Estonia's outgoing president convened National Defense Council on 9 occasions

  • 2021-10-05
  • BNS/TBT Staff

TALLINN - Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid convened the National Defense Council nine times during her term of office, spokespeople for the outgoing head of state said on Monday. 

For the first time, the head of state convened the National Defense Council in December 2016 to discuss the security of supply of energy.

At a sitting of the National Defense Council in February 2017, the minister of defense and the commander of the defense forces briefed the council on the arrival of additional NATO allied forces in Estonia. In April of the same year, the National Defense Council focused on the events in Syria, their impact on the security situation in Europe and the surrounding area, as well as terrorist acts in St. Petersburg and Stockholm.

A sitting in July 2017 discussed military exercises in the Baltic Sea region in the summer of 2017, whereas a sitting in November of the same year discussed matters related to the ID-card crisis and cyber security more broadly.

The National Defense Council meeting in April 2018 discussed the lessons and consequences of the ID-card crisis of the previous autumn. The consequences of the ID-card crisis were also discussed during a meeting held in July 2019.

The National Defense Council meeting held in October of the same year addressed Estonia's energy security and the green transition.

A meeting of the National Defense Council in November 2020 discussed allied relations with the United States in relation to statements made by some members of the Estonian government and issues related to the security of Estonia's e-elections.

The National Defense Council is an advisory body to the president of the republic. Sessions of the council are held as often as required. The members of the council are the president of the Riigikogu, the prime minister, the chairman of the national defense committee of the Riigikogu, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Riigikogu, the minister of foreign affairs, the minister of defense, the minister of finance, the minister of the interior, the minister of justice, the minister of economic affairs and infrastructure, the minister of foreign trade and information technology and the commander of the defense forces. The council discusses key issues from the point of view of national defense and expresses its opinions on these issues.