No. 19

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Parliamentary reform

The author explains the factors that led the Riigikogu at the beginning of last year to form a working group devoted to analyzing the activity of the past activity of the parliament and issuing recommendations how to restructure the work of the Riigikogu if necessary.

Also desired from the working group is an answer to the question of wages for senior civil servants, which has received much attention from the public. The working group will issue its interim report by the time the Riigikogu goes into recess. By the present time, the working group has prepared a collection of studies by Riigikogu analysts, some draft legislation now in proceedings before the Riigikogu, a number of noteworthy ideas and the draft legislative act governing wages for senior civil servants. Proposed amendments to the Estonian Constitution, such as the proposal to reduce the number of MPs to 81, and the idea to unite the posts of ministers and MP predominantly failed to find support in the working group. At the same time, the parliament has at the recommendation of the working group and on the basis of the valid rules of procedure, proceeded to organize a discussion on issues in various fields in the form of an issue of national importance, and involving, in the work of the plenary session, experts and representatives of other institutions. Another new feature pertains to the introduction of a reporting system in the Riigikogu, which in accordance with the draft legislation means that the standing committees would appoint from among the committee’s members a reporter for analyzing a relevant issue of national importance. The report would be discussed later in the committee and if necessary in plenary session.

Full article in Estonian

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