Reform whip: We will continue family benefits bill obstruction
Reform Party whip Mart Võrklaev said that the Reform Party will continue working against the family benefits hike bill in the Riigikogu until an agreement can be reached with Isamaa and the Social Democrats.
The bill in question to abruptly hike family and child benefits will have its second reading on Monday, with MPs voting on proposals to amend.
"Things have not changed. We find the bill needs more thorough work and review, while keeping in mind everything else Estonia needs – teachers' salaries, higher education funding, security. We will be sticking with obstruction," Võrklaev told ERR. The Reform Party has introduced over 1,000 proposals to amend.
The whip suggested that a solution to the deadlock would have to come from coalition talks. "It is possible to lift obstruction efforts should new agreements be born there," he said.
The bill to amend an hike family and child benefits, that would create additional pressure on the state budget in the volume of almost €300 million, was introduced by 54 MPs of the [then coalition] Center Party and opposition parties Isamaa, the Social Democratic Party (SDE) and the Conservative People's Party (EKRE) on May 12. The bill passed its first reading on May 30. On June 1, four SDE MPs withdrew their signatures from the bill.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Marcus Turovski
