Politicians & Agendas
Track individual politicians and their participation in various agenda items. See their speeches, voting patterns, and legislative contributions.
101-101 / 101 politicians
Kristina Šmigun-Vähi
24 agenda items
24/24 with AI summaries (100.0%)
24/24 with AI summaries (100.0%)
Politicians: Kristina Šmigun-Vähi
Email: kristina.smigun-vahi@riigikogu.ee
Gender: FEMALE
Email: kristina.smigun-vahi@riigikogu.ee
Gender: FEMALE
Active:
Yes
Parliament Seniority: 6 years
Total Speaking Time: 3h 34m
Parliament Seniority: 6 years
Total Speaking Time: 3h 34m
Agenda Items:
First Reading of the Bill for the Amendment of the Aviation Act and the Consequential Amendment of Other Acts (702 SE)
2025-11-06 02:0415th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
1 speeches by this politician
Agenda Duration: 30s
AI Summary: This agenda item concerned the first reading of Draft Act 702 SE, initiated by the Government of the Republic, on the amendment of the Aviation Act and the resulting amendment of other acts. Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis introduced the draft, the objective of which is to establish a clearer legal framework that reduces bureaucracy and is based on the current security situation. The Minister highlighted four main blocks of amendments: the invalidation of certificates for air navigation equipment to avoid the duplication of EU law (which is expected to reduce company costs by approximately 10,000 euros annually); the creation of specific national rules for defense aviation airfields and helipads (such as in the case of Ämari); transferring the obligation to pay fees related to the clearing of trees in the immediate vicinity of an airfield from the property owner to the airfield operator or possessor, in order to reduce the administrative and financial burden on owners; and clarifying the procedure for contesting airport fee rates, granting the Competition Authority a four-week decision period regarding the application of fees during the dispute. Kristina Šmigun-Vähi, representative of the Economic Affairs Committee, confirmed that the committee unanimously decided to propose concluding the first reading.
Discussion of the Crucial National Issue 'The Future of the Estonian Economy'
2025-10-09 13:0115th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
7 speeches by this politician
Agenda Duration: 1h 1m
AI Summary: The Riigikogu debate centered on the key national issue, "The Future of the Estonian Economy," initiated by the faction of the Estonian Reform Party. The presentations provided a comprehensive overview of the current economic situation and future visions. Maris Lauri (Reform Party) analyzed the four pillars of Estonian competitiveness: natural resources, labor, capital, and the smart utilization of knowledge. She stressed the need for continuous innovation and adding value to natural resources, noting that the advantage of cheap labor has been lost. She also criticized the dismantling of the second pension pillar for reducing domestic capital. Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo presented an optimistic forecast, predicting Estonia would be the fastest-growing economy in Europe in the coming years, underpinned by security (5% of GDP defense spending), export growth targets (43 billion euros by 2028), and R&D investments. He also highlighted major investments (400 million euros) and the necessity of accelerating planning processes. Allan Martinson (Estonian Founders Society) focused on the startup sector, which contributes 4.5% to GDP and is shifting from extensive to intensive growth, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence and defense technology. He emphasized the requirement for a stable economic environment. Liina Vahtras (EIS) provided an overview of the success of e-residency, which has generated 370 million euros in revenue for the state treasury, and introduced a planned cardless solution designed to shorten the time required to establish a company to two weeks, thereby maintaining Estonia's competitive edge as a digital state. During the negotiations, faction representatives underscored the need for a stable economic environment, reduced bureaucracy, and reform of the education and healthcare systems, while Urmas Reinsalu sharply criticized the government's tax experiments and policies that undermine economic confidence.
First Reading of the Draft Act on Amendments to the Planning Act and Other Related Acts (683 SE)
2025-10-08 22:58The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
2 speeches by this politician
Agenda Duration: 40s
AI Summary: The agenda item covered the first reading of Draft Act 683, initiated by the Government of the Republic, concerning amendments to the Planning Act and related legislation. Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo introduced the draft, stating that its main objective is to make the planning procedure clearer, faster, and more flexible by reducing bureaucracy and enhancing legal certainty. Key amendments highlighted by the minister include abolishing the local government special plan and replacing it with a detailed plan, as well as establishing a 10-year validity period for new detailed plans (starting in 2027) if their implementation has not yet commenced. Furthermore, the advance notice period for public display will be shortened from 14 days to one day, and the requirement to publish notices in county and national newspapers will be eliminated, granting local governments discretion in this matter. The draft also introduces a requirement that planning must take into account the principles of climate change and high-quality spatial design.
The debate was intense, particularly concerning issues of public involvement and notification. The EKRE faction (Rain Epler, Martin Helme, Arvo Aller) sharply criticized the proposals, viewing them as a "steamroller" designed to limit community involvement and push through large development projects (such as wind farms). Minister Keldo stressed that the amendments are intended to boost efficiency, support economic growth, and prevent unnecessary delays, confirming that the Land and Spatial Planning Board will oversee adherence to deadlines. The leading committee proposed concluding the first reading, but the EKRE faction submitted a motion to reject the draft, which was subsequently voted down (5 in favor, 45 against).
Draft law amending the Accounting Act (600 SE) - second reading
2025-06-16 18:43XV Riigikogu, V Session, Plenary Sitting
4 speeches by this politician
Agenda Duration: 5m
AI Summary: The Riigikogu began debating the second reading of Draft Act 600, initiated by the Isamaa faction, which seeks to amend the Accounting Act. The primary goal of the draft is to reduce bureaucracy for businesses by postponing the obligation to submit sustainability (ESG) reports. The report was presented by Kristina Šmigun-Vähi, a member of the Economic Affairs Committee. She explained that although no amendments were received from Riigikogu members, the Economic Affairs Committee discussed the draft act on June 10th with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Finance and the initiator. The committee unanimously adopted four technical amendments that had been submitted by the leading committee.
During the debate, the question was repeatedly raised as to why the obligation was merely being postponed by two years instead of abolishing this bureaucratic requirement altogether, as the Isamaa faction had originally wished. Mart Maastik (Isamaa) emphasized that while the postponement is a positive step, it is hoped that within two years the European Union will also come to the realization that such reporting is an excessive burden and should be made voluntary or abandoned entirely. After reviewing the amendments, all of which were fully taken into account, the leading committee proposed concluding the second reading of the draft act.
Draft law amending the Accounting Act for reducing bureaucracy (600 SE) - first reading
2025-05-21 22:38Fifteenth Riigikogu, Fifth Session, Plenary Session.
2 speeches by this politician
Agenda Duration: 2m
AI Summary: Today's agenda item concerns the draft Act amending the Accounting Act (600 SE), initiated by the Isamaa faction, which aims to reduce bureaucracy for entrepreneurs. This is the first reading of the draft in the Riigikogu, and the presenter is Member of the Riigikogu Mart Maastik. The draft differs from the government's plan in that Isamaa wants to postpone the obligation to submit reports by at least two years and emphasizes the need to streamline administrative burdens.
The debate focused primarily on the question of whether the sustainability reporting obligation should remain partially in force or become fully voluntary, and what impact the European Union's increasingly globalizing standards have on Estonian entrepreneurs. In addition, it was pointed out that the European Union sustainability reporting standards discussed by the Economic Affairs Committee in 2023 and the government's plans may overlap over time, but differ in terms of the timing of measures and their actual impact on entrepreneurship. Finally, the committee adopted decisions, and at the end of the speech, it was confirmed that the first reading will be concluded and the procedure will continue, including deadlines for submitting amendments.
... and 19 more agenda items