MPs decided that materials collected by the cameras should only be accessible to investigative bodies of the police and the Tax and Customs Board.

Additionally, instead of the previous three months, the materials may now be stored for exactly 45 days.

Minister of the Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200) said crime prevention is included in the bill, but it is now more narrowly defined.

"In cases where there is a need to identify an elevated threat. For example, when a crime has not yet fully occurred, someone is fleeing somewhere, there is reason to pursue, or, say, a missing person needs to be rescued. In that sense, it is also preventive action," told Thursday's "Aktuaalne kaamera."

The cameras will no longer be used for traffic surveillance. Riigikogu member Mati Raidma (Reform), who proposed the changes, said it must be clearly defined who has access to the data and, in particular, how oversight is carried out.

"In that sense, it is encouraging that this reintroduced bill has reached a phase where the executive branch is taking it much more seriously, and through cooperation between various ministries they have managed to bring clarity to many of the general and vague regulations and control mechanisms," he told the show.

Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, a member of the opposition Center Party, said the current debate has been too one-sided. She thinks there has been no discussion about why the cameras are needed in the first place.

The MP also believes the bill has been rushed. Numerous corrections are needed, from the photographing of individuals to limiting the number of officials who can access the data, she said.

"Is it even appropriate that 1,400 officials have access, and now the Ministry of Finance is also demanding that officials of the Tax and Customs Board have that right to access the cameras? The question here is why so many officials should be granted that right, because we understand that the larger the number, the greater the risk of abuse or potential data leaks," said Kovalenko-Kõlvart.

Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee Madis Timpson (Reform) said that the committee will revisit the ANPR camera bill in September, and hopefully, the second reading will also take place that same month.

The bill must pass three readings and then be promulgated by the president before it becomes law.

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