On Tuesday, the Riigikogu committees convened. They decided that the laws on military service and employment contracts need to be revisited. The President's comments must be taken into account.
President Alar Karis did not promulgate these laws. He found that they violate the principle of equal treatment. For example, the military service law states that only those who know Estonian at the B1 level are called up for military service.
President Karis said that all Estonian citizens must participate in national defense. If any group is exempt from military service, it must be fair. People cannot be forced into military service if they do not meet the language requirement.
The Riigikogu Constitutional Committee found that the laws are in conflict with the Constitution. They recommended changing the laws. The National Defense Committee supported this. Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that the law should be amended and the language requirement removed.
President Karis also did not promulgate the Employment Contracts Act. He found that Estonia's Constitution was violated during its processing. The Riigikogu amended the text of the law after its adoption without a legal basis.
The Riigikogu Legal Affairs Committee found that the law needs to be clarified. The committee said that the change was technical but violated the Constitution. The Riigikogu will discuss both laws on Wednesday. If the law is not adopted unchanged, amendments will be proposed.