J. Raidla eelnõu tõlge

– based on the irrefutable right to self-determination;
– expressing their steadfast will to consolidate and develop the Republic of Estonia which was declared on February 24, 1918;
– based on the firm wish to restore state independence and sovereignty as expressed in the March 3, 1991 Referendum;
– guided by the universally recognized principles of international law, and the resolve to base the Estonian state, present and the future, on justice, law and liberty;
– affirming fidelity to democracy and human rights;
– desiring peace and security for the present and future generations in the Republic of Estonia, 

adopted by the Referendum of ……………………… 1992 the following 

Art. 1. Estonia is an independent and sovereign democratic republic, wherein the supreme power of the state is held by the people. 

Estonia’s independence and sovereignty is interminable and inalienable. 

Art. 2. In Estonia no one may implement state power except through the Constitution, and legislation which is in concordance with the Constitution. The universally accepted principles and norms of international law shall be an inseparable part of the Estonian legal system. 

The laws of the Republic of Estonia shall be published according to the prescribed procedures. 

It shall only be obligatory to follow laws which have been published. 

Art. 5. The land, territorial waters and airspace of the Republic of Estonia is an inseparable and indivisible whole. 

The borders of the Republic of Estonia shall be determined by international treaties. 

The Republic of Estonia is a unitary state in its state regulation, where the division of administrative territory is determined by law. 

Art. 7. The Estonian state colors are blue, black and white. 

The shape of the state flag and coat-of-arms shall be determined by law.

Art. 10. Everyone is equal before the law, regardless of nationality, race, sex, language, religion, political or other persuasion, and social background. 

In Estonia everyone has the right to the protection of the state and the law. 

Art. 14. The inviolability of the individual shall be guaranteed. 

Noone can have their freedom taken from them, nor their personal rights restricted, other than in cases which are specified and regulated by law. Any person who is arrested, shall be immediately informed in a language and manner which is understandable to that person, of the reason for the arrest, and of his or her rights. 

Noone can be held in custody for over forty-eight hours without a court order. The court order shall be announced immediately to the person under arrest in a language and manner which is understandable to that person. 

Art. 15. Noone can be declared guilty of a crime, before a court decision with a guilty verdict against the person has come into force. 

Noone shall be obligated to prove his or her innocence. 

Noone can be forced to give testimony against him or herself, or against his or her close family. 

Art. 16. Noone can be held legally accountable if his or her deed was not declared illegal by a law which was in force before the deed was committed. 

Noone can be sentenced to a more severe penalty than that which was applicable during the time of committing the deed. If the law determines a lighter penalty after the deed has been committed, this lighter penalty shall be applicable to the person. 

Noone can be tried or penalized a second time for a deed of which he or she has been acquitted or declared guilty, according to the appropriate law. 

Art. 18. Court sessions shall be public. The court may, in accordance with procedures determined by law, declare its session or part of its session to be closed, in order to protect state or business secrets, morality, and the private lives of individuals. 

Court decisions shall be made public. 

Art. 21. Noone may be tortured, or treated or penalized in a brutal or demeaning manner. 

Noone may be used in medical or research experiments without his or her freely given consent. 

Art. 25. No citizen may be exiled from Estonia. 

No citizen may be deprived of the right to enter Estonia. 

Art. 26. Everyone shall have freedom of ideas, religion and conscience. 

Everyone shall be free to belong to churches and religious associations. There shall be no state religion. 

Everyone shall be free to follow religious practices, unless these endanger public order, morality or the health of the population. 

Art. 27. Everyone shall have the right to adhere to his or her opinions and persuasions without hindrance. 

Persuasions shall not be an excuse for breaking the law. 

Noone may be held legally accountable for his or her persuasions. 

Art. 28. Every citizen has the right to freely propagate information and to express his or her opinions and persuasions. This right may be restricted according to conditions and procedures determined by law, in order to protect state security, public order, business secrets, morality, the health of the population and the honor and dignity of other persons. 

There shall be no state censorship. 

Art. 32. Citizens have the right to conduct peaceful meetings. 

The right to conduct open-air meetings may, according to conditions and procedures determined by law, be restricted, in order to ensure the safety of state security, public order, morality, traffic and of the participants of the meeting, as well as to prevent the spread of disease. 

Art. 33. Citizens have the right, according to the law, to assemble in non-profit associations and leagues without special permission. Special permission, as determined by law, shall be necessary for the creation of associations and leagues which use weapons, or who are militarily organized or who undertake military exercises. 

Secret associations and leagues shall be forbidden, as well as associations and leagues whose aims or activity is in contradiction to criminal law. 

In the case of the law being broken, only the courts have the right to terminate or suspend the activity of an association or league, or issue a fine. 

Art. 36. The family and private life shall be under the protection of the state. 

Spouses shall have equal rights. 

The protection of mothers and children shall be determined by law. 

The responsibility for the care of those who require assistance shall lie primarily with the members of the family. 

Art. 37. Every citizen has the right to an education. Schooling shall be compulsory for school-age children, according to the extent determined by law, and shall be free of charge in state and local government general education schools. 

In order to ensure the availability of education, the state and local governments shall maintain educational institutions. Private schools and other educational institutions may be opened and run, according to conditions determined by law. 

In the choice of an education for minors, the parents shall have precedence. 

Everyone shall be ensured an education in the state language. Educational institutions for minorities shall have their national language as the language of instruction, as well as the state language, according to conditions and extent determined by law. 

The provision of education shall be under the supervision of the state. 

Art. 38. Science and the arts, as well as their instruction, shall operate freely. 

Research and higher education institutions shall be autonomous, according to the extent determined by law. 

Art. 40. The right to property and inheritance shall be guaranteed by the state. The content and extent of these rights shall be determined by law. 

Property may be expropriated without the consent of the owner only according to the conditions and procedures determined by law, for the common purpose, and in return for just and immediate compensation. In the case of dispute, the right to appeal to the courts shall be guaranteed. 

Nothing in the present Article shall hinder special confiscation, as determined by law. 

Art. 41. Every citizen has the freedom to choose a field of activity, place of employment and profession, according to the conditions determined by law. 

Noone may be forced to be employed or to go into service without his or her freely given consent, excepting service in the defense forces, or the work service replacing it, as well as work in the case of natural catastrophes and for the prevention of the spread of disease, as well as work resulting from a guilty verdict by a court. 

Work shall be under the protection of the state and working conditions under the control of the state. The state shall organize vocational instruction and assist in finding employment. Resolution of work-related disputes shall be determined by law. 

Workers and employers shall be free to belong to associations and leagues. Associations of workers and employees may protect their legal interests and rights using means which are not forbidden by law. Conditions and procedures for the use of the right to strike shall be determined by law. 

The freedom of collective contracts shall be protected by law. 

Art. 44. The state shall ensure assistance to its citizens in the case of old age, inability to work, loss of provider and want. Categories of assistance, and the extent, conditions and procedures shall be determined by law. 

Voluntary and local government care shall be favored. 

Families with many children and handicapped persons shall be under the special care of the state. 

Art. 47. In regions, where the language of the majority is not the state language, it shall be permitted to use the language of the majority in local government institutions for internal procedures, according to procedures determined by law. 

The use of foreign languages in court procedures and state institutions shall be determined by law. 

Art. 50. Citizens of foreign states and stateless persons who sojourn in Estonia shall be obligated to honor the constitutional system of the Republic of Estonia and to obey Estonian laws. 

Articles 10, 12–22, 26, 27, 31, 35, 36, 39, 41 Paragraph 2, 43 and 45–48 of the Constitution shall be equally applicable to Estonian citizens and citizens of foreign states and stateless persons. Unless otherwise specified by law, Articles 23, 24, 28–30, 32–34, 37, 38, 40, 41 Paragraphs 1, 3, 4 and 5, 44 and 47 of the Constitution shall be equally applicable to Estonian citizens and citizens of foreign states and stateless persons. The legal status of citizens of foreign states and stateless persons shall be determined in more detail by law. 

Art. 56. Legislative power in the Republic of Estonia shall belong to the Riigikogu. 

The Riigikogu has ninety-nine members, who shall be elected by citizens with the right to vote, in a general, uniform, direct and secret ballot for a period of four years. 

The procedures for the elections to the Riigikogu shall be determined by the Riigikogu election law. 

Art. 63. The first session of the new complement of the Riigikogu shall be called by the President of the Republic. 

Sessions of the Riigikogu shall be held from the second Tuesday in January to the third Thursday in June, and from the second Tuesday in September to the third Thursday in December. Extraordinary sessions shall be called by the Council of the Riigikogu, of its own volition, or on proposal by the President of the Republic or the Government, or on demand by at least one-third of the members of the Riigikogu. 

Art. 67. The members of the Riigikogu have the right to present queries to the Government of the Republic, the President of the Bank of Estonia and other officials who have been appointed by the Riigikogu, as well as to present questions to state officials in order to obtain information. 

Answers to queries and questions must be provided within twenty days. Responses to queries shall be provided at Riigikogu sessions. 

Art. 68. Criminal procedures against a member of the Riigikogu can be initiated only on proposal by the Legal Chancellor, with the agreement of at least two-thirds of the complement of the Riigikogu. 

If a guilty verdict by a court comes into force for a member of the Riigikogu, his or her authority shall be considered to have ceased. 

Art. 70. The President of the Republic shall be elected by citizens with the right to vote in a general, uniform, direct and secret ballot for a period of five years, but for no more than two consecutive terms. 

Any citizen of the Republic of Estonia who is at least 40 years old and has been resident in Estonia for at least 25 years can be elected as President of the Republic. 

The procedures for the election of the President of the Republic shall be determined by law. 

Art. 74. Should the President of the Republic not be able to fulfil his or her official duties in the cases specified by law, or his or her authority has prematurely ceased, the Prime Minister shall temporarily fulfil the duties of the President of the Republic. The duties of the Prime Minister shall be fulfilled in this period by one of the members of the Government, according to Article 86 of the Constitution. 

Should the President of the Republic not be able to fulfil his or her duties for more than three consecutive months, or a guilty verdict by a court has come into force against him or her, the Riigikogu shall declare elections for the President of the Republic. 

Art. 79. The President of the Republic, on proposal by the Legal Chancellor, may have criminal proceedings initiated against him or her with the agreement of two-thirds of the complement of the Riigikogu. 

Should a guilty verdict by a court come into force against the President of the Republic, the authority of the President of the Republic shall be considered to have ceased. 

Art. 83. The President of the Republic shall present the candidate for Prime Minister to the Riigikogu no later than two weeks after the cessation of authority of the Government of the Republic. The candidate for Prime Minister may begin to form a Government of the Republic when he or she obtains an absolute majority vote in the Riigikogu. 

Should the candidate for Prime Minister not obtain an absolute majority, the President of the Republic shall present, at the latest within a week, a new candidate who must receive a majority yes-vote in the Riigikogu. Should the candidate for Prime Minister not obtain a majority yes-vote this time, the President of the Republic shall present the next candidate. 

Art. 84. The candidate for Prime Minister who has received the authority shall present, at the latest within two weeks, to the President of the Republic the composition of the Government of the Republic. The President of the Republic may, on request by the candidate for Prime Minister, to extend this deadline by a week. 

Should the candidate for Prime Minister be now unable to form a Government of the Republic, the President of the Republic shall present a new candidate for Prime Minister. 

The formation of the Government of the Republic must be completed within sixty days after the first inclusion of it in the agenda of the Riigikogu. Should the candidate for Prime Minister be unable within this time period to present the composition of the Government of the Republic to the President of the Republic, or the Riigikogu rejects all the candidates for Prime Minister presented by the President of the Republic, or the candidate for Prime Minister desists from forming the Government of the Republic, the President of the Republic shall declare elections for a new complement of the Riigikogu. 

Art. 85. The Government of the Republic shall be appointed and recalled by the President of the Republic. Should the Prime Minister be recalled, the entire Government of the Republic shall resign. 

Members of the Government of the Republic shall be appointed and recalled, on proposal by the Prime Minister, by the corresponding decision by the President of the Republic. 

Art. 87. In order to organize specific spheres of government, appropriate ministries shall be formed, as determined by law. 

A Minister shall head a ministry, handle issues pertaining to the governmental sphere of the ministry, issue written orders and ordinances and fulfil other duties which have been allocated to the Minister, according to procedures determined by law. 

Should a Minister be temporarily unable to fulfil his or her duties, due to illness or other interferences, the Prime Minister shall allocate the Minister’s duties to another Minister, for this period. 

Art. 89. The Government of the Republic or its member shall be considered to have assumed office from the time of swearing the oath of office. The oath of office shall be sworn before the Riigikogu to the President of the Republic. 

The Prime Minister and the members of the Government of the Republic may not be in any other elected or appointed position, excepting membership in the Riigikogu, nor fulfil obligations as members of the leadership or councils of profit-making associations and leagues. 

Art. 91. The sessions of the Government of the Republic shall be closed, unless the Government of the Republic decides otherwise. 

The Government of the Republic shall make its decisions on proposal from the pertinent Minister. 

The regulations issued by the Government of the Republic shall be valid, when they have been signed by the Prime Minister, the pertinent Minister and the State Secretary. 

Art. 92. The State Chancellory works with the Government of the Republic. The Chancellory shall be headed by the State Secretary. 

The State Secretary shall be appointed and recalled by the Prime Minister. 

The State Secretary, in heading his or her office, shall have all rights which have been allocated by law to Ministers. 

Art. 93. The Riigikogu, with an corresponding resolution, may declare no-confidence in the Government of the Republic or in a single member of the Government of the Republic. 

The question of no-confidence may be initiated at a session of the Riigikogu, whereby at least one-fourth of the complement of the Riigikogu must present the appropriate written demand. The issue may be decided at the earliest on the day following its presentation, unless the Government of the Republic demands that the issue be resolved sooner. The no-confidence motion shall be considered to have been declared when the majority of the complement of the Riigikogu supports it. 

The Council of the Riigikogu shall inform the President of the Republic of the declaration of no-confidence in the Government of the Republic or in one of its members. 

Art. 94. The Riigikogu shall vote without delay on the issue of confidence should the Riigikogu reject draft legislation whose adoption the Government of the Republic has tied to the issue of confidence. 

No-confidence in the Government of the Republic or in one of its members on the same issue may be again initiated three months after the previous no-confidence vote. 

Art. 95. The Prime Minister and Ministers can only be charged with a crime on proposal by the Legal Chancellor and with the agreement of two-thirds of the complement of the Riigikogu. 

Should a guilty verdict by a court be entered against the Prime Minister or Ministers, their authority shall be considered to have ceased. 

Art. 97. The right to initiate legislation shall be by: 
1) at least one-sixth of the complement of the Riigikogu;
2) jointly by at least two permanent sub-committees of the Riigikogu;
3) the President of the Republic, according to Article 157 of the Constitution;
4) the Government of the Republic. 

The Riigikogu has the right, by resolution of the majority of its complement, to propose to the Government of the Republic to initiate a draft which has been recommended by the Riigikogu. 

The President of the Republic has the right to propose to the Government of the Republic to initiate a draft recommended by the President of the Republic or the Defense Council. 

Art. 99. Drafts initiated by members of the Riigikogu and the permanent sub-committees of the Riigikogu, which would result in reduction of revenue from the state budget or the increase in expenditure or the re-distribution of expenditure, must include the necessary monetary calculations by the initiators, showing the sources of revenue to cover the corresponding expenditure. These drafts shall be included for discussion in the Riigikogu on agreement by the Government of the Republic. 

Should the proposals for amendments include the reduction of state revenues or the increase in expenditure, these may only be included for adoption in the Riigikogu with agreement from the Government of the Republic. 

Art. 101. The Riigikogu shall have the right to put draft legislation to a referendum. 

The Riigikogu may also put to referendum a law which has been adopted but left unproclaimed by the President of the Republic and sent back to the Riigikogu. 

The decision by the people shall be determined by the majority of yes-votes of those who participated in the ballot. 

Art. 102. Legislation adopted by referendum shall be proclaimed by the President of the Republic without delay. The result of a referendum shall be binding on state bodies. 

Should legislation or draft legislation which has been put to a referendum not obtain the required majority of votes, the authority of the Riigikogu shall be considered to have ceased and the President of the Republic shall declare elections for the new complement of the Riigikogu. 

Art. 103. Issues pertaining to taxes, state borders, foreign treaties, mobilization and de-mobilization, the implementation and ending of a state of emergency and the monetary obligations of the state may not be put to a referendum. 

Procedures for a referendum shall be determined by law. 

Art. 104. Legislation shall be proclaimed by resolution by the President of the Republic. 

The President of the Republic may, on his or her own volition or on proposal by the Riigikogu, not proclaim legislation adopted by the Riigikogu, and return it, together with the resolution of justification and within twenty days of having received it, to the Riigikogu for new debate and resolution. 

Should the Riigikogu not modify the legislation on resolution of two-thirds of its complement, the President of the Republic shall proclaim it. 

Unless the procedures or timetable are otherwise specified in the legislation or resolution for proclamation, the legislation shall come into force on the tenth day after it has been published in the “Riigi Teataja” (State Gazette). 

Art. 105. The President of the Republic may, in the case when the Riigikogu is between sessions and there are state needs which cannot be postponed, or when the activity of the Riigikogu is hindered, issue decrees, with the co-signature of the Prime Minister, which have the force of law. 

The President of the Republic shall present the decrees to the Riigikogu within two weeks from the beginning of the ordinary or extraordinary session of the Riigikogu, and the Riigikogu shall adopt legislation to approve, amend or annul the decrees. 

Art. 111. The names and the units of the currency of the Republic of Estonia shall be determined by law. 

The sole right to issue currency shall lie with the Bank of Estonia. 

Art. 116. The Riigikogu shall adopt as legislation for each calendar year a state budget for all state revenue and expenditures. 

The Government of the Republic shall present the draft of the state budget to the Riigikogu by October 15 at the latest. 

The Riigikogu may increase the expenditures specified in the draft of the state budget, and include new expenditures into budget only with agreement from the Government of the Republic. The Riigikogu may not remove or reduce those expenditures specified in the draft of the budget which have been determined by law. 

Procedures for the compilation and adoption of the budget shall be determined by law. 

Art. 118. The budget adopted by the Riigikogu shall be proclaimed by the President of the Republic and shall come into force from the beginning of the budget year. Should the Riigikogu not adopt the budget by the deadline, it shall be permitted to make expenditures each month to a limit of one-twelfth of the amount of the budget of the previous year. 

Should the Riigikogu not have adopted the annual budget by April 1, the authority of the Riigikogu shall be considered to have ceased and the President of the Republic shall declare elections for the new complement of the Riigikogu. 

Art. 119. Estonian citizens shall be obligated to participate in the national defense, according to the bases and procedures prescribed by law. Estonian citizens who, for reasons of religion or morality, refuse to serve in the defense forces, shall be obligated to serve in alternative labor service, according to the bases prescribed by law. 

Should the law not determine otherwise in the interests of special types of service, citizens in the defense forces and labor service shall have all constitutional rights, freedoms and duties. It shall not be permitted to restrict the rights and freedoms prescribed in Articles 8, 10–22, 25–27, 29, 31, 35–37, 39, 40, 43, 44 and 46–48 in the Constitution. The legal status of citizens in the defense forces and labor service shall be determined in more detail by law. 

Art. 120. The Defense Council shall be the advisory body with the President of the Republic. 

The composition and duties of the Defense Council shall be determined by law. 

Art. 121. The Estonian armed forces shall be led by the Commander of the armed forces. 

In time of peace, the Commander of the armed forces shall be appointed by the Riigikogu, on proposal by the President of the Republic. In time of war, the President of the Republic shall appoint the Commander of the armed forces. 

Art. 123. The Riigikogu shall, on proposal by the President of the Republic, declare war, a state of emergency, mobilization and de-mobilization, and shall decide on the use of the Estonian armed forces in fulfilling the international obligations of the Republic of Estonia. 

In the case of military attack on the Republic, the President of the Republic, on proposal by the Government of the Republic, may begin war activity, and declare a state of war and mobilization, without waiting for a resolution by the Riigikogu. 

Art. 124. The majority of the complement of the Riigikogu may, in the case of danger to the Estonian constitutional system, on proposal by the President of the Republic, declare a state of emergency in the country, but for no longer than three months. 

In the time between sessions of the Riigikogu, the President of the Republic, in the case of danger to the Estonian constitutional system, may declare a state of emergency in the whole country, but for no longer than three months. On the declaration of a state of emergency, the President of the Republic shall immediately convene the Riigikogu, and shall present the resolution declaring a state of emergency to it for approval. The Riigikogu shall adopt it with a majority of its complement. Should the Riigikogu not adopt the resolution by the President of the Republic, the state of emergency loses its validity as of the proclamation of the resolution by the Riigikogu. 

The procedures for a state of emergency shall be determined by law. 

Art. 125. In time of a state of emergency or war, the rights and freedoms of citizens may be restricted, and duties may be added, in the interests of the security of the state and public order, and according to the bases and procedures determined by law. It shall not be permitted to restrict those rights and freedoms, which are prescribed in Articles 8, 10–17, 19–22, 25–27, 29, 33–39 and 43–48 of the Constitution. 

Legislation enacted due to a state of emergency or war shall not have retrospective force. 

Art. 126. The Riigikogu shall not be elected, nor shall its authority be terminated during a state of war or emergency. 

The authority of the President of the Republic, the Riigikogu and the representative bodies of local government shall be extended should it end during a state of emergency or war or within three months from the end of state of emergency or war. In these cases, new elections shall be declared within three months of the end of a state of emergency or war. 

Art. 130. State Control shall be independent in its activities. 

The State Controller shall present each year to the Riigikogu an review of the use of state resources and the preservation of assets during the previous budget year, at the same time as debate on the state budget report in the Riigikogu. 

Art. 131. The State Controller shall participate in sessions of the Government of the Republic with the right to speak on issues related to his or her duties. The State Controller shall have all the rights, which have been prescribed by law to Ministers, in the supervision of his or her office. 

The State Controller may be charged with a criminal offence, according to procedures prescribed by Article 95 of the Constitution. 

The more detailed organization of the State Control shall be determined by law. 

Art. 132. The Legal Chancellor shall ensure that the legal acts of the state and the government bodies are in concordance with the Constitution and legislation. 

In the cases prescribed in Articles 68, 79 and 95 of the Constitution, the Legal Chancellor shall propose to the Riigikogu the instigation of criminal proceedings against members of the Riigikogu, the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the Ministers. 

Art. 140. Judges shall be appointed for the duration of their lifetime, but not beyond their sixty-fifth birthday. 

Judges may not hold any other elected or nominated positions, except in cases prescribed by law. 

Art. 141. The court system shall be comprised of: 
1) country and town courts, as well as administrative courts;
2) district courts;
3) Supreme Court. 

The creation of special courts for certain cases or subjects shall be determined by law. 

The creation of emergency courts shall be forbidden. 

Art. 142. Country and town courts, as well as administrative courts, shall be first level courts. 

District courts shall be second level courts, and shall examine the decisions of first level courts, in the case of appeals. 

The Supreme Court shall be the highest court in the state, which shall examine court decisions in the case of appeals. 

The organization of courts and court procedures shall be determined by law. 

Art. 144. The court, in the resolution of a specific court case, shall not apply any law or other legal act which is in contradiction to the Constitution. 

The court, on application by anyone, may declare a law or other legal act to be in contradiction to the Constitution. 

Should the Supreme Court, on examination of a specific court case, find that an enacted law violates the basic rights and freedoms of citizens or prevents their application, or places obligations upon citizens which are in contradiction to the provisions and spirit of the Constitution, it shall apply to the Riigikogu to amend the law within 20 days or to declare the law to be null and void. 

Should an enacted law be in contradiction to the Constitution, the Supreme Court, on proposal by the Legal Chancellor, shall declare this law to be null and void. 

Art. 145. A judge may be charged with a criminal offence during his or her holding office only by proposal of the Supreme Court on the basis of a resolution of the President. 

The Chairman of the Supreme Court may be charged with a criminal offence during his or her holding office only by proposal of the Legal Chancellor with the agreement of two-thirds of the complement of the Riigikogu. 

Art. 147. Local government shall act independently in fulfilling its duties, according to the law. 

The authority of local government must not be restricted by state bodies or officials, except in the cases prescribed by law. 

Extra duties may be placed upon local government only as specified by law and in agreement with the local government. 

Art. 149. The representative body of the district, township and town shall be the representative council, which is elected in a general, direct, uniform and secret ballot for three years by residents with the right to vote in the local government district. 

Everyone who is at least eighteen years old and lives permanently on the territory of the respective local government district has voting rights in the election for the representative body of the local government, according to conditions determined by law. 

Art. 153. Local governments shall have their own independent budget, the formation of which shall be determined by law. Based on the law, local governments may implement taxes and impose fees. 

The expenditures for extra burdens placed upon local governments shall be covered from the state budget. 

Art. 155. The relationship between state bodies and local governments, and the supervision of the activity of the local government bodies shall be determined by law. 

In the cases, and according to procedures prescribed by law, the President of the Republic, on proposal by the Government of the Republic, shall have the right to suspend the activity of the local government bodies, or to declare their activity to have ceased. 

Art. 157. The right to initiate amendments to the Constitution shall lie with the majority of the complement of the Riigikogu and with the President of the Republic. 

Amendments to the Constitution may not be inititiated or applied during the time of a state of war or emergency. 

Art. 158. Chapter I “General Provisions” and Chapter XV “Amendments to the Constitution” of the Constitution may only be amended by referendum. It shall be mandatory that the draft amendments of these chapters, as presented for referendum, be approved by four-fifths of the complement of the Riigikogu. 

Other provisions of the Constitution may be amended by referendum, on resolution by the Riigikogu.