By Plenary Sessions: Ester Karuse

The most prominent issue is educational inequality and poor administration, particularly in the Valga region. The speaker adopts a position of strong opposition to the low mathematics exam results and sharply criticizes the state’s unequal regional policy (specifically, the lack of wage subsidies in Valga) and the educational management of the Valga Municipal Government. The political framework is strongly results-oriented, emphasizing the need to guarantee equal educational opportunities for all Estonian children. Finally, a direct appeal is made to the residents of Valga not to vote for the current incumbents.

The most crucial issue is the crisis in the accessibility of upper secondary education and the unequal opportunities afforded to young people, which is being treated as a systemic problem. The political stance is sharply critical of the state’s inability to guarantee school places for everyone, demanding immediate reaction and preparation. The focus is on results-based governance and ensuring equitable opportunities for youth, in order to prevent Estonia as a whole from losing out.

The political focus is currently centered on ensuring the accessibility of vital regional services, particularly given the lack of physical bank branches in Southeast Estonia. The speaker strongly emphasizes that banking is a socially essential service, not merely a business operation. This stance calls for the state to take an active role in engaging in dialogue with and guiding banks, primarily to protect the elderly population.

The political focus centers on the accessibility of crucial services (banking, education) and the resolution of regional issues. The speaker takes a firm stance that the state must intervene to guarantee these services, even in smaller regions, and to ensure that access to education is not a lottery. These positions are aimed at criticizing the government's inaction, underscoring the severity and critical nature of the situation.

The political position is strongly opposed to the government's plan to transfer Swedish criminals to Tartu Prison, stressing that this jeopardizes the security of Tartu and Southern Estonia. The criticism targets the feasibility of the plan, focusing on practical issues, such as the necessity of hiring 400 new prison officers at a time when internal security agencies are already suffering from significant staff shortages. The stance is clearly results-oriented, casting doubt on the minister's assertion regarding improved security.

The political stance is firmly against the government’s supplementary budget, criticizing it as an unfair and ideological choice that increases the national debt burden. The main points of emphasis are the lack of social justice and the necessity of finding permanent and equitable funding for defense expenditures (5%), rather than relying on borrowed money. The speaker questions whether the current fiscal policy truly serves society as a whole or merely benefits a wealthy few.

The most prominent issues are the efficiency of the judicial system and the functioning of competition oversight in Estonia. The political attitude is one of concern and skepticism, particularly regarding the substantive work of the higher courts and the budget cuts affecting the Competition Authority. The focus is on the performance of institutions and the legislative framework, adopting a rather results-based approach.

The most crucial issue is the change in the composition of parliamentary delegations and procedural correctness. The speaker strongly supports the adoption of the draft bill, emphasizing that the amendment is necessary due to the termination of the mandate of a Riigikogu member. The focus is clearly on a procedural and policy-supportive framework.

The political position is strongly critical of the procedure used to implement the new school requirements regulation, emphasizing the necessity of initiating negotiations earlier. This stance targets inadequate preparation and its negative consequences at the local level, making it primarily results-oriented. The speaker opposes the inaction of both the government and local authorities.

The political position is strongly procedural, supporting the swift advancement of Bill No. 559, initiated by the Government of the Republic, to the second reading and the final vote. It is emphasized that the adoption of the bill requires a majority of affirmative votes, which indicates firm support for the law's enactment. The stance is policy-driven (focused on implementation) rather than value-based.

The political emphasis is directed towards maintaining the physical accessibility of state services and financial institutions in county centers, particularly Valga, stressing that this is a moral obligation. Responsibility is also demanded regarding the planning of public procurements and infrastructure projects (the Rohuküla line), with the framework clearly being results-based and aimed at alleviating regional inequality. The speaker sincerely considers their demands (the preservation of the bank office) to be justified and not excessive.

The speaker strongly criticizes the inadequate functioning and lack of mutual communication among the systems of state institutions. He/She questions the realism of the "personal state" concept, given that even elementary data exchange is lacking. The viewpoint is clearly outcome-oriented and focuses on administrative errors that affect people with special needs.

The political stance is strongly in favor of acceding to the statute of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA). This position is justified by the promotion of Estonia's foreign policy image and the strengthening of its security, thereby cementing Estonia as a like-minded partner among powerful Western nations. The framing of this stance is clearly value- and policy-driven, emphasizing support for democracy and human rights.

The political position strongly focuses on the inclusion of individuals with undetermined citizenship and the facilitation of granting them citizenship, emphasizing justice and enabling their participation in community life. This stance is value-based, criticizing the inaction of the government or the commission as "unjust or ill-considered."

The political stance is strongly opposed to the bank tax, arguing that it complicates the situation for banks and accelerates the closure of physical branches. The speaker stresses the necessity of guaranteeing direct banking services in county centers, thereby highlighting the regional policy aspect of service accessibility. This position is primarily outcome-based, focusing on the negative practical consequences of the proposed policy.

The speaker focuses heavily on foreign policy and democratic values, firmly supporting Georgia's aspirations toward the European Union and NATO. The position is value-driven: condemning the Georgian government's reneging on its promises and the suppression of peaceful demonstrations. This political stance is strong and calls for concrete measures, such as imposing sanctions on the responsible individuals.

The political position is highly critical of the government’s actions, focusing specifically on procedural legitimacy and execution. The most significant issue is the violation of the principles of sound law-making, which is directly linked to the decline in public trust in the government (a worrying 37%). There is a demand for the restoration of the government’s credibility and transparency.

The political position centers on protecting constitutional values, especially religious freedom. The speaker questions the government's actions (the initiation of the liquidation of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate) and their compliance with guaranteed human rights. This is a strongly value-based framework that emphasizes democratic rights.

The most crucial issue is the recognition of the 1944 deportation of Crimean Tatars as genocide, an issue being addressed with a strong emphasis on core values. The political stance is one of firm support for freedom, human rights, and the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The speaker sharply condemns the terror of the totalitarian Soviet regime and the continuing aggressive policy of the Russian Federation. The Social Democrats support the adoption of the statement.

The political focus is heavily geared toward mitigating regional disparities across the economy, employment, and wage levels. The speaker expresses concern regarding the issue of regional development, proposing a policy-based approach as a solution, specifically concentrating on delivering financial literacy programs via the school system. The position is moderately supportive of educational measures aimed at reducing economic inequality.

The political focus is on international security and managing nuclear safety risks in a wartime environment. The speaker stresses the urgent necessity of consulting with countries that are genuinely dealing with the management of nuclear power plants during wartime, citing Ukraine as a prime example. The overall focus is on enhancing policy and security measures.

The political position centers on strong support for Georgia’s aspirations to join the European Union and NATO, underscoring Estonia’s long-standing friendship and strategic partnership. This stance is value-based, expressing concern over the Georgian government’s deviation from European values and the principles of the rule of law. The speaker stresses that it is Estonia’s duty to defend European values and to draw attention to the issues concerning the Georgian government.

The main topics are the long-term decline of the Estonian economy and the non-recognition of Russia's war of aggression and presidential elections. Regarding economic issues, the stance is strongly critical of the government's inaction, demanding a restart plan. In foreign policy, the stance is unequivocally condemning of Russia's actions in Ukraine, emphasizing the defense of democratic values. The political framework is both results-based (economy) and values-based (foreign policy).

The political position is strongly focused on foreign and security policy, emphasizing unwavering support for Ukraine and the necessity of strengthening Europe's self-defense capabilities. At the same time, the government's actions concerning foreign trade policy and the reduction of diplomatic representation in the US are sharply criticized, deeming these steps a "major mistake" and voluntary isolation. The focus is results-based, criticizing the ministry's inability to fulfill its mandate of promoting foreign economic relations.

The speaker strongly supports the strategic organization of Estonia's representation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to ensure balanced representation across the political groups. The main objective is to support Indrek Saar's candidacy for the post of PACE Secretary General, emphasizing the necessity of having representation in every political group of the Assembly. The approach is primarily procedural and strategic, focusing on achieving the best possible outcome at the international level.