Editorial: spotlight kills fines bill

Photo: musicmedia.psu.edu

Had Postimees not shined spotlight on the doubling-of-fines issue a few weeks ago just before they had planned the final vote, in all likelihood we'd already be paying 'em. 

All we’d have left to do is grumble and complain. But having touched the issue, lo and behold, the final vote got postponed.

To be followed by an altogether useful public discussion and, yesterday, the blanket fines rise bill failed to turn into law.

As a newspaper, we aren’t gloating that the coalition flopped its attempt. We do rejoice, however, that the society was able to have a say.

Politically, the coalition missing its 51 needed votes have at least two aspects worthy of underlining. On the one thing, we saw deputies able to think and decide for themselves, remarkably including in the very Reform.

On the other hand, as pointed out by Andres Herkel of the Free: for the coalition commanding quite a number of votes, ‘tis the first big fail in the parliament. Also remarkably, the against-votes were from the leading party in coalition.

However critical we might be towards the rubber stamping thing, parliamentary democracy and a functioning coalition is difficult to imagine without some measure of consensus.

Was this the beginning of the crumbling of the coalition? Depends on lessons learnt and further actions.