ESTONIA

I.  Parliament suspends vote on cable TV bill.

        The Estonian parliament on [27th January] suspended the second reading of a bill on cable communication, a move which apparently leaves the final vote on the bill to be taken by the new legislature.  The suspension of the second reading, which occurred already for the fourth time, came at the initiative of the parliament’s economics committee.
 The parliament had previously voted into the draft all amendments suggested by Reform Party MP Kalev Kukk, which experts say again significantly altered the contents of the bill.  The economics committee then proposed that the second reading be suspended.  The deadline for new proposals of amendments was set for 3rd February.  The parliament’s scheduled full sessions only take place until 25th February.  General elections in Estonia are scheduled for 7th March.
 The parliament started handling the bill on cable television in April last year.  Two associations of Estonian cable television operators have differently assessed the bill, with one of them saying the law would legalize a monopoly on the cable television market.

BNS news agency, Tallinn, January 28, 1999

Last Updated: 11/20/99

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