COVID-19 outbreak forces parliament to switch to remote work

The Riigikogu will hold sessions remotely at least until the end of this week. Photo: Tairo Lutter

Four members of the Riigikogu Isamaa faction and three Riigikogu officials were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday and have around 20 close contacts between them.

All Isamaa MPs got tested and some are still waiting for test results. There were no reports of MPs of other parties having been diagnosed on Monday.

Spokesperson for the Health Board Merilin Vernik said that the Riigikogu outbreak covers roughly 20 close contacts who will be contacted. The board will maintain efforts to find close contacts of people diagnosed. The Board of the Riigikogu decided to put the parliament on remote working for at least one week on Monday.

Isamaa chair Helir-Valdor Seeder could not say whether MPs were infected in the Riigikogu or outside of it. He added that infected MPs rather have mild symptoms.

President of the Riigikogu Henn Põlluaas (EKRE) said that last week was busy and MPs often came into close contact with one another. In addition to work in committees and factions, there were meetings associated with the change of government, while 100 of 101 MPs were present for the marriage referendum vote on Wednesday. Mihhail Korb (Center) who stands suspected of corruption was the only one not present.

All Riigikogu sittings have been in held in person, with the exception the final one of 2020.

Reform MPs proposed switching to the remote participation format of sittings toward the beginning of last week, pointing to the spread of COVID-19. “There is a good chance people among us could be close contacts of someone diagnosed, carriers of the virus. Therefore, it is not too sensible to convene here in a situation where we have everything we need to hold sessions remotely,” Mart Võrklaev said. The Board of the Riigikogu put the matter up to a vote after failing to reach consensus but the proposal was rejected. “We had no information to suggest close contacts among us. We simply did not have that information then, while we do now,” Põlluaas said.

Head of Riigikogu group, former secretary general of Isamaa Priit Sibul got tested on Saturday and found out he has the disease on Sunday. “We held the faction meeting online today (yesterday – ed.) because I had tested positive,” Sibul said.

People who have had contact with infected persons are required to take caution and carefully monitor their health until their own test results are in.

The Riigikogu will hold sessions remotely at least until the end of this week.