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0 >SDE members Helmen Kütt (standing), Riina Sikkut and Jevgeni Ossinovski during the Riigikogu deputy speaker elections. Source: Priit Mürk/ERR
A bill has passed the Riigikogu which will enable minors to obtain psychiatric help independently and without parental consent.
The bill, sponsored by the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDE) had first been table in 2019, but had seen pushback, particularly by the Conservative People s Party of Estonia (EKRE), now in opposition as well, but in office until January this year.
The bill will, proponents say, make psychiatric help available to children suffering from domestic violence or sexual abuse, as well as to teenagers experiencing depression, addiction or eating disorders, all issues, SDE says, which have been more prevalent with the arrival of the pandemic.
The opposition Social Democratic Party (SDE) may vote against Martin Helme (EKRE) as one of two deputy Riigikogu speakers in a vote due next week, despite the party saying it agrees with the basis on which Helme is being put forward, ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) reported Friday evening.
The former prime minister and foreign minister say that another emergency situation should be called amid rising coronavirus rates.
Appearing on ERR News broadcast Otse uudistemajast on the anniversary of the declaration of last year s emergency situation (Estonian: Eriolukord - a constitutionally-defined term), Jüri Ratas (Center) and Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) said that repeating the measure would both send a signal to society and strengthen governance, placing greater responsibility on Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform). An emergency is not the key to riches, but it is an important tool in sending a message to society Jüri Ratas, who, as prime minister this time last year, was head of the emergency situation by default, told interviewer Toomas Sildam.
State credit agency KredEx is to be issuing further loans and loan guarantees after a hiatus early on this year. â¬180 million will be available, with the emphasis to be put on loan guarantees rather than straight-out loans. The government will not take decisions on loans â the largest of which were in the tens of millions during the initial coronavirus wave â in the wake of a major KredEx-related scandal in January which brought down the Center/EKRE/Isamaa coalition.
KredEx is also getting a new supervisory board.
Processing of KredEx loan applications was suspended at the end of last year, but the government gave the go ahead to restart support from the body, at the center of a recent scandal which prompted the resignation of Jüri Ratas (Center) as prime minister, to the tune of â¬180 million.