BONJOUR L'ESTONIE

EU rapid alert detects PSP toxins in live mussels

* THE EU rapid alert for week 4 has detected :

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins in live mussels from Spain, notified by Italy,

Listeria monocytogenes were found in herring fillets from Lithuania, notified by Estonia,

Carbon monoxide treatment was detected in frozen yellow tuna steaks from Indonesia via the Netherlands, notified by Belgium.

Oper's on the Roda to recovery

  by Margus Luik

Estonia's most celebrated outfield player Andres Oper seems finally to have found the club to suit him in Dutch side Roda JC.

Sharp upturn
Six months ago, the international striker was struggling to get a game in Russia with FC Torpedo Moskva. Now he is lighting up the Eredivisie with some great performances, having scored eight goals in 17 outings for Roda and picked up his third Estonian Player of the Year award.

'More to give'
"I am enjoying my football here at Roda," the 29-year-old told uefa.com. "It's very challenging to work with a new club and a new coach. At Roda, training is tough but interesting and we have an excellent team spirit. I have scored some great goals, but I still believe I have a lot more to give."

Step up
Roda occupy eleventh place in the Eredivisie, although Oper insists "results and our league position do not really correspond with our potential". Nonetheless, it is a step up in the world considering substitute cameos had been his stock in trade at Torpedo.

'Fresh start'
"Last year kicked off fine, but then I ran into problems in Russia with injuries and losing [Torpedo] coach Sergei Petrenko's trust," said Oper. "At one point I was really frustrated but fortunately the games for Estonia were going well. In August came the move to the Netherlands which gave me a fresh start."

Sweet finish
For Estonia, Oper remained a potent force, scoring five international goals in 2005 when none of his team-mates could manage more than one. His sweet finish in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Slovakia earned him the Silverball for best Estonian goal of the year.

No aesthete
However, the forward was not getting carried away with the accolade. "I don't rate my goals by beauty - it is much more important that they bring a result for the team," he said. "The goal against Slovakia does not bring back happy memories as we lost a game we could have won."

English scouts
He may not appreciate their aesthetic quality, but Oper has hit some crackers in the Netherlands too, four of them match-winners, and rumours suggest a number of English clubs have sent scouts across the North Sea to take a look at him.

Homesick Estonian
Oper is in no hurry to leave Roda, however. "I am really happy here," he said. "I love the team and the style of the club. The only frustration is being away from my family." Oper's partner Marge - who runs the Andres Oper Football School - and daughter Emma are both back in Tallinn.

National treasure
Discovered by youth side FC LSMK/Pantrid Tallinn, Oper played for FC Flora and Aalborg BK before joining Torpedo in 2003. He has scored 30 goals in 98 internationals since his debut in 1996, and Estonia's Dutch coach Jelle Goes is delighted to see him flourish at Roda.

Goes' assessment
"Andres is a great goalscorer, but even more important is that he always works for the team," said Goes. "With a team like Estonia, if a striker doesn't do his defensive work, we don't stand a chance." With Roda keeping Oper sharp, Estonia can expect to have him in top form for the upcoming UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers.

Thousand hunting tourists in Estonian forests in a year

* About a thousand foreign hunters come to Estonia every year to hunt roes, wild boars and elks. Kalev Manniste from the State Forest Management Centre said that they offer hunting opportunities for about 700 tourists a year.

The Director of the Estonian Hunters' Association, Andres Lillemae, said that about 200 foreign hunters in a year come hunting through their organisation. There are many Italian bird hunters and Finnish wild boar hunters. Tourists usually arrive in the middle of the week and leave on Sunday.

Free plane tickets may become available

* According to airline companies, the aviation market is developing towards the direction of free plane tickets ; it is possible that in future passengers only have to pay airport taxes.

This year, low-cost airline Ryanair is planning to give out one third of its tickets for free or to sell them for almost nothing.

Estonian Air’s vice president, Mart Relve, says that company has a vision for the next ten years and Estonian Air is not planning to give out free plane tickets. Estonian Air is using a board conception of two different service classes. According to SAS’ communication manager, Hans Ollongren, airline companies have many unused opportunities concerning additional services.

Nordic poetry collection published in Estonia

* The annual Nordic Poetry Festival organised by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Tallinn, Estonia, has published 292 poems by 28 different writers, all of whom have taken part in the poetry festival.

The book was launched on 30 January at the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Tallinn. The publication is considered a major event. The book features poets who have appeared at the festival over the last two years.

"This is a huge opportunity for Estonian readers to learn about Nordic poetry," said Eha Vain of the the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office who was one of the main movers behind the "Speed Within Silence" project.

The project was facilitated by a grant from the Nordic Literature and Library Committee (NORDBOK) and a NORDBOK representative attended the launch. The Council of Ministers' office stressed that .........

Estonia : Real estate

* Rising employment and higher wages, coupled with low mortgage rates, are fuelling domestic demand for property in Estonia. Foreign investors are also driving demand, particularly the Finns who are buying second homes. Property prices in Tallinn are a third of those in the Finnish capital Helsinki, only 55 miles away, although they are catching up fast.

Central and historic parts of the capital, Tallinn, have seen strong price growth over the past few years having gained up to 20% in the past year, and investors are looking to the suburbs. Most new developments in the city centre sell from plan. A new pied-a-terre in a classy purpose-built block in central Tallinn, within walking distance of the old town, costs from £56,700. A similar price buys an apartment in a historic converted paper mill, near the commercial district, overlooking Lake Ülemiste.

Or, you could buy a small flat in a new scheme, set amid woodland, within walking distance of the city centre, for £46,350. A des-res in affluent, suburban Viimsi, not far from the beach, costs from £38,974 for one bedroom. Agents say the area appeals to young professionals and small families.

VAT is levied at 18% on the purchase of new property in Estonia, but this is generally included in the purchase price. Rental income is taxed as personal income at 23% ; any mortgage interest is tax deductible. Stamp duty is paid on a sliding scale from 0.3% to 0.5%. Land is tax at 0.2% 6o 0.7%. No capital gains tax to pay on resale and no inheritance tax.

Estonia about Russia : 2nd decade of January

* Europe's and post-Soviet countries' dependence on Russian gas, and Russia's attempts to play this card continue to be in the focus of the Estonian press. "The Kiev-Moscow crisis is becoming all the more acute because European leaders know that North Sea deposits are being depleted, a fact which has led some countries to replace gas with atomic energy. There is hope, therefore, that the crisis will compel Europe to work out a common energy policy." (Delfi, January 18.)

The press has published an open letter from the Baltic and Polish former Prime Ministers with an appeal to the European Union to develop a united energy policy. "The gas quarrel shows that Russia will not think twice before using energy as a weapon..." Gazprom has taught a harsh lesson not only to millions of people, but also to the political elite. In several years we will be grateful to Vladimir Putin, who compelled Europe to take a closer look at the use of energy, and increase the variety of its carriers. The EU should find a common language in talking about energy and policy as regards Russia." (Eesti Päevaleht, January 18.)

Tele2 in Estonia goes with Siemens in W-CDMA contract

* Tele2 Eesti AS, Estonia's largest alternative telecommunications provider, has contracted with the Siemens Communications Group to build a complete 3G network in Estonia.

Tele2 Eesti is a subsidiary of Swedish-based Tele2 AB, and within a matter of months has become the second operator in the Baltic to place its trust in Siemens technology in building a W-CDMA network.

"Only a few months ago, we began delivering and installing a complete 3G network for Tele2 in Latvia. We are pleased that Estonia, too, is now traveling the path to 3G together with us, and that with our infrastructure we have again been able to create the foundation for future broadband data services like music downloads to mobile handsets," said Christoph Caselitz, the President of the Mobile Networks Division at Siemens Communications.

In addition to 3G technology, Siemens will also be supplying Tele2 Eesti AS with radio and core equipment for its GSM network and upgrading existing circuit- and packet-switched network elements to ready them for W-CDMA operation.

Estonia : Weather average conditions

 

Tallinn, Estonia

Month	Average Sunlight (hours)	Temperature				Discomfort from heat and humidity	Relative humidity		Average Precipitation (mm)	Wet Days (+0.25 mm)
		Average		Record
		Min	Max	Min	Max		am	pm
Jan	1	-10	-4	-30	5	-	87	86	39	19
Feb	2	-11	-4	-30	3	-	87	83	30	16
March	4	-7	0	-25	12	-	89	77	21	13
April	6	0	7	-13	21	-	84	66	31	11
May	7	5	14	-3	27	-	79	63	44	12
June	11	10	19	0	31	-	72	55	40	10
July	10	12	20	5	29	-	79	59	68	13
Aug	8	11	19	2	31	-	85	64	78	15
Sept	5	9	15	-3	28	-	87	69	71	16
Oct	2	4	10	-7	19	-	89	79	68	17
Nov	1	-1	3	-21	11	-	90	86	56	18
Dec	0	-7	-1	-25	7	-	88	87	39	19

The following bar chart for Tallinn, Estonia shows the years average weather condition readings covering rain, average maximum daily temperature and average minimum temperature.

Estonia : A chronology of events

* 1918 - Independence proclaimed.

1920 - Peace treaty with Russia signed.

1934 - Prime Minister Konstantin Pats leads bloodless coup and establishes authoritarian rule.

1938 - Pats becomes president under new constitution.

1939 - The Soviet Union compels Estonia to accept Soviet military bases.

1940 June - Soviet troops march in.

1940 August - Estonia incorporated into Soviet Union.

1941 - German troops invade.

1944 - Estonia reannexed by the Soviet Union. Tens of thousands of Estonians deported to Siberia and Central Asia.

1988 - Popular Front campaigns for democracy. "Singing revolution" brings a third of the population together in a bid for national unity and self-determination.

Independence

1991 - Communist rule collapses. Soviet government recognizes the independence of the Baltic republics.

1992 - Lennart Meri becomes president.

1994 - Russian troops leave. Estonia joins Partnership for Peace, allowing limited military cooperation with Nato.

1996 - President Meri re-elected.

1997 - Estonia invited to begin European Union membership negotiations.

1999- New centre-right government under Prime Minister Mart Laar, who led a previous government in 1992.

Estonia gets drunk

* Twenty-four per cent of 15-year-olds drink alcohol once at least once a week. Fifty-seven per cent of boys and 22% of girls get drunk at least twice a month !

Not to worry : Other countries are just as good ... !

FRANCE : Twenty-three per cent of 15-year-olds drink alcohol at least once a week. Twenty-two per cent of boys and 15% of girls get drunk at least twice a month. Twelve per cent of teenagers binge drink.

ENGLAND : Fifty-two per cent of 15-year-olds drink alcohol at least once a week. More than 55% of boys and nearly 55% of girls get drunk twice or more in a month. Thirty per cent of teenagers are considered to be binge drinkers.

SCOTLAND : Forty-three per cent of teenagers aged 15 years old drink alcohol at least once a week. Around 56% of boys and 52% of girls get drunk twice or more in a month.

Courses connect with immigrants

Accent reduction among FWCS classes

By Krista J. Stockman

Settling into a new country can be difficult.

There is a new language to learn and new customs to adjust to, such as shopping in a big-box store or cooking with recipes using ounces and cups instead of grams and liters.

Fort Wayne Community Schools’ Neighborhood Connection is hoping to make some of those transitions easier with a series of new courses.

Kim Gerardot, who works with program development for Neighborhood Connection, said the classes are an expansion of the English as a Second Language already offered and are meant to help those new to the United States adjust to the culture.

“Cooking in your New Environment” is offered March 7 and 14 for $23 for the two classes. The instructor will help students learn how to use English recipes and measurements. “Shopping in Your New Environment” is offered March 28 for $19 and focuses on common words and ideas to help an English learner communicate with salespeople as well as using credit and debit cards.

“It is totally different for some of them,” Gerardot said. She said the classes are designed for people who have already been through a beginning English language class and can speak at least some English.

A class on .......

LEEDS have denied any link with defender Andrei Stepanov

* There had been reports that the 26-year-old Estonia international was having a trial but Leeds' chief executive Shaun Harvey said: "It is not a name we are familiar with, there is no player by that name involved with the squad."

Hansapanga X Tallinna suusamaraton

5. veebruar 2006
Kõrvemaa matka- ja suusakeskuses
42 ja 21 km klassikalises stiilis

Hansapanga Tallinna suusamaraton on Põhja-Eesti menukaim suusaüritus. Arvult juba kümnes sõit kuulub ka Eesti pikamaasuusatajate sarja Estoloppet 2006.

Seekordne juubelimaraton on klassikalises stiilis. Vabastiili austajad saavad nädal varem osa võtta Tallinna suusasõidust, mille rada on avatud ka matkamiseks.

Hansapank kutsub tundma rõõmu suusatamisest
Kõrvemaa kaunis looduses

Pühapäev, 29. jaanuar, Tallinna suusasõit

• 21 km vabastiili start kell 11.00
• Suusarada on avatud matkamiseks kell 11.15–16.00

Pühapäev, 5. veebruar, X Tallinna suusamaraton

• 42 km klassikastiili start kell 11.00
• 21 km klassikastiili start kell 11.15

Osavõtutasud	42 km	21 km	21 km M/N 15 ja nooremad
– 28.01.2006	200 kr	150 kr	100 kr
29.01.– 02.02.2006	270 kr	170 kr	120 kr
02.02.–05.02.2006	400 kr	250 kr	200 kr

Üle 60-aastastele kuni 2. veebruarini osavõtumaksu soodustus 50%

Osavõtjatele tagatakse : hooldatud suusarada ; stardinumber ; pakihoid stardis ; arstiabi ; infoleht ; joogipunktid rajal ; toitlustus finišis ; lõpetajatele diplom nime, aja ja kohaga ning tulemus Tallinna suusamaratoni lõpuprotokollis vanuserühmade kaupa. Eraldi tasu eest saab laenutada ja määrida suuski.

Elektrirong suusamaratonile väljub Tallinnast kell 7.03. 11-kroonine sooduspilet kehtib suuskade olemasolu korral. Aegviidu jaamast saab Kõrvemaa matka- ja suusakeskusesse eribussiga.

Info ja registreerimine

• www.esport.ee
• Extreme Spordi kauplused
• A&T Spordi kauplused
• Nõmme Matkapood

Tallinn - 28th Jan 2006 - 08.16 - minus 2 degrees

                                            

Sea dog turns kitchen cat

(Merekoerast köögikiisuks)

The recent, severe cold spell that drew a line down from Finland, through the Baltic States and raged eastwards made for some challenging times. Tallinn’s homeless shelters were at full capacity, commuting and traffic were disrupted and line-ups for car batteries were long, as was the wait to get help to repair frozen pipes or faulty wiring. A total of 7 people in Estonia have succumbed to the cold and at least 16 others have lost their lives this month in house fires, caused mostly by overheating wood-burning stoves in wooden houses.

Since the cold set in as of mid-January, which is traditionally considered the peak of winter, or period when its back is broken so to speak (talihari), I have started having a visitor come round to my kitchen window every day at around 15.00 – 15.30. It’s rather ironic that I continue to feed my favourite chickadees (tihased) as well as this one, very large, beautiful seabird, who arrives each afternoon with a loud kaplunk! (The outer window ledges of my 1980-s, Soviet-built apt. building are covered in a fairly noisy sheet-metal.) Unable to completely forget the idea of bird flu, I carefully slip Tormi manageable strips of dark rye bread through a barely opened window – he/she’s a quick-draw and is not into chewing, to say the least.

On a particularly cold day I slipped him/her some rolled up sliced ham (sink), but the idea of many local people not having the opportunity to enjoy such meat made me regain my senses. I felt better today, seeing how much s/he enjoyed the pasty, starchy Millerighe giganti pasta I had rejected (ruined).

Tormi can be a boy’s or girl’s name, which is great, since my visitor’s sex remains a mystery. Although not very common, it’s an extremely poetic name, befitting a majestic Herring gull who is also commonly known as TORMIKAJAKAS – storm gull and MEREKOER – sea dog.

I don’t want to tease the poor beast, who sometimes seems more like a cat than a sea dog, crouched down on the window ledge, feathers puffed to the max, but s/he has insisted on hanging around, watching me eating heeringas (rollmops with an olive centre no less) and kasukas (like rosolje, beet salad with herring, potatoes and other goodies served in layers).

Project against human trafficking approved in Estonia

* A project to prevent human trafficking between 2006 and 2009 was approved on Thursday in Estonia, a significant source country of women and girls traded for sex exploitation.

    The project defines the strategic goal and the major measures of counter-trafficking of human beings, Estonia's Minister of Justice Rein Lang told the local media.

    According to reports reaching here from Estonian capital of Tallin, Lang expressed his worry that human trafficking, closely related to the smuggling of drugs and AIDS, would turn into the nation's primary social problem unless the government enhances its capability to control it.

    The trafficking speculators are likely to increase their illegal activities if the East European member state of the European Union (EU) joins the Schengen open-borders agreement in 2007, Lang said.

    The Schengen agreement is a system in which travelers arriving at one of the EU's outer borders are checked only once, and thereafter have freedom to cross all the other national borders inthe Schengen states.

    Estonia will strengthen border checks, reinforce the monitor over government departments and respond severely to human trafficking activities.

Estonia: ETV to broadcast tomorrow the previews for the national selection 'Eurolaul'

Sanjay Jiandani reporting from Malaga (Spain)
Fotis Konstantopoulos reporting from Athens (Greece)

* ETV, the Estonian national broadcaster will be airing a special show to-night at 21.35 (EET) on channel 1 ETV  to present the 10 Eurolaul entries. Thus introducing the 10 competing songs along with their singers , composers and authors to the Estonian public. Marko Reikop will be the presenter. Live perfomances of all the acts in competition  have been pre recorded at the ETV studios. These will be shown as previews tomorrow. The national Estonian selection Eurolaul will be held on the 4th of February, where an international jury will select the entry to represent Estonia in the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest  in Athens, Greece. The Estonian viewers will be able to choose their favourite song via televoting on the 4th of February. But we shall remind you that the public televoting result will have no influence on the selection of the song, as its entirely up to the International jury to deliberate their verdict into choosing the winner.

Estonia will be competing the semi final on the 18th of May due to their poor result last year in the semi final in Kiev. Estonia won the Eurovision Song Contest back in 2001 with Tanel Padar and Dave Benton with "Everybody !". This year Estonia will perform  its 11th entry on the Eurovision stage. Oikotimes wishes Estonia the best of luck at the semi final on the 18th of May ? Will we go back to Tallinn in 2007 ? Well folks you just gotta be patient and wait until May ! Below you can find the list of songs along with the names of the singers, authors and composers and the telephone numbers for televoting (for our Estonian friends).

900 7701 laul nr 1 - It Was You, autorid Priit Pajusaar, Glen Pilvre / Maian Kärmas, esitab Carola
900 7702 laul nr 2 - Open Up Your Heart, autor Mikk Targo, esitab Sofia Rubina
900 7703 laul nr 3 - Everytime I Tell You, autor Reverend B, esitab Reverend B ja Crux
900 7704 laul nr 4 - Iseendale, autorid Eda-Ines Etti, Ivo Etti, esitab Ines
900 7705 laul nr 5 - Sweet Separation, autorid mel, mathura, esitab Aphro Tito
900 7706 laul nr 6 - Through My Window, autorid P.Paulus, I.Laisaar, A.Kotkas / J.Hallas, esitab Sandra
900 7707 laul nr 7 - Higher, autorid Peeter Kaljuste, Elmar Liitmaa / Marta Piigli, esitab Glow
900 7708 laul nr 8 - Be 1st , autorid Ivar Must, Rebecca Kontus / James Werts, esitab Marilin Kongo
900 7709 laul nr 9 - Friends Will Be Friends, autorid Martti Meumers / Rein Kahro, esitab Noorkuu ja s'Poom
900 7710 laul nr 10 - Mr Right, autorid Priit Pajusaar, Glen Pilvre / Maian Kärmas, esitab Meribel Müürsepp

Estonia to face Russia in Euro 2008 qualifiers

Russia, Croatia, Israel, England, Macedonia and Andorra make up the group from which two teams will qualify for the tournament which is to be held in Austria and Switzerland.

Government calls on people to commemorate victims of crimes against humanity

Stenbock House — The Government calls on the Estonian people to commemorate the victims of crimes committed against humanity, tomorrow, on International Holocaust Memorial Day.

We will commemorate the Nazi victims on Holocaust Memorial Day. Our thoughts are with all of the people who suffered in one of the most horrible tragedies in history, and of whom many lost their lives.

The main objective of tomorrow’s memorial day is to acknowledge the horrors of the Holocaust. The Ministry of Education and Research calls on all Estonian schools to explain to their pupils the tragic events of the past century. Knowledge of the past teaches us understanding and helps prevent the crimes of the past century from ever occurring again.

During the Second World War, the Nazi regime systematically eliminated on the occupied Estonian territory both Estonian Jews and those that had been brought here from elsewhere. It is most regrettable that in cooperation with the occupation authorities, some Estonian citizens participated in such crimes committed against humanity. There is no justification for the participation of anyone in these shameful and morally condemnable acts. It is not important what motivated these people to act in this way. Even if they have not directly shed the blood of anyone, they are nevertheless morally responsible.

Holocaust Memorial Day was celebrated in Estonia for the first time on 27 January 2003. The date, 27 January, is the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.


Government Communication Office

_____________________________________
Valitsuse kommunikatsioonibüroo briifinguruum
http://www.valitsus.ee/brf/

press@riik.ee

Sõbrapäev - Armastus - Valentine Day (2)

VIHKAN SIND ? IHKAN SIND ? Armastan Sind - samas kurvastan külmalt. Kallistan Sind - ja tõukan eemale julmalt. Su ligidust otsin - ja seda ei talu. Tulles tormegi trotsin - ja siis teen Sulle valu. Ja üks küsimus vaevab mind - `Vihkan Sind ? Ihkan Sind ?	Anna andeks, anna andeks, et armastan sind, et ainult sinule tuksub mu rind. Ei iialgi tohi küll loota ma, et sina mind, armas, võiks armastada. Anna andeks, anna andeks, et armastan sind, et ainult sinule tuksub mu rind. Kui tahad mind vihata, vihka siis, ma lähen ja lähen ja armastan sind.
Enam iialgi ei tule sa mu väikesesse tuppa, enam iialgi ei ütle, et armastad, enam iialgi ei ütle, et hoolid. On valus ja tahaksin nutta ... Ma vihkan hetke, mis su viis. \"Tule tagasi ! \" hüüab mu hing. Mu väikene tuba on tühi, on valu ja ahastus...	Kas sa tuled ? Kas tuled mu juurde, mu arm. Kas sa avad mu silmad ning siis, pühid kõik pisarad ? Kas sa seisad seal vana puu all ja naeratad mulle, jooksed mu suunas ja ütled : sest ma armastan sind.
Vaata mulle otsa ja sa näed, et ma ei vaja sind. Vaata mulle otsa ja sa näed, et saan elada ilma sinuta. Kuid ära vaata mulle silma, sest need on pisarad, mis reedavad, et ma valetan, sest ma ARMASTAN Sind !	Sa tulid ... - tulid, et näha, nägid- et tunda tundsid- et armastada armastasid- et suudelda suudlesid- et purustada purustasid- et lahkuda lahkusid- et olla teisega ...
Armastus, armastus, armastus, kus oled, kus oled, mis olekus ? Valge kui kilekott. Trott-trott-trott. Siredasäärne kontorirott. Pott-pott-pott. Kõrvastus, kõrvastus, kõrvastus, ninamühk kui sepapoja vinn. Tsirp. Tsirp. Tsirp. Ole, ole. Ole nirk. Maa. Sirnastus. Lott-lott-lott.	Mu tunded on sügaval peidus, mu mõtteid keegi ei tea. Mu muresid keegi ei tunne, mu valusid keegi ei näe. Mu süda on soojust tulvil, mu hing on habras kui lill. Mu kirg on kuum kui tuli, mu sisse ent keegi ei näe. Mu tunded on sügaval peidus, mu mõistus püüab neid teiste eest varjata. Petan vaid iseend ! ! !
vahel tahax joosta ära ja põgeneda kõige eest aga ma tean, et ei saa põgeneda iseenda eest vahel annaxin ära oma elu, et vaadata su silmadesse ja vahel tunnen, et vihkan sind kui sind ple või oled kaugel tunnen igatsust kummalist valu ja tyhjust kui sind näen, ei taha eal lasta silmist kuuldes su häält tahax seda yha uuesti kuulda aga hääl kaob nagu sa isegi, sest ma isegi ei tea kes sa oled..... võib olla on lihcalt liiga palju asju, mis mulle sind meenutavad võib ollla on lootus, et sa must hoolid vaid helesinine unistus, mis iial ei täitu võib olla oleme me liiga erinevad ja võib olla peax ma sind ignoreerima, unustama su olemasolu aga... ma ei tea ju.. ma loodan, et yhel päeval on mul julgust öelda sulle kui palju sa mulle tegelikult tähendad ja ehk ma siis tean.

St Valentine in a Vilnius hotel for a "sexy price" of LIT 69.00/head

* Vilnius based hotel Europa City will announce "the Week of Love" on the occasion of St. Valentine’s Day.

The hotel will offer lovers rejuvenating milk baths. Last year, this service was extremely popular among the guests on this special occasion. This campaign will last from February 10 to 17 this year. This service will additionally cost LTL 69.

Clients will be charged a “double sexy” price of LTL 69 for a room, i.e. they will have to pay LTL 138 per room. Double rooms usually cost LTL 273. The lovers will be offered breakfast in bed and will be allowed to stay in the hotel until 4 p.m. the following day.

Europe fines for torture

* The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday ruled that Russia must pay 250,000 euros in compensation to a Nizhny Novogorod man who was tortured by police into confessing to crimes he did not commit.

In a statement on its web site, the court said Russia must pay EUR 250,000.00  to Alexei Mikheyev for "treatment inflicted" upon him while in police custody in 1998 in Nizhny Novgorod, his "right to an effective remedy" and "failure to conduct an effective investigation" into his fall from a window while in custody, which left him paralyzed.

In December 2005, a Nizhny Novgorod court sentenced two police officers to four years in prison for torturing Mikheyev with electric shock to force him to admit to raping and murdering a woman who later turned out to be alive.

Germany asks Estonia for sky marshals

TALLINN - Football World Cup hosts Germany have asked Estonia to provide sky marshals aboard each flight to Germany for the duration of the tournament, the Eesti Ekspress weekly reported on Thursday.

Germany is taking no risks in the area of security at the World Cup which runs June 9-July 9. In Germany alone, a 340-million euros security operation will be in place to fight football violence as well as terrorism.

The German Foreign Ministry did not want to comment on the report from Estonia, while Estonian officials did not dismiss it.

The Baltic news agency BNS said the German request was dealt with by the Estonian cabinet.

Do you want to know more about 1945

* This topic was started on January the 16th and already comprises 74 posts ...

Post n° 1

How soon did the Allies know that there were going to be more problems than just beating the Germans in 1945, ie : the dissection of Berlin, Russia becoming a force of its own in Europe, the beginning of the Cold War, etc ?
Did we have any idea knowledge of all the political issues that evolved from the end of the war in Europe ?  Did we know that Russia was the more dangerous aggressor back in 1939-41 ?
Craig

Read the 72 other posts

Post n° 74

• Yes, the survivors of those men who had been drafted in Estonia back in 1941 were also included in the corps. They were decimated at Velikie Luki both by attrition as well as (oh my, what a surprise) defection and desertion.

Shows the level of trust Estonians had toward Soviet Union - they were deserting _into_ a _besieged_ city !

• And yes, they did see limited action on the Narva front in 1944,

Corps Artillery was used against Narva during Summer '44 offensive, infantry elements were not employed on front line.

• and entered Tallinn the same year. I'm not sure if they were the _first_ Red Army troops entering the Estonian capital, although given their ceremonial value to the Soviet military, it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Apparently, it was largely a private initiative of Lembit Pärn, Caucasian-born commander of Estonian Rifle Corps (it was still named so even after Velikie Luki, where the Corps lost 50% of its strength and as the consequence, Estonians became a minority). A mobile detatchment was formed from tanks and motorized infantry. It made a breakthrough from Central Estonia on Sept 21th when Germans were evacuating Estonia, and covered 150 km during one night to take Tallinn - to the surprise of other Soviet forces, entering from the east during next day.

It was speculated that one of the causes for such swift operation was an attempt to save the capital from atrocities - not an unfounded fear, considering what happened later in Poland and, of course, on Prussia and Germany proper - and, given that in the first few days, Corps' patrols were busy arresting later-arriving Soviets for drunkenness and maraudering.
sidam00

UK women's tennis continues to recruit globally

UK certainly cannot be considered the center of the world. But when you look at the roster of the UK women's tennis team, it isn't such a far-fetched idea.

Kim Coventry and Liis Sober are both juniors on the team and share a close friendship. But that relationship is one that might have never been realized, though both of them are similar in many ways.

Each of them has racked up strong stats throughout their career playing tennis at UK. Each has a love for the game they play. And each of them considers their home to be, literally, half way across the world.

Coventry hails originally out of Melbourne, Australia, and Sober is from Tallinn, Estonia.

"Tennis is the only sport I've ever played and I love it," Coventry said. "I looked at a lot of schools to play at over here, but I thought the location (of UK) was great."

Coventry came here after meeting up with former women's tennis coach Mark Gilbeau, who impressed her immediately.

"I thought the coaches here were great," Coventry said. "And I didn't want to live in a big city. Melbourne is a lot bigger then Lexington. It's like Cincinnati. Lexington was the right size."

Sober was also drawn to the Bluegrass. Her native Estonia is in Eastern Europe, and she had spent most of her life in Helsinki, Finland, a city she described as "bustling." But she had ties to Kentucky.

"My sister originally played basketball for the University of Louisville," she said. "She went to high school here in town at Dunbar, and I used to come visit her."

Sober, like Coventry, also was ......

Oil and Gaz : STRONG-ARMING THE SEESAW

by Kevin Kerr

Diminutive and beautiful, the Republic of Estonia has always been an easy target for the region's bullies. Suffering a long history of heavily armored invaders such as Germany and Russia, the tiny republic has endured as a colonial territory for nearly a thousand years.

Estonia's main attraction to invading armies is its seaport, Tallinn. Extremely deep and ice free, Tallinn has been a major hub for shipments between the Baltics, Russia and the West.

Even as Estonia tries to grow a high-tech industry, the port continues to serve as the primary source of economic growth. Through it flows 30 millions tons annually - some 75% of it cargo. And the thing you really need to know is that the biggest moneymaker is oil.

And Estonia's biggest oil carriers are Pakterminal and Estonian Oil Service (EOS). Bringing up the rear as No. 3 is Eurodek. All of these heavy fuel oil operators are headquartered in Muuga Harbor, which is part of the Port of Tallinn.

By posting record profits, Pakterminal, EOS and Eurodek have attracted a slew of regional competitors. As the shares of the pie grow smaller, we can expect this market to sustain growth of approximately 7%.

Originally, the railroads carried crude from the Russian oil fields. Since then, the facilities have evolved with the times. Today, Estonian oil terminals handle more profitable shipments of refined products.

The lone holdout is Lonessa AS. It is owned by Nordic Terminals BV, which in turn is a holding of Taurus Petroleum Ltd. Unlike other regional terminals that are connected to the Russian pipeline system, crude shipments are carried by rail through Estonia to Tallinn. That has not deterred Lonessa from building a new $30 million oil terminal in Tallinn, however, in February 2005.

Quoted in InternationalReports.com, of The Washington Post, Lonessa's director John Madsen said: "We decided two years ago that it would be an extremely good idea to go through Estonia... Tallinn has the best port in the Baltic States; it's deep, ice free and accessible. Access for big ships is, of course, extremely important. This is a very competitive business, and big ships means lower transportation costs per ton. Every cent that we can gain is important. Our terminal will be dedicated to crude oil, because that's the Taurus business. However, having said that, we will build the terminal according to the most modern standards and make it flexible, which means we will install the tanking capacity so that it could take fuel. Maybe Russia cuts off the supply one day. We are preparing for that as well."

While a ...........

In brief : 26-01-2006

* A 13-yr old Tõnis Pill rescued two kids from drowning in icy waters of river Jägala.

* Infortar, majority owner of the Tallink shipping line, said it was developing plans to open hotels in several major cities in Russia, Finland and the Baltics, and would attract other investors for the Tallink City leisure center in the Lasnamae region of Tallinn.

* The Russian arm of the Hansabank Group is steeped in a row with the Russian Tax Board over the latter’s refusal to reimburse VAT already paid on leased goods.
The matter involves lease contracts on rail cars that paved the way for Hansabank’s business in Russia. “I won’t disclose the sum, but it’s large,” said Lauri Reinberg, deputy chief of the Russian operation, told the daily Postimees on Jan. 20.

* A commission that has selected two possible routes for a road link between Saaremaa, Estonia’s largest island, and the mainland said that completion of the project would likely take place in 2014.

* LE BONAPARTE

Finally, a restaurant for the romantic. Le Bonaparte’s medieval interior, made up of majestic wooden beams, broad, crooked windows and stone walls, speaks for itself. The atmosphere mixes unexpectedly well with continental class : the silver tableware, lanky candleholders and classical music. The menu is, naturally enough, exclusively in French. But that shouldn’t scare you away. It would be a shame to pass up Le Bonaparte’s list of delectable appetizers, entrées and desserts. Bon appétit !

Location : Pikk St. 45, (tel. 6464444)

Source : Baltic Times

Galvex files for bankruptcy in U.S. courts

TALLINN - Galvex, a state-of-the-art steel galvanizing plant in the Muugu port, has filed for bankruptcy after a major creditor refused to restructure the company’s outstanding debt.
According to U.S. media reports, Galvex filed the application after failing to make a loan payment to the SPCP Group, a creditor.

On Jan. 24, the Estonian media reported that Russia’s Severstal offered $160 million for the troubled galvanization plant. Galvex owes the investment fund SPCP Group LLC roughly 150 million dollars in operating credit and a long-term loan and has run into trouble with repayment, reports said.

Galvex is also claiming that SPCP has sought to appoint a new CEO without board consultation and attempted to wrest control of the company’s assets and equity.

Kalev Klaar, CEO of Galvex Estonia, a subsidiary of the U.S.-based corporation, told the Baltic News Service the bankruptcy application would not affect the company’s operations and its Muuga facility would continue work as usual. He stressed that bankruptcy protection would give the company time to find alternative financing or for talks with the present creditor.

Galvex, a 3.7 billion kroon production facility that was launched in 2003, represents one of the largest foreign investments in the Estonian economy, and its newest troubles have occurred at a time when the government is trying to cope with another record-breaking investment project, Estonian Railway.

The company’s troubles supposedly began last spring when working capital dried up and loan payments went unpaid. An oversupply of steel and a ......

Ministry prepares to buy back rail company

By Kairi Kurm

* Economy Minister Edgar Savisaar was quoted by the Eesti Paevaleht daily this week as saying there was “a great probability that the Economy Ministry has come to the position that we support repurchase.”

“There are debates underway over the price and the terms and on whether the government or Tallinna Sadam (Port of Tallinn) will purchase it,” he said.

The 66 percent stake is owned by Baltic Rail Services, while the Estonian government owns 34 percent. The company was privatized when the government was run by a three party coalition government chaired by Mart Laar – Pro Patria Union, the Reform Party and the Moderates (now Social Democrats).

The current government consists of the Reformists, the Center Party and the People’s Union. None is against the purchase of the shares, but have said the current 3 billion kroons (192 million euros) being asked for by Baltic Rail Services is irrational.

BRS paid about 1 billion kroons with the obligation to invest hundreds of millions of kroons.

“I want to know why the price has tripled in the meantime,” said Meelis Atonen, former economy minister who also sat on the council of Estonian Railway for half a year. “It is clearly too much. We should not pay for the unbeneficial investments like American locomotives that are not suitable and good enough for Estonian Railway.”

What’s more, investment obligations set out in the contract have not been fully met due to various reasons.

“What are we going to use for money?” Edward Burkhardt, CEO of Baltic Rail Services, told The Baltic Times in a recent interview. He said he and other investors have lost about 800 million kroons in revenues due to the low infrastructure fees set by the government that BRS can charge competitors.

“Dividends or development – they decided on the dividends. Then there is certainly not enough (money),” said Atonen.

Some parties, such as the People’s Union, want to see the government regain control of infrastructure, while leaving cargo-handling to the private sector. But even if ..........