By Months: Rain Epler

Total Months: 19

Fully Profiled: 19

10.2025

48 Speeches

The legislative focus is centered on the budget process and the principles governing state administration. The speaker primarily acts as a scrutinizer and demands accountability during the Riigikogu sitting, seeking clarification on the substance of the budget and the government's priorities.
09.2025

35 Speeches

The speaker is a strong opponent of bills that increase official control and data collection, such as the so-called super database law and the Ministry of the Interior’s draft law, which involved punishing people for reading inappropriate literature. He also focuses on the deficiencies in the Ministry of Defense’s internal control systems, demanding that they be rectified.
06.2025

43 Speeches

The main legislative priorities are ending the activities of the ERJK (Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee) and transferring oversight to the National Audit Office, halting the legislative proceedings for the Financial Intelligence Unit's super-database bill, and abolishing the car tax. Environmental restrictions are also in focus, with the aim of reducing the impact area of wind farms and abolishing the requirement for ESG reporting.
05.2025

65 Speeches

The primary legislative focus centers on contesting energy laws and proposing amendments, particularly halting the juggernaut of renewable energy development. A draft bill was submitted proposing that the government seek exemption from the mandatory purchase of CO2 quotas for oil shale electricity (based on Article 122 of the TFEU). It supports canceling the Rail Baltic project and criticizes the implementation of logging bans in Natura areas.
04.2025

54 Speeches

The legislative focus is directed towards the opposition's initiatives: establishing a framework for a bank tax aimed at taxing windfall profits, reducing the VAT on foodstuffs to 5%, and proposing that the government seek an exemption from the mandatory purchase of CO2 quotas. He/She is an active opponent and critic of government bills (such as gender quotas and the car tax), emphasizing that the opposition's initiatives are systematically rejected by the coalition.
03.2025

17 Speeches

The legislative focus is centered on abolishing the car tax and ending renewable energy subsidies, lending support to the relevant bill. Furthermore, they advocate for reducing bureaucracy by simplifying the oversight of party financing, proposing a transfer-based subsidy system. The speaker primarily opposes the government's legislative agenda and initiates parliamentary inquiries.
02.2025

18 Speeches

The speaker's priority is ensuring the transparency of the Riigikogu's rules of procedure and procedural matters, especially concerning the handling of written questions and formal inquiries (interpellations). He is an active opponent of the draft constitutional amendment regarding suffrage. He also focuses on assessing the economic impact of the amendments to the Nature Conservation Act (compensation areas) initiated by the Ministry of Climate.
01.2025

45 Speeches

The main legislative initiatives are related to the economy and security: a bill to lower the VAT on foodstuffs, a bill to introduce an extraordinary bank tax, and a bill to amend the Hunting Act for the rapid elimination of predators (wolves) in order to protect property. Additionally, inquiries were submitted to all ministers, the Auditor General, and the Chancellor of Justice to increase the transparency of official representation expenses.
12.2024

19 Speeches

The speaker's primary legislative priorities are reforming the state budget procedure and increasing ministerial accountability to the Riigikogu. He is actively opposed to the tax legislation initiated by the government, especially the car tax and the increases in excise duties, and criticizes the hasty and poor-quality drafting of the bills.
11.2024

38 Speeches

The legislative focus is on state budget transparency and controlling the executive branch, proposing restrictions on the reassignment of ministers and mandating the disclosure of the economic substance of expenditures. They are also a strong opponent of the government's tax laws, especially the abolition of the cap on land tax increases. They support a bill that would terminate state funding for elective abortions.
10.2024

73 Speeches

The main legislative priorities are increasing budget transparency (limiting ministerial discretion when reallocating funds), protecting family benefits, and introducing a bank tax. He is an active opponent of proposed legislation, suggesting their rejection (e.g., the security tax bill) and demanding ministerial accountability (a motion of no confidence against Ligi). He emphasizes the withdrawal of the child protection act bill and the postponement of the tax bracket reform as key achievements.
09.2024

32 Speeches

The main legislative interests concern environmental restrictions (Nature Conservation Act, forestry), energy policy (priority development of renewable energy), and taxation (amendments to the Value Added Tax Act). They are an active opponent of draft legislation, proposing the termination of the second reading, and demanding clarification regarding the hidden motives behind the legal amendments.
07.2024

17 Speeches

The legislative focus is on opposing tax laws being rammed through emergency sessions via fast-track procedures, particularly the car tax. He/She is a formidable opponent, challenging both the substance of the bills (specifically, the equal treatment of disabled people) and their procedural regularity. Also under scrutiny are the proposed bills concerning the security tax and the redistribution of municipal income tax, where he/she expresses skepticism regarding their true objectives and ultimate impact.
06.2024

22 Speeches

The primary legislative focus is centered on opposing the draft car tax law and criticizing the quality of its handling. It supports the move towards adopting nuclear energy, being a proponent of this decision, but aims to secure a state majority stake via an EKRE amendment proposal. It also addresses the issue of conflicts of interest (Bolt/Deputy Secretary General) and topics handled by the Environmental Committee (tire return scheme).
05.2024

36 Speeches

The legislative focus is on opposing coalition bills, proposing their rejection at the first reading (e.g., the child protection and accelerated renewable energy bills) and their termination (the tax revenue increase bill). He/She is a strong proponent of nuclear energy, supporting the corresponding Riigikogu decision. Demanding strict adherence to the Riigikogu’s procedural rules is also an important priority, especially concerning the bundling of amendments.
04.2024

51 Speeches

The speaker is an active opponent of legislation, proposing that bills (such as the taxation of pensions or amendments to the universal service) be rejected during their first reading. He stresses the quality of lawmaking, demanding that impact assessments be conducted and that the "Rules of Legislative Drafting Technique for Good Lawmaking" (HÕNTE) be followed. He is also a critic of e-voting, requiring that identity verification (via video link) be added to the voting process.
03.2024

64 Speeches

The main legislative focus is on energy (promoting nuclear energy, opposing the preferential development of renewable energy) and tax policy (bank tax, car tax). He/She is actively against proposed bills, making proposals for their rejection, and submits inquiries regarding the government's activities and the dishonesty of officials. He/She is also concerned about the issue of abolishing the land tax exemption reaching the Riigikogu.
02.2024

5 Speeches

The speaker has focused on legislation concerning tax cuts (VAT, fuel excise duty) and a local government bill that regulates the competence and language requirements for council members and officials. He/She acts as an active questioner and critic within the framework of the bill discussions.
01.2024

47 Speeches

The legislative focus centers on lowering taxes—specifically VAT, LPG excise duty, and the tax on car usage—and boosting the nation's competitiveness. This is being achieved by submitting a draft bill aimed at accelerating the permit process for geological surveys. Furthermore, he/she supports removing Soviet monuments from public spaces to prevent the "commotion and festivities" that often occur at these sites.