Estonian Review 8 - 14 October 2010

FOREIGN NEWS
DOMESTIC NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
CULTURAL NEWS
SPORTS NEWS

FOREIGN NEWS

Estonia Supports Iceland’s Accession to European Union

8 October - At his meeting with Icelandic Foreign Minister Össur Skarphédinsson, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet confirmed that Estonia supports Iceland’s accession to the European Union and therefore also EU enlargement in Northern Europe.
Foreign Minister Paet stated that Iceland will always have a special emotional significance for Estonia, as it was the first country to recognise the independence of the Republic of Estonia on 22 August 1991.
Paet and Skarphédinsson spoke in detail about the status of Iceland’s accession negotiations with the European Union. “We hope that the meaningful accession negotiations will continue to go smoothly and that the support of the Icelandic people for accession will increase,” said Paet. The foreign minister added that Estonia continues to be prepared to share its accession experiences with Iceland within the framework of bilateral aid and in co-operation with the commission. “We are prepared to share our experiences regarding accession negotiations in complicated areas like agriculture, structural means, the environment, taxes, and also public awareness,” Paet noted.
In talking about regional co-operation, the ministers dedicated considerable time to the Nordic-Baltic co-operation report. Paet said that the proposals made in the report completed this past summer are a good basis for future co-operation in concrete projects. “The report offers concrete proposals for developing co-operation among the Nordic and Baltic states in the future. The matters addressed in the report will be discussed by the NB8 prime ministers at their meeting in Reykjavik on 1 November,” Paet said.
The topic of the Arctic was also addressed at the meeting. Foreign Minister Paet said that the European Union’s role in Arctic matters will grow and therefore it is essential for the European Union to achieve observer status in the Arctic Council.

Estonia-Switzerland Co-operation Programme Has Benefited Bilateral Relations

11 October - At his meeting with Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey in Tallinn, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that the Estonia-Switzerland co-operation programme has consistently intensified bilateral relations. “The Estonia-Switzerland co-operation programme, which totals 370 million kroons, funds many projects, for example the treatment and rehabilitation of drug-addicted convicts in the security sector, the support of orphanages in the health care sector, and increasing fire safety in nursing homes and hospitals in the environmental sector,” said Paet. “The projects financed by Switzerland should help with the general rapid development of Estonia and give momentum to co-operation between the two nations,” Paet noted.
At the European Union-Switzerland summit that took place in May 2004, Switzerland notified the EU of its plan to allocate 1 billion Swiss francs over 5 years for the new member states in order to support economic and social solidarity in Europe.
Paet mentioned many developments in Estonia-Switzerland co-operation. “We hope to conclude a representation agreement soon, on the basis of which Switzerland would begin to represent Estonia for the issuing of Schengen visas on the territory of the Palestinian Authority,” said Paet. “Estonia is preparing for the replacement of its electric and diesel trains in 2013-2014. The winner of the international procurement competition to carry this out was the Swiss company Stadler Rail AG,” said Paet while talking about ties between Estonian and Swiss businesses.
“Cultural relations between Estonia and Switzerland will also be reaffirmed soon—in September of next year Neeme Järvi will become the head conductor of the Swiss symphony orchestra Orchestre de la Suisse Romande,” added Foreign Minister Paet.
Estonia is currently applying for observer status in the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), of which Switzerland is currently the chairman. “We feel it is important for international integration to be as close as possible; this include contacts with countries in the French cultural space,” Paet noted. The International Organisation of the Francophonie stands for the vitality of French-language culture in the broadest sense possible and makes a contribution to resolving the primary international problems of today. The organisation brings together 70 nations, which includes 14 observer countries all over the world. Swiss Foreign Minister Calmy-Rey expressed her clear support for Estonia gaining observer status in the International Organisation of the Francophonie.

Estonia Expects NATO Strategic Concept to Include Readiness for Collective Defence

14 October - Today Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo participated in a meeting of the NATO foreign and defence ministers in Brussels, where the topic of discussions was the draft of the alliance’s new Strategic Concept, which is to be approved at the Lisbon summit in November. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that in today’s security situation, NATO must continue to be ready to collectively defend the interests of its members and to react outside the borders of the alliance as well. “NATO’s readiness to react outside the borders of the alliance and co-operation with other international organisations are both essential. These are requirements in order to make NATO activities more efficient and ensure the success of missions, including civil-military co-operation missions,” said Paet, naming the important aspects of the new Strategic Concept in addition to collective defence.
Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo stated that in general Estonia is satisfied with the current draft of the new Strategic Concept. “For us it is important that the new fundamental document of the alliance addresses traditional security threats in addition to new ones, and that it preserves collective defence as one of the most important pillars of NATO,” said the defence minister.
Alongside the Washington Treaty, NATO’s Strategic Concept is the most important fundamental document of the alliance. The Strategic Concept describes the general security environment and determines the greatest security threats and measures for defending against these threats for the next 5-15 years. NATO’s current Strategic Concept was approved in 1999 at the Washington summit.
In addition to the joint session of foreign and defence ministers, Minister of Defence Aaviksoo also participated in a meeting of the NATO defence ministers this morning, where NATO’s military structure, the reform of the alliance’s agencies, and matters related to increasing capability were discussed.
“During the past few years we have worked actively in NATO to save on joint expenses, but we must admit to ourselves that this is merely practical advice. In our strategic plan we must increase Europe’s defence expenditure,” Minister of Defence Aaviksoo asserted.

Estonia Helps Explain Importance of Reflectors to Ukrainian Pedestrians

10 October - The Foreign Ministry is supporting the project of the Ukrainian non-profit organisation "Dobrochyn Centrep", which has the goal of increasing the safety of pedestrians in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region by developing the practice of wearing a reflector.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia would like to help Ukraine increase traffic safety. “Estonia’s experience shows that the compulsory wearing of reflectors during the darker months reduces the risk of traffic accidents involving pedestrians,” Paet stated. “When the daylight hours grow shorter, it is essential to remind pedestrians of safe behaviour and the necessity of wearing a reflector to avoid being involved in a traffic accident,” stated Foreign Minister Paet.
The 7-month project of the Ukrainian non-profit organisation is to increase the awareness of the residents of Chernihiv regarding the importance of wearing a reflector during the darker months of the year. Within the framework of the project, Estonia’s positive experiences with explaining the necessity of wearing reflectors will be shared with the prevention departments of the traffic police in all 23 districts of the Chernihiv region. Five local information networks will also be established that will begin to spread information on the importance of wearing a reflector.
According to information from the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, more than half of the victims of traffic accidents are pedestrians. Statistics regarding Ukraine’s traffic situation over the past few years show that a person dies on the road every two hours. According to a study carried out by Ukraine’s traffic police, in half the cases where a pedestrian is hit by a car the fault lies with the pedestrian, and a majority of such accidents happen when it is dark. Wearing a reflector is not compulsory in Ukraine.

Energy Security is Priority for Estonian Chairmanship of Baltic Council of Ministers

11 October - While opening the conference “Energy Security in the Baltic States: Global Trends and Key Issues” today, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that energy security is the priority of Estonia’s chairmanship of the Baltic Council of Ministers in 2011. The foreign minister stated that we must focus on a well-functioning regional electricity and gas market, the guarantee of sufficient supply security, and creating connections within the EU and with third nations.
In talking about regional developments, Paet noted that the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) is important for Estonia and the other countries in the region. The foreign minister stated that the BEMIP states the necessity of establishing new energy connections and developing a common Nordic-Baltic electrical market in order to increase the energy security of the region. “In order to liquidate the ‘Baltic energy island’, the plan foresees the establishment of a second cable between Estonia and Finland and connections between Lithuania and Sweden as well as Lithuania and Poland,” Paet explained.
The foreign minister also mentioned how, when it comes to energy security, we cannot limit ourselves to co-operation within the EU. “We must co-operate with the USA, with whom we must search together for opportunities to diversify energy supplies. Energy security co-operation with the USA is especially important when it comes to implementing the Southern Corridor project in the Caspian and Black Sea region,” said Paet. The Southern Corridor project also holds an important position in the EU’s energy policy, as the project should supply the European Union with more gas from the Caspian region, Central Asia, and the Middle East, independent of current major suppliers.
In conclusion, Paet also mentioned that in improving energy supplies and increasing energy security, we must always take the environmental impact into account. “We must think about the environmental aspects as we diversify our energy sources, but we should also consider how energy-saving and environmentally friendly our homes are,” said Paet, adding that reducing energy consumption benefits not only the environment but also the economy, since the cheapest and greenest energy is the energy which is never used at all.
The conference “Energy Security in the Baltic States: Global Trends and Key Issues” was organised by the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute in co-operation with the Foreign Ministry’s external economic and development co-operation department.

Russian President Presents Order to Director of Estonian Rescue Board

13 October - Today Russian President Dmitri Medvedev presented the Order of Friendship to Director General of the Estonian Rescue Board Kalev Timberg in a formal ceremony in Georg Hall in the Kremlin to thank Estonia for its help in battling the forest fires that ravaged Russia. In addition to Russian citizens, representatives from the rescue organisations of 15 countries that helped battle the wide-spread forest fires that occurred in Russia in August were recognised during the ceremony that took place in the Kremlin today.
The most extensive forest fires in Russia’s recent history were caused by the most extreme heat wave in decades and claimed over 50 human lives. Thousands of people lost their homes in the fires, and tens of thousands of hectares of forests and crops were destroyed.
In August the Rescue Board sent four pumps and ten kilometres of hoses to Russia to help the rescue workers extinguish the forest fires, as well as mounts and other components necessary for getting water to the burning areas. The extinguishing supplies were transported to Russia by two Rescue Board instructors, who gave guidelines for their usage and presented the supplies to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Arranging the aid for Russia cost nearly 1.5 million kroons (95 870 EUR), which was allocated from the Foreign Ministry budget. The Foreign Ministry also supported people in Russia who lost their homes and possessions with 1.56 million kroons. Helping the families of those who lost their homes in the fires and providing the extinguishing supplies to rescue workers was financed with a total of 3 million kroons (191 740 EUR) from the Foreign Ministry’s budget. Estonian residents also donated hundreds of thousands of kroons through various organisations to help the victims of the Russian fires.
Estonia has also been thanked for its efforts by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Minister of Emergency Situations Sergei Shoigu.

Paet: Cross-Border Co-operation with Russia is Natural

12 October - At a meeting in Värska today with the local government leaders, entrepreneurs, and representatives of associations of the South-Eastern border areas of Estonia, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised the importance of intensifying regional and cross-border co-operation with the areas of Russia adjacent to the Estonian border.
The foreign minister stated that it is necessary to take advantage of all opportunities for cross-border co-operation— regional and cross-border co-operation projects also help to strengthen Estonia’s positive image in its neighbouring country. “As its neighbour, advancing regional co-operation with Russia is very important for us,” said Urmas Paet. “It is in Estonia’s interests that our neighbours in Pskov and Leningrad oblast would have personal experience and first-hand information about Estonia,” said Paet.
Urmas Paet recommended for local government leaders in border areas to actively use the opportunities offered by the Estonia-Latvia-Russia co-operation programme, which has a total value of 73 million euros.
When talking about ongoing co-operation projects, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet highlighted close cultural co-operation, the establishment of an Estonian information and cultural centre in Pechory, the reconstruction of the Väsrka-Pechory roadway along with the development of cross-border infrastructure, and the joint drainage project of the Pechory area and Orava district, which significantly reduces the environmental impact on the border river Piusa.

Estonian Ambassador to South Korea Presents Credentials

12 October - The first Estonian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Andres Unga presented his credentials to President of the Republic of Korea Lee Myung-bak. The ambassador resides in Beijing.
In the discussion that followed the presenting of credentials, Estonian Ambassador Andres Unga and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak discussed bilateral relations and opportunities to intensify them. The president expressed his satisfaction that Estonia is now officially represented in Korea. The two agreed that Estonia and South Korea have good opportunities for mutually beneficial co-operation in many areas. “We should also pay more attention to exchanging bilateral visits in the future,” said Ambassador Unga.
Ambassador Unga also emphasised the importance of economic relations with South Korea. “South Korea is the European Union’s eighth trade partner by volume, and the European Union is South Korea’s second export partner by volume,” Unga stated. President Lee Myung-bak felt the signing of a free trade agreement between the EU and Korea on 6 October was significant, and he expressed hope that it would consequently have a positive impact on trade between Estonia and Korea.
The South Korean president expressed interest in Estonia’s IT solutions, especially the topic of e-voting.
Andres Unga was born on 29 April 1966 in Viljandi. He graduated from Tallinn University of Technology and the Estonian School of Diplomacy in 1991. After graduating from university, Unga went to work in the protocol department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and stayed in that department until 1996 as a deputy director, director and then director general. From 1996 to 2000, Unga was the ambassador to Sweden, and after that he worked as the director general of the Ministry’s human resources department. From 2003-2007 Andres Unga was the ambassador to Greece. From 2004-2007 he was the non-residing Estonian ambassador to Cyprus and from 2003-2008 he was the non-residing ambassador to Armenia. Unga has been the ambassador to China since 2007. He has been the non-residing ambassador to Vietnam since 2008 and the non-residing ambassador to Thailand since 2009.
Ambassador Andres Unga is married and has two children. Unga speaks English, Russian and Swedish.

DOMESTIC NEWS

First Lung Transplant Operation Performed in Estonia

8 October (BNS) - A team of surgeons under Tanel Laisaar at the University of Tartu Clinical Hospital on Thursday performed the first ever lung transplant operation in Estonia. The results of the operation are in line with expectations at this point, spokespeople for the hospital said.
The surgery was performed on a 61-year-old woman from Tartu County who has been suffering from a chronic lung illness for years. Laisaar said the operation and the immediate postoperative period had gone as planned and the patient remains under doctors' care in the hospital's intensive care department.
Preparations for the launch of lung transplant operations in Estonia began almost three years ago when co-operation was started with doctors in Vienna. The programme has gone through several stages, including the training of the team and operating of the first Estonian patient in Vienna in collaboration with Viennese colleagues, spokespeople for the hospital added.
The first patient from Estonia to get a new lung in an operation performed by a team including doctor Laisaar was Natalja Pall, resident of the East Estonian small town of Mustvee, who was airlifted to Vienna on the night of 28 April last year with a chartered jet specially sent to fetch her when a suitable lung became available, the daily Õhtuleht reported.
Laisaar said there were four patients on the waiting list for a lung transplant in Estonia at this point and 10 more were being additionally examined with a view to the possibility of giving them a transplant. In a country the size of Estonia the number of such operations needed is from six to eight operations a year.

ECONOMIC NEWS

Trade Grows by Nearly Third in August

11 October (BNS) - Estonian exports of goods at current prices grew by 37% and imports by 34% year-on-year in August, the statistics office reports. The growth of the turnover of exports and imports was faster only in May this year.
In August exports of goods from Estonia amounted to 11.1 billion kroons (EUR 711 mln) and imports totalled 12.2 billion kroons. Year on year, exports increased by three billion kroons and imports by 3.1 billion kroons. Trade grew faster only in May this year when exports soared by 39% and imports by 46% on annual comparison. The trade shortfall was 1.1 billion kroons, increasing slightly in comparison with August 2009.
Exports to European Union countries amounted to 7.5 billion kroons, accounting for 67% of total exports. Compared to the same month last year, exports to the EU grew by 36%. Exports to non-EU countries increased by 40%.
Imports from the EU totalled 10 billion kroons and made up 82% of all imports. On annual comparison imports surged from the EU surged by 38%. Imports from third countries grew by 19%.
The trade gap with the EU was 2.5 billion kroons, whereas trade with third countries showed a surplus of 1.4 billion kroons. Month on month, exports increased by 2% and imports by 6% in August.

Accommodation Establishments See Guest Numbers Grow by Tenth on Year in Summer

11 October (BNS) - During the three summer months Estonian accommodation establishments received 911 000 foreign and domestic tourists, which marks a 10% increase year-on-year, the statistics office said.
The number of foreign tourists increased by 59 000 and that of domestic tourists by 27 000 compared to summer 2009. This summer 612 000 foreign tourists used the services of accommodation establishments in Estonia, which is the highest figure in all the summers of the last decade. Foreign tourists continue to account for slightly more than two thirds of the total number of tourists, and they mostly prefer accommodation establishments of Tallinn.
Domestic tourists who stayed in accommodation establishments numbered 300 000, 10% more than in summer 2009 but fewer than in the same period of 2007 and 2008.
In August 1 027 accommodation establishments with 20 200 rooms and 46 200 beds were available for tourists. The room occupancy rate was 49%, four percentage points higher than in August last year. Some 301 000 domestic and foreign tourists stayed in accommodation establishments during the month which was 8% more than a year ago. The unusually hot and sunny summer favoured travelling, the statistics office observed.
The average cost of a guest night in an accommodation establishment, at 419 kroons (EUR 26.8), remained on the same level as in August 2009.

Estonian Air, Brussels Airlines Start Code-Share on Tallinn-Brussels Route

13 October (BNS) - Estonian Air and Brussels Airlines have entered into a code-share agreement for direct flights between Tallinn and Brussels effective from 31 October, and the number of flights on the route may increase as a result. "The co-operation creates good possibilities to add more frequencies on the Tallinn-Brussels route with our new aircraft already in the first half of next year," said Andrus Aljas, CEO and President of Estonian Air. The code-share agreement enables both airlines to sell tickets with their own flight code.
Aljas said that in addition to direct flights the co-operation brings Estonian Air more possibilities to offer very good connecting flights from Brussels and widens Estonian Air's sales network with a number of exciting destinations, including Africa, for example.
Bernard Gustin, co-CEO of Brussels Airlines, said that in addition to providing passengers with greater flexibility, the code-share agreement further supplements travel solutions to the Baltic countries, "one of the booming economic regions in Europe."
Estonian Air will serve the route with three weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Brussels Airlines is a Belgian airline that offers a wide choice of flights to and from its base at Brussels airport to some 70 European and African airports. Brussels Airlines is a member of Star Alliance.

Sales by Premia Foods Up by Nearly One-Fifth on Year

13 October (BNS) - The sales turnover of the listed Estonian food group AS Premia Foods in the third quarter of 2010 was 363.5 million kroons (EUR 23.33 mln), 58.9 million kroons or 19.3% bigger than in the same period a year ago. Sales turnover in the first nine months of the year amounted to 930.9 million kroons, marking a year-on-year increase of 103.6 million kroons or 12.5%, the company said.
Compared with the third quarter of 2009, the biggest growth rate, 98%, was achieved in the sale of ice cream. Ice cream sales made up 52% of total sales in the third quarter, compared with 33% in the same period a year ago. The growth in that segment has been supported by favourable weather conditions in July and August and the expansion of activities to the Russian market, according to Premia.
Sales of frozen food products decreased in the third quarter by 10.3 million kroons compared to the same period last year. The rate of decline in the sale of frozen food products in comparison with last year is decreasing for the second quarter in a row. The main reason for the lagging sales of frozen food products in the third quarter is residents' decreased purchasing power and growing of fresh vegetables for one's own needs during the summer.

Jan-Sept Rail Freight Volumes Grow 15 Percent

13 October (BNS) - Rail cargoes transported using the infrastructure of the state-owned Estonian company Eesti Raudtee (Estonian Railway) during the first nine months of this year amounted to 21.42 million tons, which is 15.1% more than in the same period a year ago.
In September rail freight totalled 2.4 million tons, which marks a year-on-year increase of 11.4%, Eesti Raudtee said.
During the nine months rail shipments of liquid mineral fuels totalled 14.86 million tons, 12.5% more than a year earlier. Haulage of oil shale soared 85% to 2.44 million tons. Fertilizer shipments increased 75% to 1.6 million tons. Of solid mineral fuels, bulk goods and ferrous metals 1.03 million tons, 0.42 million tons and 0.29 million tons were shipped, respectively.
Transit, at 17.43 million tons, accounted for 81.4% of total shipments and saw a year-on-year increase of 12.7%. Local shipments totalled 2.89 million tons, up by 41% year on year. Import shipments decreased 13% to 0.66 million tons while export shipments increased 24.7% to 0.44 million tons.
The leading haulers were E.R.S. and EVR Cargo, accounting respectively for 57% and 43% of total tonnage.

A. Le Coq Wishes to Increase Export by Boosting Sale of Cider

8 October (BNS) - The Estonian beverages maker A. Le Coq increased its export by 44% in the first nine months of the year and is planning to increase export by nearly a half next year by means of cider export, the daily Tartu Postimees reported. The paper wrote that A. Le Coq had this year sold beer and cider valuing 89 million kroons (EUR 5.7 mln) to foreign clients. The company has exported to about twenty European countries as well as to Africa.
CEO of A. Le Coq Tarmo Noop said A. Le Coq started to pay more attention to export only a year ago. "In a certain sense this was thanks to the economic recession, because fall of consumption on the domestic market made us look for additional opportunities abroad." At present A. Le Coq's beverages are marketed the most in Lithuania, followed by Denmark and Finland. According to Noop, the target this and the next year is to firmly gain ground in Scandinavia, Great Britain and Germany and to increase export by a hundred million kroons every year.
"To sell beverages for 200 to 300 million kroons to foreign markets is a realistic target," Noop said. He added that abroad there was much more room for cider than for beer.
He also pointed out that although the company had started to sell more beverages for export, Estonian buyers continued to be the majority.
A. Le. Coq, which belongs to the Finnish company Olvi OYJ, produces 120 million liters of beverages a year. Export accounts for about one tenth of the company's annual turnover of one billion kroons.

CULTURAL NEWS

China Interested in Co-operation with Estonian Cartoon and Puppet Filmmakers

14 October (BNS) - Estonian Minister of Culture Laine Jänes, who is currently on a visit to China, met with her Chinese counterpart Cai Wu, with whom promotion of Estonia grand pianos in China and co-operation with Estonian animated cartoon and puppet film makers was discussed.
Jänes and her Chinese colleague discussed cultural relations between the two countries and future co-operation, and promoting the Estonia grand piano maker in China was a serious point of discussion. "The minister, Cai Wu, as well as pianists and music teachers, were seriously interested in Estonia grand pianos, and one of the opportunities of promoting it would be to present it at the cultural EXPO in China. The Estonia grand piano has strong potential to become an article of China-bound export," Jänes said.
The two cultural ministers also discussed cultural relations between the two countries on the basis of the two countries' cultural co-operation programme, which has been carried out efficiently. Jänes said China placed importance on cultural relations with Estonia and an air link between Estonia and Beijing would certainly contribute to that.
"Information about the high professional standards and international fame of Estonian cartoon and puppet film makers has also arrived in China, which clearly shows the cross-border nature of the cultural sphere. So China has a great interest and wish to co-operate with Estonian animated cartoon and puppet film makers and to get respective training from them," Jänes said.
On Sunday Minister of Culture Jänes will open an Estonian film festival in China and on Monday is the Estonian Day in the framework of the Shanghai EXPO, where among other things a book of fairy tales containing stories by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald and August Jakobson in translation into Chinese will be presented.

Sakharov’s Life Work Protecting Human Rights Has Not Lost Its Relevance

13 October - When opening the exhibit that introduces the life work and human rights legacy of Andrei Sakharov at the Estonian National Library today, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that working to protect human rights and freedoms remains a necessary task in today’s world. “In Estonia we can be proud that for the last two decades we have been able to freely express ourselves,” said Paet. “However, when coming into contact with various groups and people, we must bear in mind their right to have and express their opinion. We may not always like their opinions, but hatred poses a great danger to society—therefore listen and try to understand,” the foreign minister said, emphasising the importance of the exhibit.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that the exhibit “Alarm and Hope”, which came to Estonia from Brussels, is part of the efforts led by Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg to remind us of Sakharov’s peaceful and progressive vision of society based on human rights. “The topics of Sakharov’s life work have not lost their relevance. Armed conflicts, dictatorship, starvation, poverty and inequality are still present in the world,” Paet noted.
The foreign minister said that the Council of Europe’s activities to protect and promote human rights are valuable. “Soon 60 years will have passed since the approval of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Human Rights. This is an important milestone in the history of protecting human rights and freedoms,” said Paet.
This year the European Parliament is giving out the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for the 22nd time this year. “Andrei Sakharov himself and all of the winners of the Sakharov Prize have shown boundless courage in their defence of human rights and free speech,” said Paet.
The exhibit “Alarm and Hope”, which introduces the life work and human rights legacy of Andrei Sakharov, will be in the main exhibit hall of the Estonian National Library from 13-30 October. The exhibit was organised in co-operation by the Foreign Ministry and the National Library.

SPORTS NEWS

Kaia Kanepi is Ranked World No 22

12 October (BNS) - Estonia's Kaia Kanepi moved up one in world tennis lists and is now ranked World No 22. Of other Estonians, Maret Ani is No 331 (320 in the previous list), Margit Ruutel 425 (416) and Anett Schutting 1067 (868).
In the WTA list, Caroline Wozniak of Denmark climbed to No 1, leaving Serena Willams of the US in second place. Russian Vera Zvonareva climbed to third while Serena's sister, Venus Williams, fell to fourth. Kim Clijsters of Belgium keeps in fifth and Francesaca Schiavone of Italy is still sixth.