Thank you to the cultural community for bringing up the issue of freelance artists' livelihoods in recent years. The situation is dire, as confirmed by numerous studies. To preserve the continuation of Estonian culture, a solution needs to be found for fair pay and social guarantees to nearly 10,000 freelance artists in Estonia.

The well-being of creatives is my top priority. Next week, I will deliver to the government the Ministry of Culture's analysis and recommendations for ensuring fair pay and social protections for creators. The analysis is based on last year's discussions with the cultural community, where ideas for resolving the issue were collected. I would also like to acknowledge Sveta Grigorjeva's contribution.

Creativity, including freelance creative work, must be compensated and taxed in a way that ensures adequate social security both during employment and after retirement. Regardless of the creative sector or employment arrangement, authors must receive fair compensation for the development of their works, commensurate with the efforts and costs incurred and the unique characteristics of the Estonian cultural space and market.

We hope to reach an agreement between the creative industries and the Ministry of Culture on fair remuneration for creative work in the course of 2023. The SDE favors universal health insurance as one of the solutions. It will create a sense of security, but it will not address all the difficulties. And lack of security is an issue for many people in the present day.

I agree with Sveta's appeal for creatives to share their stories and experiences through writing. That is the only way to affect change.

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