Urmas Reinsalu, chairman of Isamaa, said he does not support the current form of the draft. He believes the draft conflates issues of domestic violence and public gatherings. Reinsalu recommends abandoning the draft and focusing solely on restrictions against domestic violence.
Lauri Läänemets, chairman of the Social Democratic Party, thinks the draft gives the government too much power. He says that law enforcement agencies have problems with public gatherings, but the solutions are not always appropriate. Läänemets wants more public discussion on the topic.
Mart Helme, deputy chairman of EKRE, criticizes the draft, saying it gives officials too much power to decide on public gatherings. He believes that Estonian laws are already sufficient to regulate domestic violence and protests.
Lauri Laats, leader of the Riigikogu Center Party faction, says that Eesti 200 ministers are dealing with drafts that infringe on people’s rights. He promises to turn to the Chancellor of Justice if the draft reaches the Riigikogu.
According to the Ministry of the Interior’s draft, the police can impose a temporary ban on larger public gatherings, even when the threat is not yet significant. The main goal of the draft is to help victims of domestic violence and ensure they feel safe. The temporary ban duration is planned to be extended from 12 hours to 72 hours so that victims have better access to social services.