The Expose
written by Rhoda Wilson
Saturday November 25, 2023
On 22 November, 11 Members of the Estonian Parliament wrote a letter to the World Health Organisation (“WHO”) to reject the proposed international agreement on pandemic prevention preparedness and response – also known as the “Pandemic Treaty” or “Pandemic Accord”. The letter also rejects the amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (“IHR”).
Last month we published an article explaining that in May 2022 the World Health Assembly (“WHA”) quietly agreed to reduce the period during which nations have to opt out of future amendments to the International Health Regulations. For nations to retain the longer 18-month period previously allowed for nations to opt-out, countries need to send WHO a short note that they are opting out of the amendments decided by the WHA in 2022 before 1 December 2023.
The letter from the Estonian MPs is dated 22 November 2023, 8 days before the 1 December deadline. The MPs haven’t simply opted out of the amendments decided by the WHA in 2022, they have gone much further and rejected both the proposed Pandemic Treaty and the IHR amendments in their entirety as well as additional funding to WHO.
Kalle Grรผnthal, one of the MPs who signed the letter, broke the news on Facebook. The letter begins:
Hereby, the Republic of Estonia, based on Article 22 of the Statute of the World Health Organisation, declares that it rejects and does not consent to the international agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response as well as complementary amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) and to improving the sustainability of WHO funding.
Estonia Said No to the Implementation of Forcing Measures, Kalle Grรผnthal on Facebook, 23 November 2023
You can read the full letter in the image at the end of this article.
As Estonian alternative media site Telegram.ee noted, this contradicts a decision made early last year. On 4 March 2022, the Estonian European Union Affairs Committee (“EUAC”) held a meeting to vote on whether the European Commission was authorised to negotiate WHO’s two instruments on behalf of Estonia.
The EUAC is a standing committee of the Parliament of Estonia (the Riigikogu) and has a deciding and coordinating role on issues relating to the European Union. The Estonian government is bound by EUAC’s decisions and uses these decisions in its discussions in Europe. If the Government does not follow EUAC’s decisions then it must provide EUAC with the reasons for not doing so.
At the March 2022 meeting, three members of the EUAC voted against and nine voted in favour of giving the European Commission the authority to open negotiations on a Pandemic Treaty, IHR amendments and improving the sustainability of WHO funding on behalf of the Republic of Estonia.
Now the Parliament of Estonia has spoken. Below is a copy of the letter from the parliamentarians to WHO rejecting its Pandemic Treaty and IHR amendments.
Telegram News, Estonia local
written by Staff
Thursday November 23, 2023
Among the 101 members of the Riigikogu, there were eleven brave ones who sent a letter to the WHO yesterday, November 22 at 19:01, in which they announced that Estonia rejects and does not give consent to the international agreement on pandemic preparedness and response and international health regulations (2005) to the proposal for additional changes.
Among them were 10 members of the EKRE faction (Martin Helme, Varro Vooglaid, Kalle Grรผnthal, Kert Kingo, Arvo Aller, Rain Epler, Evelin Poolamets, Rene Kokk, Helle-Moonika Helme and Ants Frosch) and 1 member of the Center Party faction (Aleksandr ฤaplรตgin).
The Estonian text of the letter was as follows:
Hereby, the Republic of Estonia, based on Article 22 of the Statute of the World Health Organization, declares that it rejects and does not consent to the International Agreement on Pandemic Preparedness and Response and additional amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) and to improving the sustainability of WHO funding.
The reasons for rejection and non-acceptance are as follows:
1. Based on § 121 of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia, only the 101-member parliament ratifies and denounces treaties in the Republic of Estonia. Parliament has not adopted such a decision.
2. Considering what has been stated in point 1, the decision of the European Union Affairs Committee established at the Parliament of March 4, 2022, which authorized the European Commission to negotiate on behalf of the Republic of Estonia the international agreement on pandemic preparedness and response and additional amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) and WHO funding, is invalid. by improving sustainability.
3. Considering what is stated in point 1 and point 2, the decision of the European Union Affairs Committee of 04 March 2022 is invalid from the time of its adoption, because only nine (9) MPs out of one hundred and one (101) MPs voted for this decision.
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