At today's session, the Government started discussing proposed tax changes, adopted the proposed act on intervention measures in education for the 2022/2023 school year, increased economic aid to EUR 86 million due to high electricity and gas prices, and adopted the proposed act regulating anew paternity leave and parental protection. It also confirmed the assessment of damage to property and the reimbursement of intervention funds due to the consequences of this summer’s fires in the Karst region. The Government will also finance additional equipment for the societies that played a part in firefighting in the Karst.
The opening sitting of the Riigikogu's fall session will see speeches by Riigikogu President Jüri Ratas and President of the Republic Alar Karis. The parliament will have to start by untangling the spring Family Benefits Act bill.
The new draft Family Benefits Act drawn up by the Ministry of Social Affairs left out the provision included in the coalition agreement at Isamaa's request that, going forward, large family benefits would continue to be paid out to families until the oldest child turns 24, after which the benefit amount would be reduced in stages.
Under a bill drawn up by the Ministry of Social Affairs, family benefits will be increasing from next year in accordance with the Reform-Isamaa-SDE coalition agreement. Children through age 23, however, will not yet count toward qualifying for large family benefits.