By Months: Madis Kallas

Among the social issues highlighted is the strengthening of the civil protection sector under the purview of the Ministry of the Interior, which is deemed a crucial security matter in the context of the war in Ukraine. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on social inequality in rural areas, where the challenges of daily life—including schools, medical care, and support services—are substantial, contrasting sharply with the experiences of those who own second homes there.

The speaker addresses the issue of sports ethics, strongly advocating for the expansion of the Sports Act to encompass rules against the manipulation of sports competition results and abuse, in addition to anti-doping activities. He/She considers this a crucial step for the development of cleaner sports that adhere to ethical standards in Estonia.

The primary social issue revolves around restricting voting rights for pro-Putin citizens, an issue deeply intertwined with questions of national security and loyalty. Emphasis is placed on the need to protect pro-Estonian citizens who are actively working against the Russian regime, thereby balancing security measures with the rights of loyal citizens.

The speaker addresses issues concerning personal data protection and privacy, supporting a legislative amendment that restricts access to Land Register data based on personal identification codes or names, in order to prevent the infringement of private life and the misuse of data.

The main social issue is maintaining the viability of rural areas, which is linked to population aging and decline, as well as the drop in the number of children attending schools. This social concern revolves around preserving communities and services (village shops, schools) to prevent these regions from becoming depopulated in the autumn.

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In the social sector, his focus is on successfully managing the reorganization of special care institutions, citing the Sõmera facility as a key example. Furthermore, he addresses the well-being and wage disparities among public service employees, particularly the lagging salaries of local government workers in more remote areas.