Agenda Profile: Madis Kallas
Draft Law Amending the Land Register Act (467 SE) - First Reading
2024-09-25
15th Riigikogu, 4th sitting, plenary session
Political Position
The speaker strongly supports the draft bill, which aims to restrict searches of Land Register data based on personal identification codes or names, in order to prevent data misuse and bulk queries. The political stance is geared toward protecting security and the inviolability of private life, reacting to specific incidents where data has been abused. The framing of this position is clearly policy- and security-based.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrated expertise regarding the work of the Legal Affairs Committee and the legislative procedure, providing a detailed account of the discussion content and the responses given. The subject matter concerns the regulation of access to land register data, the prevention of data misuse, and the justification for exceptions (e.g., journalists, anti-money laundering specialists). Specific statistical data was presented concerning the number of inquiries (689,794 by name, over 2 million by personal identification code in 2023).
1 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is formal, neutral, and strictly informative, which is typical of a committee report. The speaker concentrates on conveying the substance and decisions of the committee session, listing questions and corresponding answers while avoiding emotional or personal assessments. A logical structure is employed, with continuous reference made to the questions posed by other participants and the minister's replies.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The course of action involves active participation in the session of the Legal Affairs Committee (on September 16th), followed by the presentation of a report to the Riigikogu Plenary Session (on September 25th) as the representative of the lead committee. The speaker fulfills their role as the facilitator of the legislative process by presenting the decisions adopted by consensus.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The speaker does not express direct opposition or criticize other parties, as their role is the neutral presentation of the commission's work. The report does mention Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart's comment regarding the controversial nature of the discrepancies, but this is not presented as the speaker's own opposition.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The cooperation style is strongly consensual, given that all four procedural decisions of the committee were adopted unanimously (by consensus). The speaker emphasizes the broad-based discussion among members of different parties within the committee, including Karilaid, Randpere, Kiviberg, and Kovalenko-Kõlvart.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is on national legislation and comparing it with the practices of European Union member states concerning the availability of property data. It is noted that in most EU countries, property data cannot be searched using a person's name and personal identification code, making Estonia's digital development unique in this respect.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
The economic perspective touches upon service fees, highlighting that guaranteeing security holds significantly greater value than the revenue generated by charging for queries. Consequently, security is prioritized over the potential income from service fee collection.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The primary social concern is the protection of privacy and data security, responding to incidents where Land Register data has been misused to infringe upon people's private lives. The bill aims to balance data accessibility and the security of individuals.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus is on amending the Land Register Act (Bill 467 SE) to restrict inquiries made based on personal identification codes and names, and to technically eliminate the possibility of conducting bulk queries. The speaker, as a representative of the leading committee, supports and drives forward the proceedings for this bill.
1 Speeches Analyzed