BONJOUR L'ESTONIE

Tallinn Saku Arena : ..... 2006 .... !

Deep Purple

02. February 2006

Deep Purple comes to Saku Arena with a concert on 2nd of February.

Doors open at 6 p.m.
Concert starts at 8 p.m.

Tickets :
Tickets prices are : 395 EEK - 995 EEK
BUY A TICKET

More information :
www.deeppurple.com

Chris Rea

13. March 2006

As part of his 2006 World Tour Chris Rea comes to Saku Arena with a concert on Monday 13th of March 2006.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
Contcert starts at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets :
Tickets prices are : 395 EEK - 995 EEK
Tickets are available at Piletilevi.
BUY A TICKET

More information :
www.chrisrea.com

Depeche Mode

16. March 2006

As part of Depeche Mode Tour 2005/2006 they comes to Saku Arena with a concert on Thursday 16th of March 2005.

Tickets :
BUY A TICKET
Tickets prices are: 590 EEK - 1500 EEK

Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
Concert starts at 8:00 p.m.

www.fbi.ee
www.depechemode.com

Judas Priest and Vanilla Ninja at Saku Arena in December

Judas Priest

01. December 2005

As part of his 2005 World Tour "Angel of Retribution", Judas Priest comes to Saku Arena with a concert on 1st of December 2005.

Doors open at 6 p.m.
Concert starts at 8 p.m.

Tickets
Tickets prices are : 360 EEK - 1100 EEK
BUY A TICKET

More information :
www.judaspriest.com

Vanilla Ninja

10. December 2005

Vanilla Ninja concert in Saku Arena 10. December 2005.

Doors open at 4:00 p.m.
Concert starts 5:30 p.m.
Doors close at 9:00 p.m.

Tickets information :
Tickets price are 199 EEK - 699 EEK
BUY A TICKET

More information :
www.vanillaninja.ee

What the papers say : BBN 29-11-2005

ÄRIPÄEV

Analysts adjust Estonia’s growth forecast upwards
According to analysts, Estonian economy grew a little over 9 pct in the third quarter and annual economic growth could reach 8 pct in 2005. Also the central bank Eesti Pank said recently it expects Estonia’s economic growth to reach 8 pct this year. Economy grew 7.8 pct last year.

Baltic states to attract EEK 2.7 bln in US investments - US Ambassador to Estonia
Rapid growth has made Baltics attractive to US businesses that plan to invest billions in the region, writes US Ambassador to Estonia Aldona Wos. She says that it is only natural that this region should attract the attention of foreign investors. “As US Ambassador, I would like to see even more of these investors carrying US passports,” said Ms. Wos.

Russia takes over carmaker AvtoVAZ that is No. 1 customer for Estonia's Norma
The Russian state has taken control of Avtovaz, the leading Russian car manufacturer which produces the Lada and is the largest customer of Estonian seatbelt maker Norma. State agency Rosoboronexport, which oversees most of Russia's arms exports bought on Oct 27 two subsidiaries of Avtovaz which together own 61.8 pct of the group.

Estonia to build another billion-kroon museum
Estonian state plans to start building a second large art museum in the space of a few years. Now that the new art museum in Tallinn – KUMU – is completed and about to open doors, Estonia is about to start building the new building of the Estonian People’s Museum in Tartu. The architectural design for the building has been approved and construction works will be launched shortly. The new museum is expected to open doors in 2009.

RED Group expands from Estonia to Riga
RED Group, Estonia’s largest company that rents out apartments for short stays has expanded to Riga. The company which recently launched NovoStay brand has set up a company in Latvia under the name of RED Latvia SIA and is 100 pct Estonian owned. In Estonia, the company offers around 50 apartments for rent. RED Group was founded in 2003 and is owned by Estonian capital

In September the value of foreign trade increased

In September 2005 the value of Estonia’s foreign trade was 19.7 billion kroons*. The value of foreign trade increased by 4.5% compared to August.

In September exports was 8.5 billion kroons (43%) and imports was 11.2 billion kroons (57%). The trade deficit was 2.7 billion kroons. ESTONIA’S FOREIGN TRADE, 2004–2005     a Preliminary data. Compared to August 2005 exports of goods increased 4%. The cause of increase was mainly the .......

Estonian Air launches direct flights to Croatia in spring

* On 19 April 2006 Estonian Air will be launching direct flights to the Croatian resort of Dubrovnik. Regular flights to Croatia will be operated twice a week throughout the summer traffic season.

“Estonians are traditionally interested in Western Europe but are more and more exploring holiday opportunities and destinations outside the European Union. Dubrovnik is a city with fascinating culture and traditions, with festivals and parties often taking place to attract holiday-makers,” said Estonian Air Vice President Mart Relve.

Estonian Air will be flying to Dubrovnik from 19 April to 28 October twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. “That way everyone can choose whether they want to fly off and enjoy the summer on the Adriatic coast for a longer period or just take a few days off. Croatia’s warm summers last from May to September,” added Relve.
..........

U.K. seeks smaller EU budget

* LONDON Britain may propose a big reduction in the European Union's seven-year budget, for 2007 to 2013, that could fall heaviest on the poorer, formerly communist nations that joined the Union last year, say British diplomats and EU officials familiar with the proposals.

Officials of the British EU delegation declined to comment publicly on the plan, which is tentative. But a government source suggested that it would rely on the impatience of the new countries to secure billions of euros in new funds to persuade them to agree to a reduced deal on the budget at what will most likely be a contentious summit meeting of EU leaders on Dec. 15 and 16. Britain is the current EU president.

"It is no secret that the U.K., along with several other countries, has throughout this process wanted to see a lower budget," said the British source, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations. "Also, the 10 accession countries have made clear in our contact with them that they want certainty so that they can program their spending. For them the uncertainty is not helpful."

Details of the proposal emerged amid swirling rumors around the capitals of Europe about the intentions of Britain on an issue that triggered the breakdown of the last EU summit meeting, in Brussels in June.

Britain's defense of its annual budget rebate - an anomaly from Margaret Thatcher's years as prime minister - was blamed then by many for the dreary outcome of that meeting. A compromise put forward by Luxembourg in June was then blocked by nations that contribute heavily to the EU budget, principally Sweden and the Netherlands.

Britain has kept details of its new plans for solving the standoff a secret. It says it will publish its proposals at a special conclave of foreign ministers on Dec. 7, giving EU governments just a week to prepare for the summit meeting.

Le Concile de l'Eglise orthodoxe d'Estonie du Patriarcat de Moscou se réunira jeudi 1er décembre à Tallinn

* TALLINN - Nikolaï Adachevitch, RIA Novosti. Le Concile de l'Eglise orthodoxe d'Estonie du Patriarcat de Moscou se réunira jeudi dans la capitale estonienne Tallinn.

Le Concile se tient une fois l'an, conformément aux Statuts de l'Eglise, a appris RIA Novosti auprès de l'Eglise orthodoxe d'Estonie du Patriarcat de Moscou.

Mercredi soir, les participants au Concile prendront part à une Veillée. La Divine Liturgie sera célébrée jeudi à la cathédrale Saint Alexandre-Nevski à Tallinn et le Concile se réunira après.

Une quarantaine de prêtres de toute l'Estonie et une quarantaine de laïcs y prendront part, un par paroisse. Le Concile dressera le bilan des activités de l'Eglise orthodoxe d'Estonie durant cette dernière année et échangeront l'expérience de l'enseignement de la Loi de Dieu dans les écoles estoniennes.

L'Estonie à propos de la Russie: 2ème décade de novembre

* La presse reconnaît que l'Estonie n'a pratiquement aucune chance d'empêcher la construction du gazoduc russo-allemand sous la mer Baltique (les pays baltes cessent ainsi d'être des pays de transit), en raison du grand intérêt que les pays leaders de l'Union européenne portent à ce projet. "Ceux qui critiquent le projet de gazoduc sous la mer Baltique ont toutes les raisons d'affirmer que la dépendance de l'Europe face à la Russie sera cruciale. Mais y a-t-il des alternatives ?.. L'UE a vu un projet d'avenir dans les gisements de gaz sibériens. Alors qu'en Europe centrale, à cette époque, on s'occupait du passé. On parlait beaucoup du pacte Molotov-Ribbentrop, on se souvenait de la paix de Tartu, des festivités du 9 mai. Il semble qu'en luttant pour le pacte du passé nous ayons tout simplement manqué le pacte de l'avenir" ("Eesti express", 18.11).

La presse se rend compte que l'unique argument contre la construction du gazoduc est l'argument écologique. "La vérité réside dans le fait qu'on ne saurait plus attaquer le projet armé d'arguments politiques (...). L'environnement est l'unique argument valable (...). Personne, jusqu'à présent, n'a effectué d'expertise écologique développée et il reste beaucoup de questions sans réponse. Par exemple, qu'adviendra-t-il si le tube long de 1200 kilomètres commence à fuir ?" ("Eesti Paevaleht", 21.11).

Tous en Estonie ne sont pas contents des fruits de la publicité massive dont Tallinn en hiver fait l'objet à Moscou et à Saint-Pétersbourg. Cette année, la capitale estonienne s'attend à un afflux sans précédent de touristes russes. "Dans la conscience populaire des Estoniens, leur voisin ne leur réserve que des malheurs, mais, durant les fêtes du Nouvel An, nous nous mettons à plat ventre devant les Russes : "S'il vous plaît, venez dépenser vos dollars chez nous". Et la classe moyenne russe qui est nostalgique de l'époque soviétique vient fêter le Nouvel An dans une ancienne république fédérée occupée. Mais ce n'est pas l'essentiel. Le principal argument est le prix : les vacances du Nouvel An sont chez nous bien moins chères qu'à Moscou. Nous sommes devenus un "moulin" pour les Finnois, les Britanniques et maintenant pour les Russes. ("SL Ohtuleht", 18.11).

Cybercrime treaty advances

These nations have ratified the cybercrime treaty currently before the U.S. Senate : Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Credit : Council of Europe

Telecommunications provider Elion boosts customer service with Teleopti CCC

Tallinn – Baltic Enterprise Solutions has been chosen by an Estonian telecommunications provider Elion to improve its customer service with Teleoptis workforce management (WFM) solution, Teleopti CCC.

Elion has chosen to replace their current WFM-system with Teleopti CCC for their 140 agents at their customer service in Tallinn. One of the objectives for Elion is to achieve more efficient workforce management. With the help of Teleopti CCC, Elion will significantly improve their forecasting abilities and today’s limitations in comparing the forecasts with the actual outcome. The flexibility in Teleopti CCC helps Elion simplify the scheduling process and reduce the amount of manual work considerably.

To further increase the involvement and commitment throughout the organisation, Elion will use the extensive amount of reports in Teleopti CCC for distribution of relevant information to the right person, from agents to top management. Elion’s contact centre platform Wicom has been seamlessly integrated to Teleopti CCC. The reports in Teleopti CCC combine workforce related information with ........

Excellent Paul Goble : Russia's rising extremists

By PAUL GOBLE

TALLINN -- (UPI) -- The Russian Supreme Court's ban on Eduard Limonov's National Bolshevik Party will do little to limit the activities of that group or counter the rise of other Russian extremists who, according to one Moscow analyst, pose a far greater threat to the Russian Federation than do Muslim extremists.

Instead, Sergei Markedonov argues in an essay posted online earlier this month, the decision may make the Russian ethno-nationalist threat even more dangerous by driving the NBP underground and causing many of its current followers to turn to even more radical groups.

The court's decision, the Moscow analyst says, suggests that Russian officials "do not understand or do not want to understand" how dangerous the Russian nationalist threat is to their state and society or how they should combat it without making the situation in the country still worse.

Markedonov, who follows ethnic issues at the Moscow Institute of Political and Military Analysis, has long argued that Russian ethno-nationalism is "perhaps an even more dangerous threat" to the Russian state than non-Russian separatism and Muslim extremism.

He has pointed out that earlier drives by Russian nationalists to assert themselves in combination with the failure of the government to understand this threat led to the collapse of two Russian state formations, the Russian Empire in 1917 and the Soviet Union in 1991.

"The Russification policies of the last two Russian emperors made [many formerly loyal non-Russian] into enemies. [And] the creation of the Communist Party of the Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Repubiic, Russia's declaration of sovereignty, and its struggle with the Union center was the last and heaviest nail in the coffin of the 'empire of evil'" in 1991, he wrote.

A similar threat and an even greater official lack of understanding of the nature of that threat, Markedonov wrote, exists now. As dangerous as Limonov and his NBP may be, they are as nothing when compared to even more radical groups like many of those who took part in the Nov. 4 "Russian March," he argued.

Among these more disturbing groups is the "Russian Republic" organization, a group that not only seeks the formation of a purely ethnic Russian republic within the Russian Federation but that already has its own "supreme ruler" and appears to have been behind the murder of human rights activist Nikolai Girenko 18 months ago.

That extreme group maintains its own website, rusrepublic.ru,, and continues to promote a mixture of openly racist and national socialist ideas, but the authorities have done anything little or nothing to rein that group in, focusing instead on the more mediagenic NBP.

In comparison to the Russian Republic organization and others of its ilk, Limonov's NBP appears almost moderate, Markedonov writes. In recent statements, for example, the NBP leader has .........

Estonia and others examined in the "Eastern European Truck Market Report" from 2003-2005

DUBLIN -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c28347) has announced the addition of Eastern Europe Overview Trucks 2005 to their offering.

The Eastern Europe Overview Trucks 2005 report provides 2004 year-end market data, with 2005 estimates and five-year forecasts. The report gives an instant overview of the Eastern European truck market, and covers new trucks. It does not include used trucks or truck stock. Market size is based on the number of registrations. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are included from 2003. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis.

Contents Include :

• Executive Summary
• Category Definitions
• Market Size by Volume (2000-2004)
• Country Segmentation by Volume
• Market Ranking by Volume
• Company Websites (Main Players)
• Market Forecast by Volume (2005-2009)
• Socio-Economic Data
• Sources for Further Research

Regional Minister Jaan Õunapuu : life-long learning is the basis of a strong society

Press release no. 175

Saturday 26 November is Citizen's Day in Estonia.

Regional Minister Jaan Õunapuu is calling on citizens on behalf of the joint commission of the government and citizens associations to take a more active role through discussion in decision-making procedures.

“An active citizen is shaped one step at a time and from a young age," said Minister Õunapuu. “Good citizenship education gives people the knowledge, skills and values that will help them understand the bases of how society functions and give them opportunities to take part in forming them. Throughout the European Year of Citizenship Education we have improved the efficiency of cooperation between schools and civic associations and introduced the principles of the functions of civic society to students and teachers. I call on citizens to get more involved in the organisation of the community. The more active and aware our citizens are, the stronger our country is.”

In December 2002 the Riigikogu approved the Estonian Civil Society Development Concept, which sets out the bases for partnerships between citizens associations and public authorities and provides a framework for increasing citizen involvement and strengthening democracy in Estonia.

Implementation of the concept is being handled by the joint commission of the government and citizens associations, chaired by the Regional Minister.

The action plan for implementation of the concept and the joint commission’s work can be found in Estonian on the Ministry of the Interior’s website at www.sisemin.gov.ee by selecting “kodanikuühiskond” (‘civic society’) on the “Kasulik teada” (‘Useful to know’) menu.

Kärt Einlo
Media adviser

What the papers say : BBN 28-11-2005

ÄRIPÄEV

Real estate agents’ new business : selling appointments to public notaries
Some of Estonia’s most prominent real estate agencies' (such as Arco Vata, Pindi, Rime and Uus Maa) offer are offering buyers and sellers of real estate an opportunity to buy a rapid appointment to the public notary. The business is booming because the number of real estate transactions in Tallinn is growing rapidly and the normal waiting time for a public notary is around two months. The service costs between EEK 1,000 and 3,000.

Exports up 26 pct, imports increase 20 pct in a year in September
In September exports amounted to EEK 8.5 mln which is 26 pct more than a year ago. Imports amounted to 11.2 billion and were up 20.8 pct. The trade deficit was 2.7 billion kroons. EU countries accounted for 76 pct in exports while CIS countries accounted for 11 pct. In imports, EU countries accounted for 76 pct and CIS countries for 9 pct.

Political parties owe EEK 14 mln in election costs
Estonian parties that spent around EEK 50 mln in local elections this autumn still owe around 14 mln. The biggest debtor is Centre Party that got a landslide victory, but still owes around EEK 6.1 mln. Centre Party declared that its election budget was EEK 16 mln.

Estonian meat packer to increase meat exports to Russia ten times
Estonia’s fifth-largest meat packer Noo Lihatoostus has found a new cooperation partner in Russia and plans to increase meat exports to Russia ten times. Starting from next March, the Estonian company will export to Russia up to 10 tons of meat products a week. The company’s production capacity is 45 tons of meat products a week.

Milken Institute ranks Estonia ahead of other East European countries by financial market efficiency
Estonia has the most efficient financial market among East European countries, according to the Capital Access Index 2005 from the Milken Institute. Although Estonia is 21st according to financial market efficiency and first in Eastern Europe, it has slipped one place.

Man to share business ideas with Estonians

By DANIEL J. SERNOVITZ  daniels@herald-mail.com

P. Chris Marschner reacted as many people might have when invited by telephone to take part in an all-expenses-paid business conference in Estonia with little more than a week's notice.

Stuart Dwyer, head of the political and economic section of the U.S. Embassy in Estonia, called Marschner Nov. 18 and asked if he would be willing to attend the conference to speak about Maryland's efforts to help start-up technology firms develop and blossom into large ones.

"Is this a joke ? Actually, I did (ask that)," Marschner said. "What I did was I verified it."

Skeptical at first, Marschner researched the issue and determined the invitation was legitimate, prompting a second and just as natural reaction.

"For me, it's probably the biggest thing I've ever done," said Marschner, director of the Technical Innovation Center at Hagerstown Community College. "It's a great honor for me, personally."

Marschner, president of the Maryland Business Incubation Association, is scheduled to make the 10-hour flight through Amsterdam to Estonia on Monday to participate in the two-day U.S. Baltic Business Partnering Event in Tallinn starting Nov. 30. He is scheduled to return Friday.

Marschner said he believes his counterparts in Estonia can benefit from many of the business-incubation programs used in Maryland because their geographic and economic makeups are not all that different.

"Maryland is well-positioned to be talking about every aspect of business technology incubation," he said. "I've been quite busy trying to get prepared for this I want to fully represent everything that's going on in Maryland."

The Tehnopol Tallinn Technology Park in Estonia is coordinating the event with the U.S. Embassy in Estonia. Raivo Tamkivi, a member of the executive board of the technology park, said in an e-mail interview he is hoping to exchange information with the event's U.S. participants and learn ways to develop business-development programs in Estonia.

Tamkivi said in the e-mail that part of the event will ..........

Upbeat Blair to hold budget talks with EU newcomers

BARCELONA  (AFP) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair will hold budget talks with EU newcomer states in visits to Estonia and Hungary later this week, his spokesman has announced, citing "gathering momentum" for a deal.

Blair, who currently holds the EU's rotating presidency of the European Union, will visit Tallinn and Budapest on Thursday and Friday as he battles to strike a deal on the bloc's 2007-2013 budget at a mid-December summit.

The 10 mostly ex-communist countries which joined the EU last year are particularly pushing for a deal, since it will release much-needed funds to help their relatively poor countries catch up with western Europe.

"We believe we are at a significant time," said the official spokesman, confirming Blair's travel plans as he arrived in Barcelona to co-host a summit of the 25-nation EU's leaders with their Mediterranean-rim counterparts.

In Tallinn, Blair will meet with the three Baltic EU newcomers: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, while in Budapest he will hold talks with the Visegrad countries: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

"We are going to go for a deal," said the spokesman, adding : "What is important is that ..........

Kuusamo : Smigun finishes third

* Katerina Neumannova of Czech Republic claims 10km Free Individual race ahead of Russia's Julija Tchepalova and Kristina Smigun of Estonia in Kuusamo, Sweden.

Neumannova finished 21 seconds in front of the Russian and 26 seconds ahead of the Estonian to win her first World Cup event of the season.

2 jobs politicians .. !

* Vello Ederma writes about the law in Estonia that allows politicians serving in the country’s government to hold down a second job.

Politicians who practice this policy are not able to perform their job functions properly, and inevitably the question of accountability is raised.

Also, the question of which has the top priority becomes an issue as well. But, echoing last week’s article, there is no problem ! The government does not intendt to change the rule.

Baltic Assembly urges NEG ecological risk appraisal

TALLINN (RIA Novosti) - The Baltic Assembly adopted Saturday a resolution on the risks of the North European Gas Pipeline construction under the Baltic Sea.

Delegates of the Assembly's 24th session said regional economic activities should take into account that the sea is a particularly sensitive area.

"Any risks that may be caused, above all, by chemical weapons dumped at sea after World War II, should be avoided during the construction of the natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea," the resolution reads. "The pipeline construction should cause no damage to the ecological system, flora and fauna of the Baltic Sea."

The Baltic Assembly urged the regional parliaments and international organizations to focus on the situation and assess possible environmental risks.

Meanwhile, deputy chairman of the Federation Council (upper house) international affairs committee Gennady Khripel who headed the Russian delegation at the session said the position of the Assembly deputies on NEG project had become more balanced. .....

Moscow lays a trap for Baltic nationalists

Paul Goble

The newly appointed governor of Kaliningrad has proposed organizing the movement of a half million or more of ethnic Russians from the Baltic countries to that Russian Federation exclave, a plan that some there are already calling an updated version of "Plan Barbarossa."

Georgiy Boos made that suggestion during an interview posted on the information portal of the Latvian city of Daugavpils two weeks ago, and in the days since then, it has been featured on a variety of other news outlets both hard copy and electronic.

Despite the attention it has been given in the Russian media, there are compelling reasons for thinking that this idea will never be realized, but there are even more compelling ones for concluding that his proposal is intended as a clever political trap into which those in Estonia and Latvia, who might welcome a reduction in the number of "Russian speaking" non-citizens, could fall all too easily.

The reasons why this plan is unlikely to go anywhere are very, very clear. First of all, as an increasing number of Moscow officials now acknowledge, ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia generally live significantly better than their „compatriots” in the Russian Federation. Their incomes are higher, they are increasingly learning the national languages, and they are becoming citizens in ever greater numbers.

Second, Kaliningrad is not an attractive destination for anyone. Its residents suffer from some of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infections in Europe. The exclave has an increasingly serious drug problem. And its physical environment is among most degraded and unhealthy of anywhere in the world. Indeed, many of those who live there now hope to leave – and generally to the West rather than to the Russian Federation proper.

And third, neither the Russian government nor anyone else has the ..........