BONJOUR L'ESTONIE

Estonia on high alert after Sweden bird flu case

TALLINN - Estonia is on high alert for bird flu after nearby Sweden reported its first case of the disease.

"The country is in an increased state of readiness to react to the first possible case of bird flu in Estonia, as the latest information points to the detection of the disease in our neighourhood, in Sweden," Estonian Agriculture Minister Ester Tuiksoo said Tuesday.

"We are ready to react immediately if we get news of the first infected bird in Estonia," Tuiksoo said.

The Swedish Board of Agriculture on Tuesday reported that an "aggressive" form of bird flu had been detected in wild ducks in the Scandinavian country, which lies across the Baltic Sea from Estonia.

Flu meds arrive in Estonia

* Three thousand doses of the flue medication, Tamiflu arrived in Estonia on Feb. 28 and would be handed over to the state in a few days, according to Roche Estonia pharmaceuticals.

The delivery of the medicine, which would serve as the state stockpile, had been delayed several times.

The medication which arrived on Feb. 28 would not be meant for retail. A total of five pharmacies in Estonia sell Tamiflu.

Eesti Expo on 21st-23rd of April

Kinnisvara 2006

* 21.04.06 - 23.04.06

Korraldaja : Eesti Expo OÜ Tel : + 372 6505677 Faks : +372 6505676 e-mail : info@eestiexpo.ee

Eesti Expo on 24th-26th of March

*

InfoTec 2006

24.03.06 - 26.03.06

Korraldaja : Eesti Expo OÜ Projektijuht : Elys Tsupsman Telefon : + 372 6505675 Faks : + 372 6505676 e-mail : elys@eestiexpo.ee Toimumiskoht : Eesti Näituste Messikeskus,                              Pirita tee 28, Tallinn Mis täna on uus on homme vana Oleme harjunud mõtlema, et digitaalne maailm areneb kiiresti. Uus tehnika vahetab pidevalt välja vana, mis annab kiire ja parema võimaluse arenguks (arenguvõimaluse). InfoTec on mess, mis sisaldab kõiki olulisi teemasid tänapäeva digitaalses maailmas, luues ideaalse platvormi uute toodete/teenuste tutvustamiseks.

Estonia's 2006 Olympic medals

Veerpalu : Tänane võit tuli raskemalt kui Salt Lake City’s

"Rada ja ilmastikutingimused olid Torinos raskemad kui Salt Lake City's," lausus Andrus Veerpalu.

Kristina Šmigun ihkas kuldmedalit just klassikadistantsilt

"Mul on olnud salajane unistus võita klassikakuld, et olla ka tõeline eestlane," tunnistas Šmigun ETV-le.

Kristina Šmigun võitis Torinos oma teise olümpiakulla !

Kristina Šmigun võitis 10 km klassikadistantsi, edestades 21,3 sekundiga norralannat Marit Björgenit.

Source : ETV

The myth about the so-called "internal Russian threat"

*  Things necessary to know about Estonian Russian-speaking minority. All sources used are Estonian or Western.

1. In Estonia all established foreigners vote in the local elections. The Russian ethnic parties suffered utter defeat in the local elections of 1998 and it got worse in the last ones. Currently Russian ethnic party holds power in only two minor cities in Estonia - Maardu and in another one, cannot remeber at the moment. The party has closed recently and reopened under new name, analists pronounce it dead nevertheless and this is the most powerful "Russian minority protecting" party. In the Parliamentory Elections the support for pro-Russians is naturally even smaller and they fall far from 5% quota, though they combine themself with the Toomsalu's communists.

2. 68% of the people identifying themselves as Russian-speakers support NATO membership, only 7% less than the ethnic Estonians. Same question unofficially posed by a concerned kremlinist at " estonia.livejournal.com" Russian-speaking community, couldn't even get anywhere near 32% anti-NATO locals there.

3. The Estonian Security Police Board stated in its Yearbook of 2003 (or was it 2002) that the Russian secret services (you name it) stopped working with the local Russian organizations because of lack of hope of this work and switched to infiltrating EU and NATO (connected local
officials) instead.

4. There was no single mass-protest (let's say that in Estland mass starts with 100 people in a crowd), political or any, by the local Russian-speakers since.. 1993 or even 1991 (suggestions ?). I am pretty sure starting with 1998, but certainly unlikely before that as well. With one exception - there was one significant protest few years ago, numbering around 100 people conducted by the local Russian youth, but it was anti-US and took place at the gates of the US Embassy.

5. The relevant acts of the Estonian State, notably ......

Bergqvist set for comeback in Tallinn tonight

Tallinn - The Estonian indoor meeting “Tallinn Jumping Gala“ will be held this evening, and it should be something special.

For the first time since her minor ankle injury the World Indoor High Jump record holder Kajsa Bergqvist from Sweden will compete. She even did not compete at the Swedish Indoor Championships during the weekend, and arrived to Estonia yesterday afternoon.

Tonight the World champion will face Czech record holder Barbora Lalakova (1.99m), Marina Kuptsova, Russia’s 2002 European Indoor champion, and in-form Belgian record holder Tia Hellebaut (1.96).

The men’s High Jump also has a weighty field about which to boast. European champion Yaroslav Rybakov from Russia will face the Cubans Victor Moya, who won the World silver last summer in Helsinki, and Lisvany Perez.

But in what is the first European competition for the Moscow World Indoor Championships bound Cuban squad, manager Javier Sotomayor is bringing more talent to the Estonian capital.

In women’s Triple Jump Yargelis Savigne, .....

Most popular destinations were Copenhagen, Stockholm, London and Oslo

* Last year Estonian Air’s most popular destinations were Copenhagen, Stockholm, London and Oslo. This year three new destinations – Simferopol, Dubrovnik and Barcelona – were added to its schedule by the aviation company.

Estonian Air is today flying to 17 destinations in Europe. Last year a total of 642,700 people flew with Estonian Air’s 9,052 flights. This was 18% more than in the previous year. The share of charter flights and Internet sales increased noticeably. More than half of its flight tickets were sold via the Internet.

The workers of Baltic Kristina hope for Fantaasia

* Tallink’s ferry Fantaasia is to resume sea traffic between Riga and Stockholm in April 2006. Workers of Baltic Kristina who have not received any money from their previous employer hope to find a job on the new ferry. Most mechanics and seamen who worked on Baltic Kristina have already found a new job, but many waiters, barmen, and janitors have not, since their profession is not that popular.

Une boucle d'oreille en forme de croix gammée fait scandale en Estonie

TALLINN -  Le ministre estonien de la Défense, Jürgen Ligi, a exigé lundi des explications du chef de l'organisation volontaire de défense Kaitseliit (Ligue de défense) qui portait une boucle d'oreille en forme de croix gammée lors d'un défilé organisé récemment à l'occasion du Jour de l'Indépendance.

La boucle d'oreille avait été remarquée après la publication sur Internet de plusieurs clichés du défilé. Une organisation de jeunes avait alors adressé une demande d'explication à la Kaitseliit.

Un porte-parole de la Kaitseliit, qui relève de l'armée estonienne, a essayé de se justifier devant les médias, invitant à séparer croix gammée et incitation à la haine. Selon lui, la croix gammée est un ancien symbole de bonheur qui, historiquement, a fait partie du costume national estonien, déclaration jugée "inadéquate" par le ministre estonien de la Défense.

Plus tard, la Kaitseliit s'est empressée de déclarer qu'elle s'opposait au nazisme et à tout ce qui incitait à la haine. "Nous nous engageons à ce que plus rien de semblable ne se passe dans nos rangs", affirme une déclaration du mouvement estonien.

Baltic Prime Ministers discussed construction of new nuclear power station at Ignalina

Trakai, Lithuania – The Prime Ministers of the Baltic States, meeting in Trakai, Lithuania, today expressed support for their national energy companies concerning the preparations for construction of a new nuclear power plant at Ignalina.

Today’s joint statement, made by Andrus Ansip, Latvian Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis and Lithuanian Head of Government Algirdas Brazauskas, is aimed at preparing a common energy strategy for the Baltic States. The jointly drafted document must regard the Baltic energy market as a whole and offer solutions for overcoming the power deficit that the Baltic region will face over the years to come.

The Heads of Government expressed their support for the initiative of their national energy companies to jointly construct a new nuclear power station at Ignalina for meeting the power needs of all three countries. It was agreed that the new nuclear project would be managed on an equal bases by Eesti Energia, Latvenergo and Lietuvos energija. If it is necessary to involve any other parties or investors in the project, all of the relevant decisions will be reached by consensus.

The joint statement issued by the Prime Ministers emphasises the need to support all initiatives that render the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian energy markets more homogenous. According to the Heads of Government, it is also very important to establish various energy associations with the other European Union member states to ensure better security of supply and reduce dependence on Russian energy carriers.

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said that Estonia would consider all options for ensuring a better supply of power to the state. “By 2009, Lithuania must close down the last power block of the Ignalina nuclear power station, and this will affect power supply to the entire Baltic region. At the same time, Estonia has to decide in the coming years what to do after the old boilers of the Narva power stations are shut down.

As of today, 95% of Estonia’s power output is related to CO2 emission. Taking into account the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol on climate and the increasingly severe environmental conditions, our goal should be to produce at least one-fourth of our electricity free of CO2. A common nuclear power station for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania is one of the most feasible options for achieving this,” said Prime Minister Ansip.

The discussion to be held between the Prime Ministers today will create preconditions for Estonia’s participation in the project concerning the new nuclear power station at Ignalina. Before making the final investment decisions, thorough cost-benefit assessments must be prepared and agreements must be reached on the division of the new reactor’s capacity and on the management principles of the joint enterprise.

At the meeting today, Ansip, Kalvitis and Brazauskas confirmed the joint positions of the Baltic States for the European Union summit to be held at the end of March, in which energy will be one of the main topics. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania regard energy policy to be in the same context with the other European Union policies, particularly common foreign and security policy. A better integration of energy networks and diversity of producers must lead to a situation in which the Baltic States will become part of the EU common energy system, and their isolation will come to an end.
_____________________________________
Valitsuse kommunikatsioonibüroo briifinguruum
http://www.valitsus.ee/brf/

press@riik.ee

ESTONIA : Premium beer sales drive Saku earnings

* Estonia’s biggest brewer Saku Olletehas saw rising premium beer sales drive full-year earnings in 2005.

The brewer late last week posted a 50% leap in net profit last year to EST75m (US$5.7m). Group sales volumes were up nearly 20% to 80.8m litres.

Saku Olletehas said sales were up due to the launch of premium brand Saku Kuld, or Saku Gold.

“The brand surpassed its sales targets almost three-fold and quickly became one of the main growth drivers of the last quarter where it seized 10% of the premium segment,” the company said.

Saku Olletehas is the leader of the Estonian beer market, with a market share of 44.8%. The Estonian market grew by almost 14% last year. Saku Olletehas exports 20% of its production to its neighbouring Baltic states - Latvia and Lithuania - as well as Finland and Sweden.

The brewer also controls 31.5% of the Estonian cider market and 11% of the country’s bottled water category.

Beer sales accounted for almost 79% of the group’s revenues but the company said it would continue to diversify its brand portfolio to drive sales growth.

Estonia football : Bumper season in store

by Margus Luik

A record number of clubs will be involved as the 2006 season gets under way in Estonia, with 147 men's teams and 14 women's teams taking part.

First fixture
The Meistriliiga will kick off with a game which has been brought forward from the 19th round of fixtures and will see reigning champions FC TVMK Tallinn take on league newcomers JK Vaprus Pärnu. The first full round of matches takes place on 12 March with the season set to end with the Supercup game on 19 November.

New sponsors
In the run-up to the new season, FC Valga have changed their name to FC Warrior Valga while a change of sponsor has seen JK Merkuur Tartu become JK Maag Tartu. The club's staff is expected to remain the same despite the involvement of the AS Maag group, who produce and distribute food in the south of Estonia and are better known as the main backers of successful volleyball team Pere Leib Tartu.

Levadia moves
Meanwhile, deposed champions FC Levadia Tallinn will be looking to steal TVMK's crown in 2006 having agreed two-year contracts with two of their rivals' top players. Estonian international Maksim Smirnov and former Under-21 player Deniss Malov both refused new contracts with TVMK in the winter and joined their neighbours.

The 2006 Eucolait General Assembly in Tallinn : 1st-3rd June

* Tallinn Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will play host to the 2006 Eucolait General Assembly. For those of you visiting Estonia for the first time, you are in for a very special treat. Tallinn is an outstanding, exceptionally complete and well preserved example of a Hanseatic city ­ a very appropriate location for a Eucolait General Assembly. In order to fully experience the delights of the medieval Old Town, the General Assembly has been organised to coincide with the "Old Town Days" festival. This will give delegates the opportunity to see Tallinn at its most vibrant but also at its busiest so you are encouraged to book early !! Enclosed you will find the invitation, some programme details and the registration forms.

We would like to thank the Ministry of Agriculture, the Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce and the Estonian Dairy Association for inviting Eucolait to Estonia for our General Assembly and for their support. We look forward seeing you all there.

Ivan Hayes President

Anne Randles Secretary General

Invitation in English
Invitation en Français
Einladung auf Deutsch

Europe will become two times more expensive

The value of tourism visas to countries of the European Union will increase from EUR 35.00 to EUR 60.00.

The introduction of visas with carriers of biometrical information is given as the reason for this possible price increase. The European Union Commissioner in matters of justice Franco Frattini said that visas would be cheaper for students and scientists.

Vabaduse väljakule tasub täna tulla ilma autota

Tallinna transpordiameti kutsub linnakodanikke üles Vabaduse väljakul toimuva  Torino olümpiamängude medalivõitjate tervitustseremoonia ajal säilitama korda, eelkõige tuleks hoiduda liikluse takistamisest linnavalitsuse maja ees.

Medalivõitjate tervitustseremoonia algab kell 18.00 Vabaduse väljakul.

Olümpiavõitjad peaksid kohale jõudma kella seitsmeks ja tervitustseremoonia orienteeruv lõpp on kella kaheksa paiku õhtul.

«On igati teretulnud, et linnakodanikud medalivõitajate austamistseremoonial osalevad kuid me ei tohi unustada, et tänaste raskete lumeoludega seoses on tipptunnil liiklus niigi tavalisest aeglasem ja oht ummikute tekkimiseks  suurem,» ütles Tallinna transpordiameti juhataja Mati Songissepp.

Kindlasti ei tohiks Vabaduse väljakule ja kesklinna tulla isikliku sõidukiga.

Politsei ja liikluskorraldajad on kokku leppinud, et juhul kui olümpiamängude medalivõitjate tervitustseremooniale tulnud inimesed ummistavad liikluse Vabaduse väljakul rakendatakse operatiivselt samasugust liikluskorraldust nagu kaitsejõudude paraadi ajal.

Trollibussid sõidavad kuni Kaarli kirikuni ja autobussid suunatakse ümbersõidu marsruudile.

Totaljobs.com welcomes CV market to International Network

* Totaljobs.com, one of the UK’s recruitment websites, today announces a new partnership with CV Market, the Baltic States’ recruitment website, extending the reach of The Network to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As the fastest growing e-recruiter in Eastern Europe, CV Market will provide TotalJobs’ European partnership base, The Network, with a strong market presence in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This further expansion also confirms The Network’s position as the largest and most credible international online recruitment alliance, now providing access to 36 countries through a partnership of local market leaders.

Customers of the Network now have access to an even larger community of job seekers covering 23 out of 25 EU countries including all of the key recent EU accession countries. Headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia, CV Market carries 160,000 CVs, has 205,000 registered users and seven million page views per month across the Baltic countries. The company also boasts the most advanced technical solutions for e-recruitment in the region.

Raivo Hein, CEO of CV Market commented: "As the Baltic countries continue to develop rapidly, our customers need efficient access to the larger Western European labour markets. Partnering with such a strong, established network of international sites will enable us to give our clients access to specialised skills and to more, high quality candidates. In turn, as the market leader in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, CV Market will provide international companies with access to the highly qualified and motivated workforces in Eastern Europe."

Jo Goossens, Managing Director of Corporate & Business Development for The Network, said: "Recruiters are increasingly recognizing the opportunity to source candidates from the fast-changing markets of Central and Eastern Europe. With CV Market we ......

ESTONIAN PHILHARMONIC CHAMBER CHOIR

TUESDAY 14 MARCH 7:30 P.M.

UMASS FINE ARTS CENTER CONCERT HALL

UMASS CAMPUS, AMHERST, MA

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir is probably the best known Estonian classical music group, and by far one of the best choirs in the world and they are returning to tour in the US. Their upcoming concert schedule includes a performance at the Fine Arts Center at UMass on March 14th at 7:30. The program includes works by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, as well as Rahmaninov and Poulenc for which the choir will be accompanied by nine musicians.

Founded in 1981 the EPPC has continued to gain recognition not only as performers at concerts venues and festivals, but also in the recording field where a recent album made last years New York Times list for ‘best classical cd of the year’. This year the EPPC is undertak­ing their second US tour with a repertoire that ranges from Gregorian chants to late baroque and 20th century music, and of course Estonian composers.

For further information about the EPPC please visit their web site at : http://www.epcc.ee/

For further information about the upcom­ing concert at UMass : http://www.umass.edu/fac/ calendar/centerseries/events/EstonianPhilharmonic.html

Dream comes true for proud Estonian

* For almost 60 years an Auckland octogenerian dreamt of seeing the flying of her country's flag. On Friday, she and thousands of Auckland commuters got the chance to see the emblem of Estonia on top of the harbour bridge. Astra Gale asks not what her country can do for her; she wants to do something for her country - or at least her homeland. Almost 60-years-ago, Astra fled the Baltic state of Estonia and came to New Zealand. Once here, she only got to glimpse her old flag on television until Friday morning. For more see related video

What is the truth about Estonia !

The silence that keeps us (2)

Linda Kivi

This month, we heard from Estonia that the court case against three men who attacked me and my family in April of 2004 in Hiiumaa is proceeding. They are being tried only in relation to the attack on my brother. Almost two years has passed since that ugly event and while our feelings of fear and anger have subsided, my thoughts about the incident have developed.

Hiiumaa is known as one of the safest places in Eesti. After the attack, people repeated this to us, as if it could undo what had been done. What was done ? Four men, Russians who were former police officers from Virumaa, came back to the Puhkemaja where we were all staying. Our party consisted of five Canadians - two men, two women and a child, three of us Estonian-Canadians. As three of the Russian men drank themselves into a frenzy, they decided to attack us. Fortunately, my sister-in-law and my seven-year-old niece were away from the scene when the men grabbed me, my partner and my brother. Violence ensued. There was no reasoning possible : they didn’t speak Estonian or English, we didn’t speak Russian or the language of drunkenness. We struggled in the language of the body.

Using all my might and wiles, I escaped first into the night. My partner followed me shortly after. We debated going back to help my brother but we were uncertain of whether they had weapons. We decided to flee for help and took the mother and child with us. As we ran, searching for a lit house on the dark country road, two thoughts filled my head : concern for my brother, (please don’t kill him, I pleaded to no one in particular), and sorrow for my niece. I did not want for her to know this particular running-in-the-night-from-Russians terror.

A light was found, police and acquaintances called. Stolen things were recovered, my brother searched for and discovered among the juniper. He was bloody and bruised, his face lacerated by a knife and his nose broken, but he was alive. I suffered a twisted neck and could not move my head for many days. The swelling bruise on my knee cut short our cycling trip a week later.

When the police left, we were taken to safety in the house of new and very generous acquaintances. The Russians were left to drink and rage. They were not taken into custody. All the next day, as we toured Hiiumaa, we leaned toward the safety and comfort of our rescuing hosts knowing these men were on the loose. We stumbled around the island raw and stunned. We offered out statements to the police. My brother’s was taken. I was ignored.

Two years later, I am still angry. But .....

Not so good for ELISA !

* HELSINKI  (AP) - Elisa Corp., Finland's second-largest telecommunications operator, said Friday it plans to lay off 200 people, or 4 percent of its work force, to further cut costs.

The move follows 500 layoffs in 2005, and the company warned that it might have to cut more jobs in its work force of 5,000 later this year. Most of the layoffs will be in the business services sector, it said.

"Competition in this field continues to be extremely tough and it forces us to make all operations more efficient," Elisa's personnel manager Risto Rintamanty said. "Our efficiency drive will continue ... and if we find some more overlapping operations, we'll have to take the necessary steps."

The Helsinki-based company has laid off more than 2,500 people since 2003. Last week, it said it will outsource its invoicing and ordering operations.

Elisa, formerly known as the Helsinki Telephone Co., has some 2 million mobile phone subscribers in the Nordic country of 5 million. It also has operations in neighboring Estonia.

What many foreigners do for little money in Tallinn

* Just 50 miles across the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki, Tallinn gets a whopping injection of cash and conviviality from the more than half-million Finns who head across every year -- frequently on multiple daily ''booze cruises'' -- to exploit Tallinn's significantly cheaper alcohol.

Pockets filled with kroons (about 13 of them equal a dollar), motivated pleasure-seekers (not Finns only) can smoke Cuban cigars at La Casa del Habano, watch rugby over a pint at Scotland Yard, sip cocktails in the Scandi-chic interiors of R.I.F.F., boogie at the huge Club Hollywood or elite Club Prive, watch women lose their clothes at the Soho strip club, and then lose their own shirts at Bally's Casino.

'THE FIRST NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF COMMUNISM'

By Paul Goble

Fifty years ago this month, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev delivered to a closed session of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union remarks about his predecessor Josef Stalin and the latter's "cult of personality" that have passed into history as "the secret speech."

On the basis of his later comments, Khrushchev appears to have decided to deliver that speech as both a tactical move against his opponents within the Soviet leadership and as a broader effort to enhance the legitimacy of the communist system. But whatever his intentions, his remarks on 24-25 February 1956 had a far broader and deeper set of implications. Indeed, by what he said in that speech and even more by what he left unsaid, Khrushchev, in the words of Anatoly Chubais, drove "the first nail into the coffin" of that system.

Himself one of Stalin's closest lieutenants, Khrushchev faced an impossible task, even in his own terms. In order to reassure his party comrades that there would be no going back to the arbitrary violence of the past, he had to blame Stalin for all the evils of the system over which the late Soviet dictator had presided for so long without implicating himself and his supporters in those crimes or disowning the accomplishments of the system -- the collectivization of agriculture, the construction of a powerful industrial base, and the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

Khrushchev devoted almost all of his speech to the ways in which Stalin arbitrarily and brutally destroyed Lenin's legacy and the cream of the Communist Party, forcing party leaders to confess to crimes they had not committed and then executing them. All of the cases that the party had examined after Stalin's death, Khrushchev said, were found to have been "fabricated," and consequently he and the leadership were moving to "posthumously rehabilitate" them -- perhaps guaranteeing that that term will be as closely linked to Khrushchev as the phrase "enemy of the people" that Khrushchev insisted -- incorrectly -- that Stalin had invented is with him.

Throughout that part of his ......

An Elegant Estonian Affair at the Embassy of Estonia

* Embassy of Estonia
An Elegant Estonian Affair at the Embassy of Estonia
2131 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20008
(202) 588-0101
[Map]

Estonia - a world superlative ! Discover Estonia and you will see it is phenomenal. Like Alice in her Wonderland, you will find there is even more to see in Estonia than you have dreamed about. The dream world becomes real and the reality is unbelievable. It takes no effort to grasp that rapid changes are taking place around you. Change means development, fulfillment, and a process of improving. Estonia's technological sector is thriving while the past - our history and nature - has been perfectly preserved. From untouched nature to post-modern city culture, you can experience solitude and the forces of masses. Big business and handicrafts passed from generation to generation stand hand by hand. Everything fits snugly together. Leave your passport at home and step into Estonia right here in the Nation's Capital !

Your Estonian Evening will include :

Dinner : The main culinary influences were from Germans so be prepared to enjoy a buffet of traditional Estonian food that has its roots firmly in the countryside, relying heavily on pork, potatoes and garden variety vegetables.

Drinks : Estonia is a beer-centric land ~ indulge in an international beer tasting from the best beer makers in the world! As always other mouth-watering beverages will be available for your enjoyment from all corners of the globe including a variety of wines.

Tour : Tour the Embassy, rich in culture. This ........

Groovski is back from the Baltics and bound for Cafe Nine

by Kathleen Cei, Christopher Arnott 

* The last time Elm City's favorite Polish punks Groovski rocked Cafe Nine was in November '05, at the Guilty Party's post-election shindigearlier that day, Groovski guitarist Leslie Blatteau rocked the mayoral race as the Guilty Party's candidate, too. That was the band's last local stop before taking off on a mini Baltic tour-playing a big festival (the 20-band, two-day Operation B) and clubs in Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia in November. According to drummer Bogdan Chudy and groovy Groovski pal Robert Kaczowka, they captured a lot of coolski attention from the foreign press along the way. Thanks to translator Jaana Penne , here are some excerpts of how Groovski impressed the press:

Estonian newspaper Eesti Paevaleht declared our .........

Finland/Estonia : Personec transfers payroll management

* Finnish personnel and payroll management solutions provider Personec (that is jointly owned by TietoEnator and Nordic Capital) has opened an office in Tallinn, in Estonia, and is transferring some payroll management from the Nordic countries to Estonia. According to the company, the cost level is lower in Estonia, and it is also difficult to find skilled personnel in Finland.

Mwanawasa congratulates Estonia

* ZANIS.President Levy Mwanawasa has sent a congratulatory message to his counterpart His Excellency Arnold Ruutel of Estonia on that country’s national day which falls on Saturday, 25th February, 2006.

President Mwanawasa said in a statement released to Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) today by his special assistant for press and public relations Arthur Yoyo that Zambia stands ready to strengthen political relations with Estonia as a basis for developing economic ties between the two countries.

Estonian ambassador on Estonia-China relations

* The Republic of Estonia was founded on 24 February 1918. This year Estonia will celebrate the 88th anniversary of the declaration of state independence. Estonian ambassador to China Mait Martinson accepted a written interview by People's Daily Online recently.

1. Achievements made in development and foreign relations over more than a decade since regaining independence.

Since Estonia regained its independence, Estonia has chosen a path of participation and contribution in its foreign policy. A constant drive towards closer integration with its partners through different development and cooperation stages has led to long pursued goal: as of 1 May 2004, Estonia became a member of the European Union (EU). Estonia became a NATO member state on 29 March 2004.

The same year saw Estonia's closer multilateral integration with Asian partners by joining ASEM and ASEF processes. On a recent International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza, held in Beijing last month, Estonia was among pledging nations.

Estonia is a trading nation. In the mid 90'ies, the EU became Estonia's major trading partner. That partnership has been laid down on a solid legal base, what helped the country to reach another important milestone - the accession to the WTO in 1999.

This way Estonia has joined almost all relevant financial and economic institutions for its development and closer integration to the global society.

How was it accomplished ?

Estonia may be a compact country, but it has a great deal to offer to foreign investors or international businesspeople. Located in the heart of the Baltic Sea Region, Europe's fastest-growing market with 90 million people, Estonia itself has been among the fastest-growing economies in the region.

The country has some of the most liberal trade and investment laws in the world. The Wall Street Journal's Index of Economic Freedom for 2005 rates Estonia 4th in the world in terms of ease of doing business, right behind China's Hong Kong, Singapore and Luxembourg. An extra advantage is Estonia's system of low, flat rate taxes. To encourage companies to expand their business all reinvested profits have been exempted of corporate income tax. However, any redistributed profits, for example dividends, are taxed at 23%.

Foreign investment has played a key role in ........

Estonia's Merko Ehitus Q4 net up 30%

TALLINN (AFX) - Merko Ehitus (Construction) Group said net profit for the fourth quarter was 138.5 mln kroons (8.85 mln eur), up nearly 30 pct from a year earlier, BNS news agency reported.

Full year net profit rose 50 pct year-on-year to 441.8 mln kroons.

Fourth quarter sales fell nearly 13 pct to 764.5 mln kroons, although full year sales climbed 4.2 pct to 3.241 bln kroons.

Looking ahead, however, the company said, 'Limited supply may considerably affect timely completion and costs of construction projects in the near future, thus jeopardizing the sector's profitability.'

Merko employed on average 695 people last year.

Estonia lifts visa regime for Macedonia

* Macedonians will not be required visas when traveling to Estonia in the future, Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said today in Skopje, after his meeting with the Macedonian Foreign Minister Ilinka Mitreva.

The visiting Estonian Minister handed to his Macedonian counterpart the note for lifting the visa regime. Estonians have not been required visas for entering in Macedonia.

At his meeting with the Vice Prime-Minister Radmila Sekerinska, Paet pledged to provide experts to convey Estonian experiences in its EU bid.

Paet vowed also to boost the bilateral cooperation with Macedonia in all segments, especially in the economic field.

Yesterday, the visiting Estonian Minister held talks with the Macedonian Head of State Branko Crvenkovski.

"We are grateful for Estonian support in granting the status of country-candidate for EU membership", said President Crvenkovski.