Poolamets told ERR on Tuesday that since the opposition has promised to obstruct the bill by submitting thousands of amendments, it may not reach the second reading.

He said according to the rules of procedure and internal rules of the Riigikogu, proposals the agenda for the next working week must be submitted no later than by 3 p.m. on the Thursday of the previous working week, and as the current week is the last regular working week of this session, the Committee had made the decision.

Poolamets admitted that the Committee had not agreed unanimously.

He also thinks it is necessary to discuss a possible amendment to the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Rules of Procedure Act to stop future legislation being derailed by the submission of amendments.

"If we do not react to it, somebody might crash the functioning of the Parliament with thousands of motions to amend," Poolamets added. "The Riigikogu must be able to work at all times, otherwise the Constitution would not be operational." 

The draft resolution (288 OE) proposes to hold the referendum held on April 18, 2021 with the question "Shall marriage remain a union between a man and a woman in Estonia?", passed its first reading in the Riigikogu on Monday (December 14).  

In order for the referendum to be held on that date, the Riigikogu has to pass the draft as a Resolution three months before, by January 18 at the latest.

The deadline for submission of motions to amend the Bill is December 30.

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