By Months: Urmas Kruuse
Total Months: 10
Fully Profiled: 10
12.2024
2 Speeches
The speaker does not directly criticize the opposition; instead, they refute the generalized fears and assumptions voiced in the hall concerning the punishment of entrepreneurs. He distances the Estonian cultural sphere from the potentially more acute issues in employer-employee relations seen in Southern European countries. He warns that there is no sense in preemptively inventing scenarios where all entrepreneurs would be penalized.
11.2024
7 Speeches
The most intense confrontation was with the rapporteur on social issues, whose rhetoric regarding the labeling of people as murderers of women was deemed unacceptable in the Riigikogu chamber. He/She also criticized the Prime Minister and the government regarding the threat of reducing agricultural subsidy levels and competitiveness. In the climate debate, he/she takes a stand against those who underestimate the cost of inaction and those who believe the price of the pace of adaptation is too high.
10.2024
7 Speeches
The speaker is strongly opposed to the initiators and presenters of the bank tax bill, criticizing their claims and the economic rationale of the proposal. The criticism is policy- and data-based, highlighting contradictions (e.g., banks' contribution through advance income tax) and warning of negative consequences (the costs being passed on to customers, a poor signal to investors).
09.2024
9 Speeches
The criticism is aimed at the inefficiency of government agencies (specifically, deadlines for responding to correspondence) and the credibility of claims put forward by ministers and presenters (e.g., the supposed benefit of lowering VAT on foodstuffs). He/She criticizes government decisions regarding the funding of school lunches and the excessively long timeline for the local food procurement reform (the year 2027). The criticism is policy-based and focuses on results.
06.2024
2 Speeches
The criticism is aimed primarily at economic phenomena and market participants who may unjustifiably hike prices during inflation, as well as the cryptocurrency sector, which is suspected of running pyramid schemes. The politician questions the market's self-regulatory capacity and consumers' ability to "vote with their feet." Specific political opponents are absent.
05.2024
6 Speeches
The confrontation is clearly aimed at critics of e-voting, who are accused of creating illusions and contradicting themselves, especially concerning the issue of trust. The criticism is sharp and rhetorical, calling into question the opponents' credibility regarding the system (the question about burning the ID card).
04.2024
13 Speeches
There is no direct political confrontation or criticism of political parties, although he notes that all Ministers of Rural Affairs have provided additional funding for veterinary medicine. The criticism is aimed rather at structural problems, such as the low salary levels within ministries and society's inability to recognize the strategic importance of veterinary medicine.
03.2024
6 Speeches
The criticism is aimed at the lack of policy and fiscal responsibility on the part of the ministers or the government, particularly concerning the budget deficit in the Health Insurance Fund (Tervisekassa). The speaker questions the effectiveness of the state in fulfilling its obligations in education, citing teachers’ objections regarding the practice of "dragging the class through." The criticism is policy-driven and focuses on performance.
02.2024
13 Speeches
The opposition is primarily aimed at those who submit draft legislation that lacks a legal basis or contradicts EU regulations, criticizing them for legal incompetence. He/She also challenges the views of rapporteurs who present economic criticism, especially concerning the moratorium on the climate law, and defends the commission’s procedural rules against criticism.
01.2024
5 Speeches
Criticism is directed at the government's slow pace of reform, deeming the 2035 outlook for the gymnasium reform too long. Existing funding mechanisms are also criticized, as they do not sufficiently motivate local governments to implement the reforms. Criticism is aimed at the inefficiency of policies and procedures.