By Plenary Sessions: Ester Karuse
Total Sessions: 25
Fully Profiled: 25
2025-10-06
The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
The focus is intensely regional, centering on the city and municipality of Valga, which the speaker considers their hometown. Emphasis is placed on the seriousness of Valga’s educational problems (low exam results, language barrier) and the unequal treatment Valga receives regarding wage subsidies compared to regions in Ida-Virumaa (Narva, Kohtla-Järve).
2025-09-15
15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary sitting
The regional focus is broad-based, addressing issues both in major centers (Tallinn, Harju County, Pärnu, Tartu) and in rural areas where the number of small high schools is being reduced. Separately, solutions and potential advantages are being sought specifically for young people in Tartu regarding the continuation of their education.
2025-09-08
15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary session
The focus is strongly regional, concentrating on Southeast Estonia, particularly Valga and Põlva counties, which lack physical bank branches. The issue is highlighted by the distance separating the residents of Valga (12,000 – 15,000 people) from the nearest branch (Tartu, 200 km away).
2025-09-04
15th Riigikogu, extraordinary session of the Riigikogu
The focus is heavily on regional issues and the accessibility of services outside the capital. Emphasis is placed on the disappearance of services in Valga city and county, as well as Põlva county, using Valga as an example of educational problems too. The speaker stresses that the state must ensure the viability of life even outside Tallinn.
2025-06-12
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
The speaker maintains a strong and clear regional focus on South Estonia and Tartu, emphasizing their personal roots in South Estonia. The political issue is directly tied to protecting the security and streets of this region, raising concerns about who will be left to protect the streets of Tartu and South Estonia.
2025-06-11
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
The regional focus is clearly directed towards Southeast Estonia and Valga, highlighting the lower wage levels there, reduced access to services, and the closure of bank branches in smaller settlements. The speaker specifically asks what a person living in Valga stands to gain from the supplementary budget.
2025-06-10
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting.
The focus is exclusively on national topics, such as the functioning of the judicial system and competition supervision in Estonia. Data concerning regional focus is absent.
2025-05-22
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
The focus is on international and inter-parliamentary cooperation, centering on the relations of the Baltic states (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia) within the framework of the Baltic Assembly.
2025-05-15
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
The speaker focuses heavily on the regional level, using the example of Valga city and Valga Basic School to illustrate the negative consequences of the national education decree. It is stressed how these unprepared changes created very significant tensions in Valga.
2025-05-14
15th Riigikogu, 5th sitting, plenary session
Insufficient data
2025-05-05
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
The focus is very strongly regional, concentrating specifically on Valga County and the city of Valga (population 12,000), as well as Põlva County. The concerns of residents in county centers regarding the loss of state and banking services are highlighted. Regional transport connections (specifically the Rohuküla line) are also addressed, along with their impact on the procurement of trains.
2025-04-15
Fifteenth Riigikogu, Fifth Session, Plenary Session.
The focus is at the national level, addressing the overall functioning of Estonian state agencies and systems, and their inability to ensure a personalized state.
2025-04-09
15th Estonian Parliament, 5th session, plenary session
The focus is clearly international and global, emphasizing Estonia's role in supporting democracy and human rights worldwide. Also important is fostering relations and like-mindedness with strong Western nations, which enhances Estonia's security.
2025-03-26
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
The regional focus is national, concentrating on issues of Estonian citizenship. To illustrate the scope of the problem, a local comparison is used, specifically the population of the city of Valga.
2025-02-18
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
The focus is heavily regional, highlighting the disappearance of services in smaller towns and county centers. Specific mention is made of Valga, Pärnu, Võru, and Narva, where office closures leave residents without immediate access to services. The speaker calls for state intervention to guarantee direct banking services in county centers.
2025-01-22
15th Estonian Parliament, 5th session, plenary session.
The focus is clearly international, centering on supporting Georgia’s democracy and its pro-European aspirations. Estonia’s role is viewed as a provider of international solidarity, supporting Georgian civil society and free media. There is no reference to local or national Estonian issues.
2024-12-16
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session
Insufficient data.
2024-10-23
15th Riigikogu, 4th sitting, plenary session
The focus is at the national level, addressing the Estonian constitution and the state's relationship with a specific religious organization.
2024-10-16
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting
The focus is heavily international, centering on Crimea as an integral part of Ukraine and the aggression of the Russian Federation. The regional topic is also connected to the historical suffering of the Estonian people in Siberia and Central Asia.
2024-06-13
Fifteenth Riigikogu, Third Session, Plenary Session
The regional focus is very strong, highlighting personal roots in Valgamaa and concern over regional development. The speaker concentrates on areas and rural regions situated outside major economic centers, where the pace of economic development and wage levels differ from the rest.
2024-06-12
15th Estonian Parliament, 3rd session, plenary session.
The focus is clearly international, centering on the war in Ukraine and the associated security threats to nuclear power plants. The need to consult with other countries within the framework of international security is emphasized.
2024-06-11
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session.
The focus is strongly international, centering on Georgia as a crucial and strategic partner, and on its pro-European aspirations. Estonia's role in supporting Georgia on its path toward the European Union and NATO is highlighted.
2024-06-03
Fifteenth Riigikogu, third session, plenary sitting.
The focus is split between the national level (the state of the Estonian economy) and the international level (Russia’s aggression, support for Ukraine, and the EU’s positions). There are no references to specific local or regional issues.
2024-02-13
15th Estonian Parliament, 3rd session, plenary session
The focus is strongly international, concentrating on European security (Ukraine, the Baltic States), global crisis hotspots (Gaza, Southern Italy), and the promotion of foreign trade (Osaka Expo). Separate emphasis is placed on the importance and concerns of Estonian communities in the USA (New York, San Francisco), stressing the need to involve them in the promotion of foreign trade.
2024-01-24
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session
The focus is on the international level, specifically the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the composition of the Estonian delegation. There is no focus on Estonian domestic or local regions.