BONJOUR L'ESTONIE

Edgar Savisaar re-elected as mayor of Tallinn

Tallinn City Council that is controlled by the Centre Party re-elected Edgar Savisaar as mayor of Tallinn for another four years.

Deputy mayors will be Taavi Aas, Deniss Boroditch, Kaia Jäppinen, Merike Martinson, Eha Võrk and, as a newcomer, Jüri Pihl, leader of Social Democrats.

Pihl will replace Jaanus Mutli who is under investigation for suspicion to have received a 25,000 kroon bribe in the form of a gift voucher and decided to resign from the city government.

The only problem in Centre Party-controlled city council was the election of a city auditor which traditionally has belonged to the opposition. While IRL put forward Indrek Raudne for the job, Centre Party and Social Democrats proposed Nikolai Stelmach, another IRL member. After Stelmach turned down the offer, the city council voted for Raudne, but with only 23 votes for he was not elected. The next voting will be held in the next session.

Estonia hopes Spanish presidency will bring EU's IT agency closer

Estonian foreign minister Urmas Paet met with Miguel Angel Moratinos, the foreign minister of the coming EU presidency Spain, Paet highlighted the importance of development of European Union IT agency, as BBN/LETA reported.

The main goal of Estonia's economic policy is to join the euro-zone, Paet confirmed during the meeting in Madrid.

"We are working in order to fulfill the Maastricht criteria and adopt the euro on January 1, 2011," Paet noted.

Paet stated that Estonia also hopes the significant progress to be made regarding the preparations for creation of a European Union IT agency during the Spanish presidency.

"Making use of the information technology more effectively than before in the European Union internal security sector is essential; and therefore we feel that the creation of a separate IT agency is very important," Paet stated in Madrid.

The meeting in Madrid addressing the priorities of Spain's presidency with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos was also attended by the foreign ministers of Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Finland, and Hungary.

Spain will take over the EU presidency starting as of January 1.

Juhan Tere

Prime Ministers summed up Baltic cooperation in 2009

Vilnius - Today, in Vilnius, the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian Prime Ministers, Andrus Ansip, Valdis Dombrovskis and Andrius Kubilius, met and summarised Baltic cooperation for this year. At the discussions, the heads of government focused on the economic situation, issues related to energy and Baltic defence cooperation.

When speaking about the economic crisis, it was declared that on the global level the crisis is receding, but regionally, continuous efforts need to be made for the recovery of the economy. Among other things, it was agreed that in all three countries the aspirations towards the fastest possible adoption of the Euro will continue. The Prime Ministers confirmed the importance of the Maastricht criteria in the establishment of a sustainable economic environment.

With regard to energy cooperation, Prime Minister Ansip stated that he places great importance on the establishment of the Baltic energy market, which would be a part of the common Nordic-Baltic energy market. Estonia is interested in the establishment of an actual working open electricity market, he stressed. According to the Prime Minister, the most important prerequisite for the establishment of a common market area in the Baltic States will be the adoption of the principles used on the Nordic market, the harmonisation of legislation regulating electricity trade with EU rules and the formation of a common policy with regard to electricity supplies originating from third countries.

Moscow’s influence is a major factor in Russo/Esto tensions in Estonia

Laas Leivat

Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Centre Party politician and city council chair in Narva (over 90% Russian heritage population) blames Estonians for fostering the strained relationship that he perceives as existing between the indigenous Estonians and non-indigenous Russians.

He side-tracks the fact that Estonia has not witnessed a single violent confrontation between Estonians and non-Estonians since regaining independence. (The marauding street hooligans and political agitators, who rioted and looted when the “Bronze Soldier” was relocated two years ago, were not evidence of a conflict between two ethnic groups.)

Stalnuhhin recently explained the causes of the rift in Estonian society: in 1990, when Estonia was still part of the USSR, only 36% of Narva’s residents considered the 1940 annexation of Estonia to have been with Estonia’s consent. Forty four percent were convinced that Estonia became captive through armed force. Stalnuhhin said that two thirds of local Russians were loyal to the Republic of Estonia.

Now, he points out, only 8% say that the 1940 annexation was achieved through military aggression. He accuses Estonians and the country’s government of being culpable in the supposed changed attitudes of the Russians.

Estonia nudges nearer to euro nirvana

Estonia moved one step closer to its goal of euro adoption on November 4 when Finance Minister Jurgen Ligi submitted a bill to the parliament paving the way for the replacement of the kroon. In addition to dealing with the bread-and butter issues that accompany a change of currency, the bill serves as another important signal to the European authorities that Estonia really is ready to join Slovenia and Slovakia as emerging Europe's Eurozone pioneers.
Estonia's target of euro adoption in 2011 has become almost an article of faith for the two-party coalition government of Prime Minister Andrus Ansip. The 2009 and 2010 budgets were drawn up with the need to keep within the Maastricht criteria at a time when the temptation to loosen the purse strings in a bid to exit recession and buy popularity must have been a sore temptation. But Finance Minister Ligi believes the public understands why the euro is such a big deal. "I'm sure we will do it. We will join in 2011," he told bne. "How aware people on the street are you never know, but they have strong support for joining the euro and we are explaining the concrete measures we are taking."

Maastricht is for everybody

The economic cooperation between Estonia and China has great potential

Tallinn - Today, at Stenbock House, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip welcomed Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Dejiang and the high-level delegation accompanying him, who are on a two-day visit to Estonia. At the meeting, the current economic situation and developments of the two countries, the future of the economic relations between Estonia and China, and the bilateral relations of the two countries, were discussed.

The Prime Minister noted that Estonia highly appreciates China´s interest in intensifying economic relations with Estonia.
Ansip declared that the cooperation between the two countries has intensified, but regardless of the increased frequency of business contacts, the development of bilateral economic relations has potential and as yet unused opportunities.

When speaking about new cooperation perspectives, the Prime Minister pointed out the almost 100 years of experience by Estonia in the mining and processing of oil shale. In Estonia, a world-class high-tech solution has been developed for the production of shale oil, and we are ready to share this experience in mutual cooperation with China, he said.

At the meeting, the cooperation between ports and airports was also discussed, especially with regard to the development of infrastructure. For example, according to the Prime Minister, a logistics and distribution centre for Chinese goods could be established at the Port of Tallinn. In regards to economic cooperation, similar interests for the promotion of information and communication technology were also discussed. Ansip introduced to the Chinese Deputy Prime Minister both the Estonian e-government and the public e-services that are in widespread use here.

Deputy Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China, Zhang Dejiang to visit Estonia

Deputy Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Dejiang will be in Estonia for an official visit from 2-3 November. In addition to the official delegation, the vice premier will also be accompanied by a large business delegation.

The Chinese deputy vice premier has meetings scheduled with President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Prime Minister Andrus Ansip. Topics of discussion will be bilateral relations, above all co-operation in the economic as well as educational and cultural sectors. They will also discuss Estonia’s participation in the Shanghai EXPO 2010 and other current international topics.

Within the framework of the visit, a memorandum of reciprocal understanding on co-operation for promoting investments will be signed between the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Economics and Communications of the Republic of Estonia. There will also be a co-operation memorandum of reciprocal understanding signed between the trade development division of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and Enterprise Estonia.

Baltic candidates emerge for EU presidency

Riga - One former and one current president from two Baltic states emerged Wednesday as potential candidates for the new position of European Union president. Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis gave tacit support to the candidacy of former President Vaira Vike-Freiberga. Meanwhile, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the 55-year-old incumbent president of Estonia, was also mentioned as a possible candidate Wednesday.

"The prime minister believes that Vike-Freiberga has experience in international diplomacy, she is held in high esteem in the EU and is well-suited for the post of the president," said Liga Krapane, Dombrovskis' spokeswoman.

Daina Lasmane, a spokeswoman for Vike-Freiberga, told the Baltic News Service that the ex-president would be willing to run for the post if Latvia nominated her.

Vike-Freiberga served two terms as Latvian president before retiring from day-to-day politics with sky-high approval ratings domestically and a reputation as a strongly pro-EU intellectual among the diplomatic community.

Nord Stream gas pipeline to be build on time

Construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline will be completed on time, Russia’s Prime Minister Putin said, adding that the gas pipeline could begin operations by 2011.

The new gas project will transport the blue fuel from Russia to Europe while passing through several Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

The route required approvals from several European countries. Denmark recently gave the project the green light while Finland is expected to announce its decision on constructing the Nord Stream gas pipeline across the country's economic zone in the Baltic on November 5, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said."

The situation looks as if by November 5 the government will compile proposals to make a positive decision on Nord Stream. After that, matters will depend on the environmental study," Vanhanen said during a joint press conference following talks with Prime Minister Putin in St. Petersburg.

Vladimir Putin said the pipeline is already being laid in both Russia and Germany and the project is expected to be completed on time.

Importance of the recent elections in Estonia ?

Served as received in my mail ..
This is a long read, a lengthy email conversation between Estos in Eesti (Jüri Estam), New York (me) and San Diego (Steve Tael)  -  but for any of you interested in Estonian politics, it's probably worth reading - you decide!
Toomasmd@aol.com

Jüri and Steve,

Forgive me, but this issue is confusing to me, and I therefore apologize for my "stupid" questions:
I've reviewed the links about Paldiski, Savisaar's vote totals, and the rest, but sitting here in NYC, I somehow haven't gotten info from my other usual sources re: the importance of this issue thus far:

1-What was the election about?

Ostensibly local elections, and in many places like Viljandi, they were local elections. Municipal services and governance were the "benign" themes. As you can see from my previous mail, Northern Estonia from Tallinn to Narva, on the other hand,  was embroiled in - let's not mince words - an ethnic struggle for power. Tallinn city govt. has an annual budget of around 7 billion crowns, which is only 10% of the national total, but in reality Savisaar borrows, and in fact much much more money passes through commerce. The SOB runs Tammany Hall.

2-Who was up for election?
Since they were local elections, it was something like 15,000 people ! running for x number of City Council and local municipality slots. Municipal govts. are constituted on basis of seats attained. Savisaar got 53.3% in Tallinn over the splintered Estonian parties (Mart Laar of Pro Patria-Res Publica, Keit Pentus of Reform, Jüri Pihl of Social Democrats, others).

3-What ramifications does this particular election have for politics in Eesti for the future?
Depends on one's world view. Putin is happy. His allies are in control in Tallinn with a majority (I do not exaggerate at all, Savisaar visits Moscow all the time and his sister party is the Medvedev-Putin United Russia party). Even more satisfying for Moscow is the result in Narva and Ida Virumaa. For the loyalist Estonians, control of Tallinn and Narva will never be regained, unless foreign aliens stop having the right to vote at local level. It was 1906 when Estonians wrested control over Tallinn from the Baltic Germans after 700 years. Savisaar and co. are not loyalist Estonians.

President Ilves to President Zatlers : Latvia is not alone with its worries

“The reforms and budgetary cuts that many countries are addressing, under pressure from and with the support of international organizations, are essential for improving the financial state of these countries, for their own future,” President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said at the meeting with Latvian Head of State Valdis Zatlers.

“It is only the purposeful and decisive action of the government and parliament that can help the societies that have fallen into economic crisis to emerge from this crisis and improve their economic situations. Therefore, it is important that agreements are adhered to – both domestically and internationally,” the Estonian Head of State said.

Presidents Ilves and Zatlers recognized that the financial and economic situations in the Baltic countries differ, that the problems of the three countries are dissimilar, although the successes and failures of each country affect the reputation of the entire region.

“Of course, while we are responsible primarily for resolving our own problems, we are also responsible for all three Baltic countries,” President Ilves said. “I am sure that Latvia will be able to solve its own problems. I believe in Latvia. Latvia is not alone with its worries. Estonia and Lithuania, as well as the entire European Union, stand by it as firm allies.”

Speaking of the future of the European Union, Presidents Ilves and Zatlers stressed the importance of enacting the Lisbon Treaty, so that we can continue as a more dynamic, more integrated and stronger Europe.

The importance of the Baltic Sea Strategy, which depends on all the local countries making a contribution, was also discussed at the meeting.

Office of the President
Public Relations Department
Phone +372 631 6229

Estonia likely to meet Maastricht criteria to adopt Euro In 2011

Estonia is likely to meet all the Maastricht criteria to adopt the euro in 2011, though there are several risks associated with meeting the budget criterion, the country's central bank said Wednesday.

Postponement of the adoption of the euro will delay the resumption of the economy, Eesti Pank said in a report. The adoption of the euro will help restore confidence, bringing in new investment and to create jobs.

Hence, the bank recommended to continue efforts to keep this and next year's fiscal deficit below 3% of gross domestic product, the criterion set by the European Commission to get entry into the Eurogroup.

The central bank forecasts budget deficit of 3% of GDP this year and 2.8% next year. "Fulfilling the budget criterion might be slightly complicated, but hopefully we will be able to make the last effort," it said.

A. Ansip reaffirms goal to join eurozone

Speaking at the Pärnu Management Conference “Kannapööre“ (U-turn), Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said that he believes that Estonia does not need a u-turn. We have the firm goal of joining the Eurozone and keeping our competitive and employment oriented tax policy. Also, Estonia’s birth rate is finally starting to improve again and our life expectancy is on the rise.

“You must not demolish a country during a crisis,” said Prime Minister Ansip, saying that Estonia’s strength has lied in its perseverance and consistency. “A conservative budget policy and keeping our finances in order definitely have been good for Estonia. It is a sign of the reliability of the business environment, which already is bringing new investments to Estonia,” he added. “Yes, economic development is cyclic in its nature and every upturn is followed by a downturn. But more importantly at the moment – every downturn is again followed by an upturn,” noted the Prime Minister.

Speaking at the Pärnu Management Conference today, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip assured that the government aims with its financial policy to adopt the euro on first occasion and to keep the kroon as strong as possible until then. The Prime Minister said that the budget deficit of the government sector must not exceed three per-cent of our GDP neither in this year nor in 2010.

Unlikely pirates : The "Arctic Sea" mystery's Estonia link

Gregory Feifer

TALLINN - Nearly two decades after the end of communism lifted the Iron Curtain from this tiny former Soviet republic, tourists from around the world stream to the capital's beautifully preserved medieval old town.

Outside the old fortress walls, glass towers and minimalist interiors symbolize the new postmodern sensibilities of a country that gave the world Skype, the Internet communications site that still maintains its headquarters here.

But despite appearances in this Baltic Sea country, Estonia's new membership of the European Union and NATO hasn't enabled it to escape the lingering shadow of its massive neighbor to the east.

The latest reminder came last summer. When Moscow arrested six Russians from Tallinn on charges of hijacking a missing cargo ship, Estonia was drawn into an international mystery that prompted speculation about a secret sale of Russian weapons to the Middle East.

Now Estonians are wondering whether their country's large and largely disenfranchised Russian minority is capable of producing the first modern-day pirates to seize a ship in European waters. Or whether innocent men were framed, possibly to target their country for political reasons.

Lost Generation

Twenty minutes outside its fairytale center, Tallinn shows a very different face: a gray sprawl of the concrete-slab apartment buildings you see throughout the former Soviet Union. It's in such a neighborhood called Lasnamäe that six friends and acquaintances accused of hijacking a ship sailing from neighboring Finland grew up. All are now in a Moscow prison facing more than 20 years in jail on charges of kidnapping and piracy.

Ukrainian Insurgent Army members were war criminals, not freedom fighters

TALLINN - The Russian embassy in Estonia has criticized the exhibition dedicated to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) which opened in Tallinn on Thursday.

"Russia strongly opposes anything that is related to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army because this organization compromised itself during World War Two not only by its connections with the Hitler troops but also by its extreme violence towards civilians of various ethnicities," Russian Embassy Press Attache Maria Shustitskaya told Estonian television.

"The UPA acted like war criminals and not as fighters for freedom as they are being portrayed in retrospect. We spoke of our negative view on the exhibition opened by the Estonian Foreign Ministry and voiced our reasons."

"Unfortunately, these were not heard. So, we are making our own conclusions," the embassy official said.

The exhibition titled "The Ukrainian Insurgent Army. The history of the oppressed," opened at the Estonian Military Museum named after Gen. Laidoner. It consists of over 500 archive photos and records, part of which had been classified by the Ukrainian authorities until recently.

The exhibition was shown in Ukraine where it was met with multiple protests, as well in the United States, Canada, Poland and Lithuania. After Estonia the organizers are planning to send the exhibition to Riga, Brussels, Athens, France and Australia.

Apart from Tallinn the exhibition will be shown in other Estonian towns.

Aliens at home

VLADIMIR RADYUHIN

TWO decades after they gained independence, former Soviet states are still struggling to come to terms with their past. In many newly independent states the ethnically defined local elites have reviled the Soviet period in an effort to create a separate national identity and consolidate their hold on power. In the Baltic republics the rejection of everything Soviet has also been passed on to local Russian populations.

The first thing that strikes a Russian visitor to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is the total absence of any signs in Russian. Russian speakers account for half the city’s residents, but the Russian language is invisible on the streets, and in shops and cafes. Even medicines sold in Tallinn drugstores have only Estonian-language leaflets. The situation gets truly schizophrenic in the predominantly Russian northwest of the country. In Narva, Estonia’s third largest city on the border with Russia, where 98 per cent of the residents are Russian speakers, all street signs are in Estonian.

The policy of vengeful language denial is Estonia’s way of settling scores with the former Soviet Union and Russia as its successor. It has created a deep schism between Estonians and Russians.

Evelin Ilves sent a letter of apology to Kalev

Evelin Ilves, the wife of President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, sent a letter to the Kalev Chocolate Factory, apologising to the employees of Kalev and of other enterprises who have felt offended due to the media reflections on her positions on the use of trans fats, writes Postimees Online/LETA.

Ilves noted that her statements regarding the trans fats was certainly not meant about employees of Kalev, but were uttered in the global context where enterprises, in the growing pricing competition, might make concessions at the expense of individuals’ health.

“I am sorry if my reference to the ingredients of some products of Kalev that in the initial private letter simply expressed my own and my family’s consumer preferences has been turned into a call for a boycott against the products of your enterprise as a result of misinterpretation of information,” wrote the President’s wife. She assured the employees of Kalev that a boycott against the enterprise’s products has never been her objective.

“I would like to emphasise once again that the harmful impact of certain substances and their compounds used in certain foodstuffs on the human organism has been scientifically proven and in some countries, their use has been completely banned by now,” stated Ilves in her letter, referring to trans fats. “Children are particularly sensitive towards these substances and their compounds,” she added, noting that Kalev’s representative also admitted that certain products of Kalev include the harmful trans fats.

Evelin Ilves emphasised that she considers it extremely important to have information on these substances to be as available as possible to consumers. She added that unfortunately, there are no rules imposed in Estonia on noting information on trans fats on the products’ packages.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen to visit Estonia

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will be in Estonia for an official visit on Thursday, 8 October. This will be Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s first visit to Estonia as the NATO secretary general.

The NATO secretary general has meetings planned with President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, Defence Minister Jaak Aaviksoo, and Commander of the Defence Forces Ants Laaneots.

Topics to be discussed at the meetings are the renewal of NATO’s strategic concept, NATO operations, including Afghanistan, and NATO partnership and enlargement.

The Parliament’s finance committee calls Savisaar to give a report !

Taavi Rõivas, the chairperson of the Parliament’s finance committee sent Edgar Savisaar, a Mayor of Tallinn, an invitation to committee’s meeting to discuss sustainability of Tallinn’s monetary policy.

“Since Estonia’s biggest local municipality’s big deficit impacts Estonia’s public sector balance negatively, then the meeting is mutually necessary. Public sector balance is an important field of activity for the finance committee,” Rõivas said.

He didn’t exclude that the head of Viimsi and Pärnu local municipalities will be invited over as well, since they have also big deficits.

“The size of these three government’s budget deficit has definitely a role in filling Maastricht criteria and we’re interested in not getting bad surprises here,” he added.

Turkey is part of an EU which espouses values, not geography, Estonian diplomat says

The top Estonian diplomat in Ankara has said his country fully supports Turkey's bid to join the European Union and emphasized the bloc is not a geographical entity but rather a union of shared values of which Turkey is very much a part.

In an exclusive interview with Today's Zaman, Aivo Orav, the ambassador of Estonia to Turkey, said, “We feel obligated to endorse Turkish candidacy to join the EU because Turkey supported our bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the past.” Describing the bilateral relations of Turkey with Estonia as “excellent,” Orav said the mutual understanding between the two countries has been enhanced by what he called a geo-strategic similarity, which led to the adoption of similar views and positions on most international issues.

He recalled that the bid to join both NATO and the EU was like a “big dream” for Estonia. “We were not that hopeful to become a member so soon. Thanks to our homework and with the support of our friends we were able to join,” he explained, hinting that Turkey should be patient on the road to membership and not to be distracted by the rhetoric of those who oppose it. “We experienced the same emotional feelings while we were trying to become a member,” he added.

The Estonian ambassador noted that relations with Ankara have always been excellent and there are no outstanding issues hampering the ties between the two countries. As part of NATO operations, Turkey sent two military aircraft to patrol Estonian air space. “We do not have military aircraft because we are small country,” he said, adding that Estonia was very much appreciative of Turkey's help in that regard.

Turkey, which never recognized the Soviet occupation of Estonia, restored diplomatic relations in 1991 and accredited its first ambassador to the country in 1992. Estonia appointed its first ambassador to Turkey in 1996, residing in Estonian capital, Tallinn. It was not, however, until 2001 that the Estonian Embassy was opened in Ankara, then represented at the chargé d'affaires level. The first Estonian ambassador to reside in Ankara, Märt Volmer, arrived in 2004 and served until 2008 when he was replaced by Orav, who presented his credentials to Turkish President Abdullah Gül in September of last year.