Agenda Profile: Andres Metsoja
Second reading of the draft law on the 2025 state budget (513 SE)
2024-11-13
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session.
Political Position
The political stance is strongly opposed to the 2025 state budget draft, criticizing both its form and content for lacking vision and for shattering public trust. The speaker stands against the state-level austerity policy, which is deemed insufficient and disproportionately burdens local municipalities, and views the substitution of spending cuts with tax increases as fundamentally misguided. The budget criticism is primarily directed at the government's poor performance and the absence of a clear economic outlook.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates expertise regarding local government finance (revenue base, land tax) and the compensation for nature conservation restrictions, citing the Constitution and the Chancellor of Justice. Furthermore, he possesses knowledge concerning the development plans of state commercial entities (RMK) and the links between the economic environment and the value creation of resources (forestry, oil shale). He utilizes financial management examples from the past (Pärnu 2010) to back up his arguments.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is sharply critical, anxious, and accusatory, emphasizing the breakdown of trust and the undermining of democracy. Strong figurative expressions are used, such as "shattering the budget form into pieces" and "an empty bucket that rattles," to emphasize the lack of substance in the policy. The speaker addresses the "Good Estonian people" directly, lending the message broad societal significance.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker is actively involved in the state budget proceedings, submitting amendments and participating in the committee's work. He/She mentions the Environmental Committee's recent visit to the State Forest Management Centre (RMK), which demonstrates involvement with specific sectoral issues.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The main criticism is aimed at the government and the coalition, accusing them of failing to listen to entrepreneurs and umbrella organizations, and treating engagement as a mere formality. The criticism is intense, labeling the government's actions as "very poor governance" and accusing them of fostering a climate of hopelessness in the economic environment.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The speaker emphasizes the necessity for broad-based cooperation, especially with the business sector, contrasting this with the government's behavior, which prefers to act alone ("you get there faster alone"). The speaker supports the principle that "together we go further," but notes that the government has effectively shattered this principle.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is on the issues concerning the revenue base of local governments and the unequal treatment they receive under the state's austerity policy. Specific attention is drawn to regionally significant sectors, such as the State Forest Management Centre (RMK) and the oil shale sector, criticizing the state's policy regarding the management of these resources.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
The economic perspective heavily favors supporting the business environment and exports, stressing the necessity of maintaining low direct costs for businesses and increasing the value added to resources. They prioritize streamlining the state and implementing spending cuts rather than raising taxes. Furthermore, they criticize the restriction of resource management (forests, oil shale) occurring simultaneously with demands for higher state dividends. Economic growth, not the budget itself, is viewed as the true source of national prosperity.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
Insufficient data
3 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The primary legislative focus is the 2025 draft state budget, which includes an amendment proposal regarding the compensation of local governments for nature conservation restrictions. The speaker is critical of the lack of prospects within the legal framework of the entire economic environment that accompanies the budget proceedings.
3 Speeches Analyzed