Money laundering 'superdatabase' amendment fails to gain a single Riigikogu vote

A money laundering data bureau "superdatabase" law failed to pass a Riigikogu vote Wednesday.
The law, officially the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act, had already failed to pass at the Riigikogu and was voted on in its unamended form.
Not a single MP at the 101-seat house voted in favor, while 70 voted against.
Seventeen MPs abstained, and 14 were absent from Wednesday's Riigikogu session.
Since the Riigikogu did not re-adopt the law unchanged, a deadline was set for submitting amendment proposals.
In early July, President Alar Karis declined to promulgate the law, citing an excessive restriction on the right to informational self-determination, making it unconstitutional.
The head of state noted that the transparency of data processing can be restricted when it comes to the detection and prevention of crimes, but restrictions must be purposeful and cannot depend solely on the decision of a state authority. The president considered it necessary for the law to be debated again at the Riigikogu, and to be brought into line with the Constitution.
Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise too has expressed opposition to the so-called superdatabase law, stating in an interview with Vikerraadio that the law may be unconstitutional. If the head of state were to promulgate it in its current form, Madise said she would likely have to approach the Supreme Court for constitutional review.
The bill aimed to make changes to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act related to the enhancement and differentiation of the data processing functions of the money laundering data bureau's database. The bill mainly concerned personal data and how this would be processed.
The money laundering data bureau's database functions were to include strategic analysis capability to process anonymous but, if necessary, reversible data, carry out profile analyses, and use text and data mining. The Data Protection Inspectorate (AKI) would have supervised the process, and, once a year, the money laundering data bureau would have submitted a report on the fulfillment of its duties to the relevant Riigikogu special committee.
Rain Epler (EKRE), Peeter Ernits (Independent), Kalle Grünthal (Independent), Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart (Center), Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa), Riina Sikkut (SDE) and Varro Vooglaid (EKRE) were the MPs who spoke during the debate over the bill.
When the Riigikogu does not re-adopt a law unchanged, a deadline is set for submitting amendment proposals. Further proceedings will continue in the standard way.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Johanna Alvin










