Agenda Profile: Aivar Kokk

The speaker is taking a clearly supportive stance on amending the Income Tax Act, strongly stressing the necessity of increasing the tax-free daily allowance for international road transport drivers to 75 euros per day. The core argument centers on the principle of ensuring equal treatment for Estonian businesses compared to those in neighboring countries, specifically Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland. The speaker sharply criticizes the government’s economic policy, pointing out that the Estonian economy has been in decline for eight consecutive quarters and accusing the government of squandering 2 billion euros due to poor decision-making.

The speaker demonstrates deep expertise in the transport sector, leveraging specific numbers and facts: 6,500 international trucks, transport's 6% share of GDP, and a monthly competitive advantage of 500–600 euros enjoyed by neighboring countries. The speaker exhibits thorough knowledge of the European Union Mobility Package and directives, which came into force in February 2022. They also reference prior experience with excise duty hikes in 2017 and their negative repercussions, indicating the presence of long-term political and economic experience.

The speaking style is emotional and confrontational, employing strong language such as "stupid decisions" and "it's a shame that we've had ministers like that in government." It combines fact-based arguments with personal attacks, utilizing rhetorical questions to pressure opponents. The tone of the speech is passionate and at times accusatory, particularly when criticizing the government's economic policy, yet the arguments are supported by specific examples and figures.

The speaker actively participates in parliamentary debates, delivering multiple consecutive addresses on the same topic on January 23, 2024. They reference prior meetings held at Stenbock House and their experience chairing the Economic Affairs Committee, demonstrating consistent political engagement. The speaker also mentions communication with business owners and the conversations the Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee held with road hauliers, indicating systematic involvement of stakeholders.

The speaker sharply criticized the current government, and especially the prime minister, accusing them of wrecking the economy and making disastrous decisions. The attacks were both political and personal, pointing to specific failures such as the handling of Elering and the sale of railway wagons. The opposition has taken a categorical stance—they are showing zero willingness to compromise, demanding instead fundamental changes to economic policy.

The speaker demonstrates a limited willingness to cooperate, although they acknowledge the Eesti 200 party and express hope for their sensibility. They refer positively to Jüri Ratas’s last government and praise the swift decision-making during the 2020 crisis. They emphasize the necessity of communicating with entrepreneurs but do not show readiness for constructive cooperation with the current government.

The speaker primarily focuses on nationwide economic issues but also highlights regional examples, such as Valga and the impact of cross-border trade. The presentation emphasizes Estonia's position in comparison with its neighbors: Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Finland. The discussion of the transport sector is international, focusing on Estonia's competitiveness within the European market.

The speaker is a staunch proponent of the free-market economy and business-friendly policies, stressing that "money only comes from business." He criticizes tax increases and demands that entrepreneurs be treated equally compared to their competitors. He supports tax incentives for the transport sector and claims that the government's policies have resulted in a loss of 2 billion euros. He shows clear resistance to state intervention in the economy when such intervention undermines competitiveness.

There is not enough data

The speaker is focusing on amending the Income Tax Act with the goal of raising the tax-exempt daily allowance limit for hauliers to 75 euros. He/She emphasizes the necessity of transposing European Union directives, especially concerning the Mobility Package, which Estonia has failed to implement for two years now. The speaker actively supports legislative amendments affecting the transport sector and refers to previous successful initiatives, such as increasing the load capacity of logging trucks.