Agenda Profile: Rene Kokk
First reading of the draft resolution of the Riigikogu "Proposal to the Republic of Estonia's Government to abandon the implementation of the Rail Baltic project in Estonia and to withdraw from all international agreements related to the project" (650 OE)
2025-09-24
Fifteenth Riigikogu, sixth sitting, plenary sitting.
Political Position
The political position is strongly opposed to the current implementation of the Rail Baltic project, highlighting unresolved issues concerning land ownership, the destruction of drainage systems, and the obstruction of wildlife movement. The position is aimed at protecting landowners and emphasizes that attempts to make the project cheaper actually place the burden on them. The framing is strongly value-based, focusing on the poor execution of the project.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates expertise regarding the practical impacts of the Rail Baltic route, focusing specifically on the details of land acquisition, damage to drainage systems, and the obstruction of wildlife movement. He emphasizes that these issues remain unresolved to this day and stem from project cost-cutting measures.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is critical and concerned, employing strong emotional language (e.g., "screwing over" landowners) and posing rhetorical questions directed at the audience. The speaker emphasizes the seriousness of the issues and the need to revisit them, maintaining a tone that is more accusatory than conciliatory.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker has been actively engaged in researching this issue outside of Parliament (the Riigikogu), citing meetings and interactions with landowners whose problems he is attempting to bring attention to. He refers to personal experience gained from communicating with people who have remained outside the media spotlight.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The opposition is aimed at the Riigikogu majority, which had previously opposed the establishment of the Rail Baltic investigative committee, as well as the Estonian media, which stands accused of failing to cover the issues faced by landowners. The criticism is intense, focusing on the lack of transparency and the concealment of problems.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
Insufficient data
1 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is heavily regional and local, concentrating on Estonian landowners and specific issues related to the route's construction (drainage/land improvement, and the movement of wildlife). It is stressed that these unresolved problems disproportionately burden the local residents.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
Economic perspectives emphasize that making the project cheaper has generated a social cost, burdening landowners financially and practically. This points to criticism of state austerity, which is achieved at the expense of the rights of private individuals.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The primary social issue revolves around the unfair treatment of landowners and the subsequent ignoring of their concerns by both the project implementers and the Estonian media. The necessity of resolving these social problems before the project can proceed is strongly emphasized.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus is aimed at increasing parliamentary oversight, supporting a return to the idea of establishing an investigative committee for Rail Baltic. The speaker is a strong proponent of the current draft bill (which proposes abandoning the project's implementation), emphasizing its significance.
1 Speeches Analyzed