By Plenary Sessions: Heljo Pikhof

Economic arguments favor state investments in infrastructure (like high-speed internet) as a key tool for boosting regional economic growth and employment. The objective is to establish a conducive environment for businesses operating in rural areas.

The economic perspectives focus specifically on the public sector labor market, highlighting fierce competition and personnel shortages among internal security institutions. Competition is particularly sharp between the PPA (Police and Border Guard Board), the Prison Service, and the Tax and Customs Board, all of whom are seeking candidates with the same professional profile.

Economic views are aimed at reducing inequality and alleviating social stratification, requiring state intervention through differentiated funding. The system is criticized for allowing a child's educational trajectory to depend too heavily on their parents' income and financial resources, and there is a demand for accessible, free study support and extracurricular activities.

The economic viewpoints are pro-labor, asserting that additional days off actually boost morale, work performance, and overall productivity, effectively compensating for the time lost. The speaker anticipates a positive economic effect on consumption, tourism, and the hospitality sector, and cites experts who find no direct negative correlation between total working hours and GDP. Preference is given to solutions that extend the weekend (the "bridge system"), thereby avoiding the extra costs associated with production shutdowns.

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The speaker advocates for state intervention aimed at mitigating social costs, specifically demanding that the elimination of kindergarten tuition fees be compensated for out of the state budget (an estimated additional cost of 66 million euros). He represents the interests of the labor force, supporting extra days off and arguing that this would not jeopardize the Estonian economy or labor productivity. Instead, he claims it would ease the burden of Estonia’s above-average number of working days and hours.