Agenda Profile: Vilja Toomast
First Reading of the Draft Act on Amendments to the Name Act and the State Fee Act (719 SE)
2025-10-22
XV Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
Political Position
The political position is one of support for the draft legislation (719 SE) initiated by the Government of the Republic, which amends the Names Act and the State Fees Act, emphasizing its convenience and the use of funding from European funds. The stance is primarily procedural and focused on service quality, supporting the granting of greater freedoms to the populace. The progression of the draft law was supported by consensus.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The presenter demonstrates expertise in the field of the Name Act and civil status procedures, thoroughly addressing restrictions on name changes for offenders, the permissible frequency of name changes, and the role of the Estonian Language Institute in assessing new surnames. Technical terms such as "e-application" are employed, and the speaker refers to the standpoints of the Head of the Population Procedures Department at the Ministry of the Interior.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is formal, neutral, and informative, typical of a commission report. The speaker focuses on a logical and fact-based summary of the commission's discussions, the questions posed, and the ministry's responses, while avoiding emotional assessments.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The operational procedure includes reporting the results of the Legal Committee sittings to the Riigikogu plenary and acting as the committee's representative during the handling of the bill. The presenter submitted a summary of the committee meeting held on October 6.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The attitude of confrontation is absent; the speaker is neutrally engaged in conveying the questions and concerns raised by other colleagues (e.g., Heljo Pikhof, Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski), rather than offering adversarial criticism.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The style of cooperation is highly consensus-driven, as all the committee's decisions regarding the further processing of the draft were made by consensus. The speaker emphasizes the cooperation with ministry officials (Enel Pungas) and other members of parliament during the discussions.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The regional focus addresses the availability of vital statistics services in Estonia, noting that officials will continue to operate in four regions: Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, and Jõhvi.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
The economic views are connected to supporting the use of European Union funds for the digitalization of public services and the enhancement of user convenience.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The focus of social issues is on personal freedoms and streamlining the name change process for convenience, while security measures are emphasized to prevent the law from being abused by criminals. The discussion also covers the topic of gender-neutral names (Pikne, Kõu) and restrictions on the use of names belonging to well-known public figures.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus is on the deliberation of Bill 719 SE (the Act amending the Names Act and the State Fees Act). The speaker is a procedural proponent who presents the committee's proposals for concluding the first reading and setting the deadline for amendments.
1 Speeches Analyzed