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The President to the Riigikogu: you have a mandate from the people to draft the best laws and build an equitable state

15.09.2009

“Estonia could be a country where, instead of foolish bureaucratization, agencies actually deal with the matters for which they were created – improving the lives of the Estonian people; and creating a more equitable business environment,” Ilves said. At yesterday’s opening session of the Riigikogu, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves expressed deep concern about Estonia’s democracy – its functioning and current state – and called upon the parliament to always consider the social impact of its decisions.

In his speech, the Head of State cited examples of the legislative drafting practices that are becoming increasingly popular in the parliament, but which are contradictory to the provisions and spirit of the Constitution, as well as to the bases of a parliamentary system of government.

President Ilves criticized the rashness demonstrated by the Riigikogu in taking only a few weeks to amend laws, taxation rates, and support systems that have taken years to develop and equilibrize.

“Since, neither a state of war or emergency exists, rather a situation that just differs from the past in an economic sense, the Riigikogu cannot permit such rashness,” the President said.

The President defined the central risk in Estonia to be the popular idea that the Riigikogu, and more broadly our parliamentary system of government, is the source of almost all Estonia’s problems today. “This is a dangerous tendency,” he said, “because the system of government that we ourselves chose years ago – which I consider to be the best among many – is not at fault.”

The Head of State added that, unfortunately, the Riigikogu has not made sufficient efforts to maintain its good reputation or interpret its updated role. “If the national budget is based, not on reality, but on wishful thinking and long outdated electoral promises, it is not only the government, but also the Riigikogu that has done a poor job,” the President said.

In his speech, the President called upon the members of the Riigikogu to remember that they were elected to parliament in order to make the best laws and most equitable policies.

“Estonia could be a country where, instead of foolish bureaucratization, agencies actually deal with the matters for which they were created – improving the lives of the Estonian people; and creating a more secure and equitable business environment,” President Ilves said.

The full text is available here.


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