By Agendas: Kadri Tali

The main topic is the legal regulation of the Song and Dance Celebration tradition, regarding which moderate criticism and skepticism have been expressed. It is feared that over-regulation could extinguish the joy of a free popular movement that has lasted 150 years and stifle the creative process. The stance is strongly value-based, emphasizing cultural freedom and civic initiative. Further deliberation on the draft bill is supported, provided that the process is thorough and well-considered.

The political stance is strongly focused on modernizing the Sports Act and clarifying the relevant regulations. Significant emphasis is placed on reducing the administrative burden (e.g., seasonal permits) and ensuring sports ethics and safety. The approach is clearly policy-driven, focusing on the smooth legislative process and making technical amendments.

The political stance focuses on treating culture and sports as a strategic investment and an economic sector, which constitutes the DNA of Estonian identity and the foundation of the state's existence. The speaker strongly supports the creation of new funding models that would introduce growth potential to the sector, contrasting with the current system of distribution and redistribution. The platform is strongly policy- and growth-oriented, emphasizing the necessity for the state to act as the driving engine (or locomotive). The main priority is the involvement of private funding and changing the structure of the gambling tax.

The political focus is on recognizing Culture and Sport as a crucial economic sector and a strengthener of the nation's backbone. The speaker strongly supports creating a system for attracting private capital to find solutions given the constraints of the state's tight budget. This stance is policy-driven, emphasizing the necessity of bold and immediate decisions to ensure Estonia continues to progress in the years to come.

The political position is strongly reformist, emphasizing the need to implement changes that previous governments have failed to achieve, particularly in the education sector. The primary focus is on strengthening the position of the Estonian language in basic education, which is framed as a critical step toward securing the future of Estonian education and culture. The party (Eesti 200) is viewed as a change agent that is bold enough to carry out reforms.

The political focus is directed towards modernizing regulations in the sports sector and reducing bureaucracy. The bill initiated by the government strongly supports eliminating the dual systems (sports club and sports school) that were established for the purpose of income tax refunds, thereby emphasizing the simplification of the system. Furthermore, a crucial priority is the legal enactment of a mechanism for reclaiming prizes and subsidies in the event of violations (e.g., doping).

The primary political issue revolves around raising the minimum state subsidy for school lunches to 2 euros, a measure the Centre Party (represented by Belobrovtsev) strongly supports as a universal benefit. Representatives of the government and other factions (Pikhof, Tein, Sutrop) agree with the objective but oppose universal support due to budgetary constraints (€30 million), preferring instead to offer targeted aid to families in need. The debate is heavily framed as a policy and value-based discussion (an ideological question).

The most important issue is the reduction of the maximum rate for preschool placement fees from 20% to 10% of the minimum wage. Evelin Poolamets strongly supports this proposal, justifying her position by referencing the rise in the minimum wage and the coalition agreement's promise to redirect savings from child benefits toward improving the availability of services. The government and the majority of the committee oppose the draft legislation, citing that it excessively restricts the self-governance rights of local municipalities.

The speaker strongly supports Riigikogu draft resolution 410 OE concerning the construction of an extension to the Estonian National Opera, viewing it as a matter concerning the nation's backbone, dignity, and the sustainability of its culture. This political stance is value-driven, emphasizing culture’s importance both as a national symbol and an export, alongside the necessity of keeping pace with the times. The speaker firmly advocates that creations made by people for people should be considered equally important to the protection of cultural heritage.

The speaker strongly emphasizes the need to recognize culture and sport as significant economic and export sectors that warrant greater attention within the national development strategy. The political stance is geared toward creating state-level incentives to attract private funding for the development of these fields, stressing a policy-driven and results-based approach.

The political focus is on resolving the issue of education and teachers' salaries, emphasizing the importance of education as an investment in the country's future. The speaker strongly supports increasing teachers' salaries and implementing systemic changes, such as concluding a long-term education agreement. The stance is value-based, stressing the need to restore the dignity of the teaching profession.

The political focus is on a holistic and all-encompassing education reform, which is vital for securing Estonia's future and economic growth. Education is viewed strongly as a value-driven investment and the nation’s only truly powerful export (brains and ingenuity). The speaker strongly supports the reform’s objective to raise the average educational attainment of Estonian residents and reduce dropout rates. This stance is deeply rooted in policy and values, emphasizing the need to ensure the sustainability of education.

The central theme revolves around the financing mechanisms of the Cultural Endowment (Kultuurkapital) and the strong opposition to the part of draft bill 338 SE that redirects funds intended for growth toward taxes and the establishment of social guarantees. The political stance is focused on creating favorable conditions for the development of culture, emphasizing that culture must not be confused with the social welfare sector. The speaker stresses the necessity of establishing a financial mechanism that encourages growth, innovation, and talent, rather than mere distribution and redistribution.

The political focus is on foreign policy and supporting Ukraine. The speaker clearly supports the Foreign Minister's idea to allocate 0.25% of GDP annually for Ukraine's defense, considering it a good idea. The political stance is strongly policy- and value-based, emphasizing international security.

The political debate focuses on the balance between the internationalization of higher education and the preservation of the Estonian language, where Helle-Moonika Helme represents a strong value-based position regarding the direction of Estonian-language doctoral theses. The government decided not to support the draft bill, while simultaneously supporting short-term foreign mobility as a performance indicator. Tõnis Lukas represented a pragmatic viewpoint, supporting the removal of formal obstacles for Estonian-language doctoral theses.

The political position is strongly supportive of the vision and plan of the current Minister of Education (Kristina Kallas), emphasizing a direct approach to the transition to the Estonian language and the creation of a career model for teachers. The speaker frames education as the state’s most crucial investment, which also serves as the foundation for development in the energy and national defense sectors. This support is value-based, stressing that the educational landscape currently holds an extraordinary and historic opportunity.