Agenda Profile: Irja Lutsar
Second reading of the draft law amending the Tobacco Act (223 SE)
2025-04-16
15th Estonian Parliament, 5th session, plenary session
Political Position
The speaker strongly supports the draft amendment to the Tobacco Act initiated by the Government of the Republic, which derives from a delegated directive of the European Union. The political position is focused on aligning with EU law and achieving the value-based goal of making smoking less attractive, especially among youth and children.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates a high level of procedural and legislative expertise, presenting detailed information concerning the dates of committee sessions, amendment numbers, and procedural rulings. However, he/she acknowledges a personal lack of knowledge regarding the specific details of heated tobacco products and the topic of avoiding illegal products.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The style is highly formal, informative, and procedural, characteristic of a steering committee rapporteur. The tone is neutral and fact-based, focusing on the logical chronology and the enumeration of the committee's consensus decisions, while avoiding emotional appeals.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker is actively involved in the Riigikogu proceedings, having recently been appointed as the representative of the Social Affairs Committee for the second reading of the draft bill. He/She provides a detailed description of the frequency and decisions of the committee sittings, which occurred six times over a period of nearly two years (2023–2025).
6 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The main confrontation was with the faction of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia, whose 100 proposed amendments were branded as obstructionist and subsequently disregarded. The criticism was purely procedural, focusing on the repetitive content of the proposals (e.g., changing fine units by one euro increments).
6 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The speaker emphasizes consensus-based cooperation within the Social Affairs Committee, noting that several important decisions (e.g., postponing the entry into force of the law) were made by consensus. Cooperation with the Eesti 200 faction was successful, as their substantive amendment proposal No. 1 was taken into account by the committee.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is clearly international (transposition of the European Union directive and harmonization of the EU framework) and national (amendment of Estonian law). There is no reference to specific local or regional issues in Estonia.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
The speaker took business interests into account, agreeing to Philip Morris Eesti OÜ's request to postpone the law's entry into force until January 31, 2026. This decision was reached by consensus to give the company sufficient time for product labeling and for removing previously marked products from the market.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The central social theme is public health and the reduction of smoking, especially among youth and children. The aim of the bill is to make heated tobacco products less attractive by eliminating flavor exemptions.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The primary legislative priority is the successful handling of the draft bill amending the Tobacco Act (223 SE), which is necessary for the transposition of the EU directive. The speaker is a representative of the leading committee, who is focusing on concluding the second reading and preparing for the third reading and the final vote on April 23rd.
6 Speeches Analyzed