Constitutional committee supports adoption of pension law in unchanged form

Photo: Wong Sze Fei/panthermedia/Wong Sze Fei

The constitutional committee of the Estonian parliament on Thursday discussed the bill of amendments to the Funded Pensions Act and other associated acts President Kersti Kaljulaid decided not to promulgate and proposed to pass the bill again in unchanged form.

“In my opinion, the president has concealed her political will within a legal veto,” Paul Puustusmaa (EKRE), chairman of the constitutional committee, said in a press release.

Committee member Vilja Toomast said that the opposition supported the view expressed by the president that the law is unconstitutional and did not support the adoption of the law in unchanged form.

The Riigikogu on January 29 passed a bill of amendments to the Funded Pensions Act and other associated acts. 

Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid on February 7 did not promulgate the law aiming to make the second pension pillar voluntary, citing several inconsistencies with the Constitution as the reason for her decision.

According to Kaljulaid, the so-called pension reform law disproportionately violates the fundamental rights of people and is in many respects contrary to the principles of the rule of law and social state as well as the principles of legitimate expectations highlighted in the Constitution.

As the president did not promulgate the law, the bill was sent back to the Riigikogu, The Riigikogu can now either amend it or pass it once more unchanged. In the latter case, the president shall decide again whether to proclaim it or to refer it to the Supreme Court that will make the final decision.

Explanations were given to the constitutional committee on Thursday by representatives of the president’s office and lawyer Madis Pats.

The finance committee also discussed the same law on Thursday but will form its stance on the matter next week.