Reinsalu's ministry was supposed to form an opinion of the bill nearly two months ago, by June 8, when the opinions of the interior and social affairs ministries were communicated by ministers Andres Anvelt and Jevgeni Ossinovski. However, the matter could not be added to the government's agenda as the opinion of the key ministry was missing.
Reinsalu shelved the matter until Sunday last when ETV news program «Aktuaalne kaamera» reported the justice ministry will approve the bill. «Rule of law requires legal clarity. The cohabitation act has not been given content through valid implementing provisions. 99 percent of legal relations the law, as a contractual act, regulates can be entered into without the legal basis it provides, which is to say the step is purely legal,» Reinsalu explained, and added that the ministry's position is clear and unequivocal.
The professional opinion of ministry officials remains somewhat less clear. The ministry initially sent out an opinion bearing Reinsalu's signature that said the government should approve the implementing provisions, while it sent out the diametrically opposite position of the minister the very next day. Information available to Postimees suggests officials once again submitted a written position against repealing the registered partnership act that was then rewritten by Reinsalu.