Estonian Review 26 November - 2 December 2010

FOREIGN NEWS
DOMESTIC NEWS
DEFENCE NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
CULTURAL NEWS

FOREIGN NEWS

Estonia to Open Consulate in Australia That Will Also Cover New Zealand

26 November - At their meeting in Tallinn today, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet informed his colleague from New Zealand Murry McCully that Estonia plans to open an honorary consulate in Sydney next year that will also cover New Zealand. “This will be our first consulate in the region, and it will help to strengthen relations,” Foreign Minister Paet said at the meeting. “Nearly 10 000 Estonian live in Australia, and in New Zealand there are a remarkable 1 400 people with Estonian roots,” Paet added.
At the meeting, Foreign Minister Paet expressed his condolences to his colleague and the people of New Zealand over the mining accident in which 29 miners were lost due to an explosion in a coal mine.
In talking about communication on the international level, the foreign ministers addressed the EU and New Zealand’s co-operation within the framework agreement and the fact that the EU is New Zealand’s second trade partner by volume. While talking about NATO, Foreign Minister Paet emphasised that NATO’s co-operation with like-minded countries is important. “Afghanistan is a good example of this co-operation. New Zealand has about 230 soldiers participating in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and Estonia will also continue to serve there on its current level, a maximum of 170 soldiers,” said Paet.
At the meeting, the foreign ministers also discussed the agreement on short-term youth working and holiday visas that came into effect in 2007, which has been used on 69 occasions. “We hope that more New Zealanders will take advantage of the agreement and come to Estonia,” said Paet.
During the course of their meeting, the Estonian foreign minister gave his colleague an overview of the Eastern Partnership Centre starting up in Tallinn. “We can offer New Zealand the help of the centre if it wishes to implement projects in the Eastern Partnership countries,” said Foreign Minister Paet.

EU IT Agency for Justice and Home Affairs to be Situated in Tallinn

2 December (BNS) - The Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union in Brussels on Thursday approved the establishment of the headquarters of the EU's IT agency for justice and home affairs in the Estonian capital Tallinn.
EU justice and interior ministers gave their political backing to the two-nation offer by Estonian Interior Minister Marko Pomerants and French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux as regards the location of the IT agency in Tallinn, spokespeople for the Interior Ministry told BNS.
According to the arrangement submitted to the council for approval, the headquarters of the agency would be situated in Tallinn. Operational management of the servers will remain in Strasbourg, where the servers of the information systems ensuring the EU's internal security are situated also today. The joint Estonian-French offer is based on the EU policy according to which the headquarters of new agencies will be set up in new member states for the sake of greater cohesion.

Estonian Rescue Workers Highly Valued in Crisis Areas

29 November - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, Minister of the Interior Marko Pomerants, and director general of the Rescue Board Kalev Timberg presented mission medals to members of the Estonian Disaster Relief Team that have gone on humanitarian missions to disaster areas in Haiti, Poland and Moldova. Mission medals were given to 26 Estonian rescue workers.
At the medal ceremony, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet thanked the participants in rescue missions for their readiness and dedication to participate in difficult missions and help those in need. “The Haiti earthquake, Russian forest fires, and floods in Pakistan, Poland and Moldova are among the many natural disasters in 2010 to which Estonia sent its experts. Our rescue workers remain involved in the humanitarian aid mission in post-flood Pakistan,” said Paet. The foreign minister added that in addition to tackling the aftermath of natural disasters, Estonia is also helping to promote the health of people in Afghanistan, especially women and children.
“Estonia has managed to respond quickly to emergency situations and our efficient activities and contributions are noticed in Estonia and further abroad,” Paet emphasised, adding that the members of the Estonian Disaster Relief Team are highly valued and trusted experts. The foreign minister stated that Estonian experts are invited to join UN and European Union evaluation missions. Estonia has also become a significant co-operation partner in its own region. “We formed a team to deal with the aftermath of flooding together with Latvia and Lithuania. Estonia belongs to the International Humanitarian Partnership network along with the Nordic countries and the Netherlands, England and Germany,” he noted.
Interior Minister Marko Pomerants stated that the participation of Estonian rescue workers in international missions is a good example of development as well as cross-border co-operation. “Estonia fulfils its international obligations worthily and helps those who are in need. We will also receive help if the Estonian state is ever in need of aid. Our rescue workers have met international standards on their missions and we would like to formally recognise their service,” said Interior Minister Pomerants while thanking the Disaster Relief Team members.
Director general of the Rescue Board Kalev Timberg stated that the members of the Estonian Disaster Relief Team that have gone to disaster areas have done their work very well and their ability to actively respond to a variety of situations has improved year after year. “In order to help people in conflict and post-war regions and restore a normal way of life, we can not only send financial support, but increasingly we can also send manpower to help out in crisis areas,” said Timberg.
Russian Consul Sergei Stepanov also presented medals from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations to the Estonian rescue workers for their help in extinguishing this summer’s forest fires.
In 2010 Estonia has made voluntary donations to international humanitarian aid organisations and earmarked donations to Haiti, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Sudan. Those sums in addition to the cost of sending rescue workers and supplies to disaster areas totalled 0.99 million EUR.
We have sent experts to provide aid in Haiti (17 logistics and medical experts), Afghanistan (2 medical experts), Russia (2 experts), Poland (9 experts), Moldova (11 experts), and Pakistan (4 experts).

Paet Invites Netherlands to Participate in Baltic Air Policing

2 December - During his meeting in The Hague today with Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet invited the Netherlands to participate in the Baltic air policing mission. “The Netherlands participated in policing our skies in 2005 and is welcome to do so again,” he added.
Paet and Rosenthal emphasised the importance of defence-related co-operation between the Netherlands and Estonia. “In October Estonia signed an agreement with the Netherlands to procure SISU armoured vehicles for the Estonian Defence Forces. We also highly value the Netherlands’ offer of training opportunities for Estonian officers and officials who work with defence policy at the Netherlands Defence College and in the Belgium-Netherlands Mine Warfare School,” he added.
Estonia and the Netherlands are of the position that the EU should enforce a stricter financial and economic policy than before. “We are both of the position that the European Union budget for next year should not increase by more than 2.91%. The budget must be geared towards achieving the goals of the European Union’s new economic growth and employment strategy ‘Europe 2020’,” said Foreign Minister Paet.
The Netherlands is an important investor in Estonia. “In terms of direct investments, the Netherlands ranks third among nations that invest in Estonia, after Finland and Sweden,” said Paet. There are 261 businesses with Dutch participation in Estonia.
Relations between the Netherlands and Estonia are strengthened by the opportunity to learn Estonian that is offered at the University of Groningen.
The ministers also spoke about co-operation between Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Estonia will be organising the meeting of the Baltic and Benelux foreign ministers next year. The Estonian and Dutch foreign ministers also discussed matters related to the further enlargement of the European Union and NATO’s relations with Russia. Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal stated that the Dutch public is inclined to being sceptical about EU enlargement. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that it is essential for all European nations to maintain a clear perspective for joining the EU and that progress in the accession process should be based on achievements; however, it is also important that the candidate nations fulfil all the required conditions.
Foreign Minister Paet said that Estonia would like for the European Neighbourhood Policy and Eastern Partnership to be made stronger, which is important for both the target countries and the European Union. The foreign minister said that Estonia, for its part, has been working actively on Eastern Partnership initiatives. “An Eastern Partnership training centre will begin working in Tallinn very soon, the goal of which is to help increase administrative capacity in the public sector of Eastern Partnership states and share reform experiences. Representatives of the Netherlands are also welcome to contribute to the work of the centre,” said Foreign Minister Paet.

Prime Minister Stresses Importance of Information Technology at EU-Africa Summit

29 November (BNS) - In his speech at the third European Union-Africa summit in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Monday, Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip stressed the importance of information technology.
The prime minister expressed satisfaction that more and more countries worldwide see the effect that information and communication technology had on all walks of life and how this contributes to the development of a transparent, inclusive and economically sustainable society, spokespeople for the Estonian government said.
"Those countries have also saved time and saved on costs," Ansip said before eighty heads of state and heads of government who had gathered in the Libyan capital. He said that this was felt very well in Estonia, a country where 83% of public services are provided via the Internet at this point.
Ansip stressed that Estonia is ready to engage in still closer co-operation with African countries which wish to build up their own e-government.
Estonia already participates actively in the joint expert group on science and information technology of the European Union and Africa. The prime minister expressed the opinion that this kind of co-operation entails immense potential for small and medium sized companies.
Ansip had several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the EU-Africa summit, discussing co-operation opportunities in the IT domain with representatives of Zambia, Cabo Verde and Botswana, among others.

Estonia to Help Children Caught in Turmoil in Southern Sudan

30 November - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia is donating 900 000 kroons (57 500 EUR) through UNICEF to help alleviate the situation of civilians suffering in the turmoil taking place in Southern Sudan, particularly children.
Sudan continues to be classified by the UN as one of the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe areas. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that as a result of the domestic conflict that has gone on for years in Sudan, a million people have lost their lives or been forced to leave their homes. “The goal of UNICEF’s activities is to help more than two million people in need,” stated Paet.
According to the assessments of the UN and other international organisations, the situation in Sudan could become even more unstable as a result of the independence referendum scheduled for 9 January of next year and humanitarian needs there could grow exponentially. “In the past year, hundreds of thousand of Southern Sudanese refugees have started returning to their homes in response to an appeal by the government, and in light of the Southern Sudan independence referendum this number could increase even more,” said Paet. “In many regions of Sudan there is a tremendous need for humanitarian aid due to domestic conflicts and difficult natural conditions, especially in Southern Sudan and in Darfur in the western part of the country,” he added.
The UN high commissioner for humanitarian affairs estimates that the amount of aid needed to respond to November’s appeal and in order to react to the worsening situation and emergency situations is 19.1 million euros in Southern Sudan, a total of 28.8 million euros for all of Sudan. The greatest need is for food aid and drinking water. The UN estimates that 4.3 million people are in need of food aid, which is nearly half of the population of Southern Sudan.
Estonia has supported aid for the humanitarian situation in Sudan since 2004.

Traffic on Rail Baltica Route Could Be Launched in 2012

2 December - Estonia's minister of economic affairs said after meeting with colleagues from Latvia and Lithuania and European Commission officials in Brussels today that it is time for the countries to proceed from words to deeds when it comes to passenger train traffic between Tallinn and Warsaw, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications believes that trains could start running in 2012.
Estonia considers it important and realistic to restore passenger train traffic on the existing Rail Baltica route in the near future using the automatic track gauge change technique on the border between Lithuania and Poland. Trains could realistically travel at 120 kilometers per hour on the existing infrastructure, the minister said.
"Estonia has with the support of the European Union invested hundreds of millions of kroons in Rail Baltica and is ready to move ahead with this project. This calls for a concrete contribution from other parties as well," the minister said.
According to the ministry's information, Latvia and Lithuania backed the Estonian initiative and confirmed their readiness to make a contribution to restoring train traffic.
The Estonian minister of economic affairs and communications, Juhan Parts, said that thousands of
tourists arrive in Estonia daily from Finland and Russia looking for opportunities to continue their journey. "We need to think more broadly in terms of geography and look forward, think about our children," he said.
The ministers agreed in the meeting that a detailed action plan for opening passenger train traffic on the Rail Baltica route between Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas, Bialystok and Warsaw will be mapped out by rail operators in co-operation with government representatives and the work will be co-ordinated by the European Commission. The first meeting was scheduled for January.
In the process of reforming the EU's transport networks policy it is necessary to make Rail Baltica a part of the bloc's core transport network, the Ministry of Economy and Communications said. This would ensure possible investments in the new budget period 2014-2020. Estonia will together with EU support invest close to 1.3 billion kroons (EUR 83.1 mln) in Rail Baltica in 2008-2011.

Estonian Ambassador to Malta Presents Credentials

26 November - On Thursday, 25 November, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the Republic of Malta Merike Kokajev presented her credentials to President of Malta George Abela. Ambassador Merike Kokajev resides in Rome.
In the discussion that followed the ceremony, Ambassador Kokajev and President Abela acknowledged that Estonia-Malta bilateral relations are warm and friendly. “As small nations and European Union members, Estonia and Malta have a lot in common, which helps us develop our bilateral relations,” said Kokajev.
At their meeting, they discussed opportunities for co-operation in international organisations, primarily in the UN and Council of Europe, where as small nations they can reciprocally support each other’s candidacies. “One of the sectors with the greatest development potential between Estonia and Malta is tourism,” noted Kokajev. Another important sector for co-operation is education. “Maltese President Abela proposed that there be co-operation between the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies and the Eastern Partnership Training Centre being created in Estonia,” said the ambassador.
Merike Kokajev said that the Maltese president had words of praise for Estonia’s economic situation. Ambassador Kokajev thanked Malta for its support in our transition to the euro, in which one important factor was the report on Estonia’s euro eligibility compiled by Maltese member of the European Parliament Eduard Scicluna.
Merike Kokajev was born in Tartu in 1956 and graduated from Leningrad State University with a degree in French language and literature. Kokajev has been working for the Foreign Ministry since 1991. Ambassador Kokajev has worked in the protocol department, the embassy in Brussels, Estonia’s permanent representation in Geneva, the Foreign Ministry’s division for international organisations, and Estonia’s permanent representation to the UN. From 2005-2007 Kokajev was a member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Prior to assuming her current position, Merike Kokajev worked in the Foreign Ministry’s state protocol department as the director of the division for ceremonies and visits. Since 2010, Kokajev has been the ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the Republic of Italy and the Republic of San Marino. Ambassador Kokajev speaks English, Russian, and French.

DOMESTIC NEWS

Eco-Friendly Printing Plant Brings Home Award From Brussels

1 December (ERR) - A Tartu printing plant has brought home a prestigious EMAS 2010 environmental management award handed out by the European Commission in Brussels. Ecoprint's triumph in the small business category marks the first time the award has travelled to Estonia.
This year's EMAS drew a record number of candidates – 42 organisations from 15 countries – and the theme was efficient use of water and energy, waste generation and carbon dioxide emissions.
Ecoprint, which joined the EMAS system this year and relies on rainwater and solar energy for over half of its resource requirements, has been recognised in the past. It won Environmental Deed of the Year in 2007 and 2008 in the environmental management field of the competition organised by the Ministry of the Environment.
In 2009, the company was recognised as the year's most active business on the environmental conservation front.

DEFENCE NEWS

Aaviksoo: Estonian Cyber Defence is Held in High Regard in USA

2 December - While visiting the US Cyber Command yesterday, Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo stated that Estonia can contribute a lot more to the security of NATO and its allies in the field of cyber security than its size suggests.
In Ft. George Meade, Aaviksoo met with the Commander of US Cyber Command General Keith Alexander and was given an overview of the cyber defence organisation in the US. According to Aaviksoo the importance of cyber security and its meaning among the defence capabilities of the USA is ever present. “The messages of President Obama’s cyber security co-ordinator Howard Schmidt and General Alexander about the newly created Cyber Command are extremely clear – cyber threats are the most dangerous and likely threats to the US and its allies in the coming years,” stated Aaviksoo.
Aaviksoo added that Estonia is remarkably competent and experienced in this field and that this is also extremely valued among our allies. “I am confident that especially in the field of cyber security lies Estonia’s strongest contribution, despite our small size, in providing security for NATO and its allies,” added Aaviksoo.
Defence Minister Aaviksoo also met with Howard McKeon, the incoming Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee of Armed Services. During the meeting, Aaviksoo presented McKeon with an overview of the current Estonian and European vision on security. The importance of each NATO member allocating 2% of the GDP to defence funding was once again stressed and Member of the House McKeon agreed that the permanent military presence of the US in Europe must continue in its current form.
The minister also met with the White House cyber security co-ordinator Howard Schmidt.
On Tuesday Aaviksoo visited the NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) in Norfolk, where he met with General Stephane Abrial. During the meeting they discussed the consequences of the Lisbon summit, the roles of ACT in the new NATO military structure and latest developments in the field of cyber security.
Today Aaviksoo will take part in a briefing at the think tank Atlantic Council, where the most important developments of the US foreign policy will be discussed. The minister of defence will also pay tribute today at the Memorial for the Victims of Communism in Washington.
On Friday Aaviksoo will meet with his US counterpart Robert Gates in the Pentagon. The planned topics of discussion will be the Lisbon summit, new strategic concept of NATO, the operation in Afghanistan and the cyber security co-operation between Estonia and the US.
Aaviksoo is accompanied on his visit by Sven Sakkov, Undersecretary for Defence Policy and Colonel Ilmar Tamm, Director of NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. The minister of defence will return to Estonia on Saturday.

ECONOMIC NEWS

IMF Delegation Visiting Estonia

2 December (BNS) - A delegation of the International Monetary Fund will be on an annual visit to Estonia from Thursday until 13 December to discuss economic policy matters with representatives of the government and the private sector. The four-member delegation is headed by Alexander Hoffmaister, the Bank of Estonia said.
The IMF mission will be given an overview of the development and outlooks of the Estonian economy, the situation of the financial sector, and the development of fiscal policy.
During the nearly two-week visit, the representatives of the IMF will meet with members of the government and the parliament, executives and analysts of the central bank and the Financial Supervisory Authority, heads of commercial banks and private companies, and economic analysts.
The International Monetary Fund annually discusses important economic policy issues with all its member countries. After the annual main mission the fund will draw up a report with economic policy assessments on Estonia.

European Commission Forecasts 4.4% Economic Growth for Estonia in 2011

29 November (BNS) - According to a new economic forecast by the European Commission, Estonia's economy should grow 2.4% this year, 4.4% next year and 3.5% the following year. The Commission expects that the inflation in Estonia will be respectively 2.7, 3.6 and 2.3% during the same years. Unemployment should fall to 15.1% next years and to 13.6% in 2012.
The government sector budget deficit with respect to the gross domestic project is expected to grow from 1.0% this year to 1.9% next year and to 2.7% in 2012.

Growth of Industrial Production in October Biggest This Year at 37%

30 November (BNS) - The production of industrial enterprises in Estonia grew by 37% year-on-year in October, showing the biggest monthly increase this year, the national statistics office said.
The moderate growth recorded at the beginning of 2010 was followed by a rapid increase in spring, and in summer enterprises had over 20% and in September slightly over 30% more production than in the corresponding months of 2009. The growth of production is driven mainly by external demand as before.
In October the production of manufacturing increased by around 40% on annual comparison. Export sales of the manufacturing production increased significantly - by 54%. More than two thirds of the whole manufacturing output was sold on the external market. The demand on the domestic market was considerably lower - domestic sales increased by 13% compared to the same month last year.
Production exceeded the volume of the previous year in most branches of industry in October. The growth in the production of manufacturing was most influenced by the branches having a bigger share in the overall volume - manufacturing of electronic products where the production increased more than fourfold, and wood processing where the production grew by a quarter. As to the smaller branches of manufacturing, production increased considerably in the manufacture of motor vehicles, machinery and equipment mainly due to the increase in exports.
The rapid growth in production was partly also influenced by the low reference base of 2009 whose effect will last until the end of this year. Regardless of the rapid increase, the summed up ten months' industrial production just reached the level of 2005.

Estonian Companies’ Sales Revenues Up 15% on Year in Q3

30 November (BNS) - Sales revenues of Estonian companies increased by 15% year-on-year to 144.6 billion kroons (EUR 9.24 mln) in the third quarter of this year, the national statistics office reports.
Compared to the second quarter, sales revenues grew by 4%. In the first nine months of this year sales revenues totalled 401.3 billion kroons or 7% more than at the same time last year.
Third-quarter revenues of the sectors with the largest volumes - wholesale and retail trade and maintenance and repair of vehicles - were 57.6 billion kroons, an increase of 11% year-on-year.
Sales revenues of the manufacturing sector grew by 3%, amounting to 31 billion kroons in the third quarter.
The average number of persons employed was 370 330, down by 4% year-on-year and by 1% compared to the second quarter.

CULTURAL NEWS

Competition for Estonian-Latvian and Latvian-Estonian Translation Prize Begins

1 December - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Latvian Foreign Minister Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis announced that the competition for recognising the best Latvian and Estonian-language translators is now open. The best translator of 2010 will be announced in February 2011.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that the translation competition is taking place for the second time. “Recognising Estonian-Latvian and Latvian-Estonian translators is becoming an annual project. We hope that this year there will also be some Estonian translators among the candidates for the prize,” said Paet.
The foreign minister added that with the translation award, Estonia and Latvia would like to help express the value of works that have already been translated and inspire young Estonian-Latvian and Latvian-Estonian translators to take on new challenges. “The Estonian-Latvian and Latvian-Estonian translation award emphasises the importance of the Estonian and Latvian languages as well as cultural exchange in order to advance the professionalism of translators of literature as well as political, popular science, historical, sociological, memoirs and other texts,” asserted Paet. The foreign minister stated that the translation award also demonstrates the extremely good co-operation between the foreign ministries of Estonia and Latvia.
Last year the prize went to Latvian translator Maima Grīnberga, who has translated the works of many important Estonian authors into Latvian, including those of Jaan Kross, Enn Veetma, and authors of books for children and young people such as Aidi Vallik, Sass Henno, and Andrus Kivirähk.
The monetary value of the award is 3 000 euros, to which both sides are contributing equally. The jury will contain representatives from the foreign ministries of the two countries and the director of each nation’s literature information centre.
The idea to establish the award came from Estonian Ambassador to Latvia Jaak Jõerüüt and Latvian Ambassador to Estonia Kārlis Eihenbaums. The agreement that established the Estonian-Latvian and Latvian-Estonian translation award was signed by Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Latvian Foreign Minister Māris Riekstiņš on 18 February 2009.
Nominees for the translation competition can be submitted through the application form found on the Foreign Ministry’s website.
The deadline for nominations is 16 January 2011.