in the Baltic Sea, 50 cable disruptions annually, the 42 million euro cost of the vessel) and technical terms such as underwater surveillance systems and disconnection from BRELL. He/She emphasizes the necessity for vessels capable of carrying helicopters and possessing high seaworthiness.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The style is sharply critical and ironic, utilizing folksy anecdotes and figurative comparisons (e.g., "bang-bang-bang and then nothing," the Baltic Sea as a "little puddle"). The speaker employs logical argumentation, relying on past experiences and historical examples (the 2015/2016 and 2019/2020 crises) to highlight the inaction and lack of political will. The final message is direct and demanding: "less chatter, a longer stride."
2 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker references their active past involvement in national defense, having served on the National Defense Committee (2015/2016) and as a Cabinet member (around 2020). They highlight specific events, such as a meeting with a US Congressional delegation and high-level government agreements for ordering ships. They leverage this past experience to criticize the current government’s inaction.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The primary criticism is aimed at the government and the system, which stand accused of inaction, inconsistency, and a lack of political will. The "deep state" is directly blamed for the collapse of the previous administration. The criticism is intense and centers on the government's failure to execute long-term security projects, such as the creation of autonomous infrastructure and the acquisition of vessels.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The speaker stresses the necessity for broad cooperation, both internationally (the full Baltic Sea monitoring system, the establishment of task forces) and domestically. He supports coordinated joint operations among the Defence Forces, the Border Guard Rescue Service, and voluntary rescue organizations, referencing earlier attempts to launch this initiative. He points out that international assistance (US vessels in the Baltic Sea) is improbable, meaning we must be prepared to handle the situation ourselves.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is heavily directed toward national security and the Baltic Sea region as a whole, emphasizing the necessity for underwater surveillance across the entire Baltic Sea, not solely in Estonian waters. Also mentioned is the loss of electricity in Southern Estonia during the 2019/2020 storm, along with the context of disconnecting from BRELL.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
The speaker is calling for large and rapid state expenditures aimed at strengthening security and infrastructure, emphasizing the necessity of funding procurements. Specifically, the allocation of 42 million euros for commissioning a large border guard vessel and finding funds for volunteer rescue craft was mentioned, which demonstrates support for national investment in crisis preparedness.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The speaker addresses social preparedness and public safety, criticizing the state's inability to ensure autonomous services (fuel, communication) during a crisis following a major storm. He emphasizes the necessity of supporting and equipping volunteer rescue squads with seaworthy rescue craft.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The primary legislative focus is on the bill to strengthen maritime security (565 SE), which the speaker fundamentally supports. He/She emphasizes that the bill alone is not enough; there is also a need to address the procurement of the fleet (a large border guard vessel and volunteer rescue craft) and an underwater surveillance system. The speaker also criticizes the lack of implementation of previous legislative initiatives, such as improving crisis preparedness after the 2019 storm.
2 Speeches Analyzed