BONJOUR L'ESTONIE

90% of the unemployed find it difficult to manage their expenses

A recent study carried out by the Estonian Statistical Board demonstrated that as many as 90% of the unemployed find it difficult to manage their expenses, Eesti Päevaleht/LETA writes.

533,000 individuals in the age of 15-74 (a huge percentage indeed) are facing great or moderate financial hardships. 158,000 people are in very grave difficulties and 375,000 in some difficulties.

It is possible that by the end of the year, this number will have grown even more.

The recent survey on the labour force carried out by the Statistical Board has been carried out by polling people and hence it reflects individuals’ own assessments on their situation. At the same time two years ago, 73,000 people estimated they were in very grave difficulties (more than 100% up).

The mark that joblessness, that has more than doubled in two years and that reached 102,300 jobless in the third quarter, has left is very clearly seen in the study. Thus nearly 90% of jobless admitted that they manage “with some difficulties” or “grave difficulties”.

Since the finance ministry forecasts growth of unemployment next year too and it is expected to be 13.7% in 2013, the number of people who have a hard time coping financially is not expected to start falling any time soon, said Praxis analyst Andres Võrk.

Event of the year 2009 in Tartu : Arrival of airBaltic

Launching of international flights from Tartu airport was announced as the Event of the Year 2009, according to a vote of local residents, and a certificate of recognition was handed to airBaltic in Tartu City Hall today. On July 3, airBaltic was the first airline to start international flights between Riga and the second largest city in Estonia offering convenient connections to destinations in Western Europe, Scandinavia, the CIS and the Mediterranean region, reported BC Janis Vanags, Vice President Corporate Communications of airBaltic.

airBaltic Chief Commercial Officer Tero Taskila: "We are delighted that airBaltic wrote history as the first airline to offer an international route from the Tartu airport. We have been satisfied with performance so far and are extremely happy that Tartu residents voted it Event of Year 2009. We take it as a sign of sincere appreciation! Tartu is a beautiful destination and airBaltic flight attracts increasing numbers of foreign travellers from Western Europe, Scandinavia, Mediterranean region and CIS, who leave money in the region’s economy."

Carmen Kass - Bruuns Bazaar Spring 2010 Campaign

Carmen Kass nabs her third consecutive campaign for the Danish label, Bruuns Bazaar with the latest spring ads also featuring Mathias Lauridsen. Photographed by Henrik Bülow, the series seems to capture the very essence of spring with its sunny beach setting.

2010 Eesti Suusapaevad

Hello Esto Skiers & Boarders!

The ski season is here again and it’s time to save the date for the 2010 Eesti Suusapaevad!

This year’s outing will take us to OKEMO Mountain in Vermont on the weekend on March 4th through March 7^th.

OKEMO is known for family fun, sensible resort layout and service with a smile…at least that’s what is says on their website : ) They certainly are recognized for exceptional snow quality and grooming, varied terrain for all ability levels (including 5 mountain areas serviced by 19 lifts), award-winning children's programs, and slope-side lodging where mountain adventure is right outside your door…in other words all the makings for a great Esto ski weekend!

The attached registration doc will provide details on discounted group lodging rates, ski trip agenda and associated costs (group lift tickets, dinner and race fees). Please follow the instructions and take note of 2 key dates mentioned in the registration doc:

Vilja with Taimo + Edgar with himself

On Saturday December, the 26th, the Gala Evening for the Sport Stars of the year 2009 was held at the Nokia Concert Hall.
Vilja Savisaar, Euro deputy, was accompanied by the new man in her life, shining even more than the surrounding sport heroes

Edgar Savisaar came to the event by himself but did not stay to the "afterparty".

Vilja Savisaar first time at a public event with Taimo Toomast.
Vilja shined as a newly-in-love woman and Taimo Toomas was around her all night. Vilja introduced her man to many people.

The 15th of December was the date when Edgar and Vilja announced the end of their 13 years marriage.

"Yes, there is love in my life" confirmed Vilja a little later in the TV program "Pealtnägija".
"And love always is against many things and many people ideas". No, it's no secret and nor I, nor Taimo did hide that we were meeting. We have common interests, we feel great together and we do many things together".

No wonder that they were the most photographed now that they first showed themself together at a public event where were many journalists.

Welcome to Baltland

In Russian, the Baltic states are called pribaltiya—literally, the "Baltic shore." That infuriates Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians, as do most other attempts to lump them together. Estonians are the prickliest: Toomas Hendrik Ilves, now president, angered his southern neighbors by saying that Estonia should be more fairly counted as a Nordic country, not a Baltic one. That was tactless. But in truth, the differences are legion and the similarities—barring one chunk of tragic 20th-century history—scant.

In Estonia and Latvia, national consciousness began only in the 19th century with the emancipation of serfs, the growth of literacy, and the stirring of resentment against German barons and tsarist rule. Not so in Lithuania. Its identity is shaped by a folk memory of superpower status. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the last pagan state in Europe until 1387, once stretched to the shores of the Black Sea. It was larger than the Holy Roman Empire and had six official languages. Now the size of West Virginia with only 3.7 million people, Lithuania has shrunk. But its sense of grand identity remains. In any intra-Baltic discussion, Lithuania tends to lead with a grandiose self-centered plan, often with a blithe disregard for practicalities. In March 1990, for example, Lithuania mounted a frontal attack on the Soviet Union and declared independence; Estonia and Latvia, by contrast, initially held back and only declared "sovereignty."

Ticket selling for Estonian Air summer traffic season has begun

Although there is still time till the beginning of the summer season, Estonian Air offers the possibility to purchase flight tickets with favourable fares already now. Estonian Air switches to summer traffic schedule on 28 March 2010 and opens two new seasonal routes: Tallinn-Athens and Tallinn-Nice.

On 24 April 2010, Estonian Air will resume the seasonal route between Pärnu and Stockholm with once a week flights on Saturdays. Estonian Air flies between Pärnu and Stockholm until 2 October 2010, no flights will be operated between 26 June and 31 July 2010.

On 25 April 2010, Estonian Air will resume flights from Kuressaare to Stockholm once a week on Sundays, and from 3 June to 26 August 2010, twice a week operating also on Thursdays. The route will be operated until 3 October 2010.

Starting from 1 May 2010, Estonian Air will launch a new seasonal route between Tallinn and Nice with once a week flights on Saturdays. The route will be operated until 31 July 2010.

On 6 May 2010, Estonian Air will resume flights from Tallinn to Paris twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. The route will be operated until 29 August 2010.

Internet gambling ring played shell game to hide servers

An illegal gambling ring busted by Israeli police claimed to be based in Belize, but servers were located in Estonia, and bank accounts for the leaders were in Israel. The casino and sports betting site called Internet1x2.com claimed to be regulated by the Belize Gaming Commission, but no connection existed.

Israeli police arrested two brothers, Idan and Shai Raviv, for operating the illegal gambling network. The outfit stretched operations from Eastern Europe to England and Israel, with Belize apparently only used as a front.

The website, which no longer is available, had claimed also to be owned by Net Games, a firm supposedly incorporated in Belize. But Lincoln Blake, an official from the Belize Ministry of Economic Development, told Channel 5 News in Belize that no filings or registration of the gambling site nor its holding company existed.

" The Government of Belize recently discovered that several online gaming websites are claiming to have licenses in Belize," stated Blake in a phone interview with the television station. "We want to advise the Internet community and the general public that there are only two with license to operate from Belize."

Merry Xmas : Tiiu Kuik - Elle - Norway - January 2010

Wishing everyone a "Happy Xmas Day"

A supermarket in Estonia

The best sort of eastward expansion

FOOD in Europe’s ex-communist countries has an undeservedly bad reputation: stodgy peasant fare ruined by the culinary commissars of the planned economy. Your columnist has long disagreed, but proof is needed. So, on a recent visit to a supermarket in Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, he set out to construct a winter picnic entirely from local ingredients.

The basis was easy: black bread, pungent and tasty. It makes loaves from the west and south of Europe seem bland and boring. So into the shopping basket went four or five different varieties, with different features: seeds, rye, crunchy and chewy by turns.

The mainstay of the picnic was pricey at €15 ($22), but succulent—a smoked salami from Lithuania. Accompanying it in the shopping basket were a gourmet smoked cheese from Estonia, a tin of smoked sprats (Latvia), Polish pickled mushrooms, plus Czech horseradish and Hungarian hot peppers. Who says eastern Europe is a vitamin-free zone? For dessert, Polish “chocolate plums” from the Solidarność confectionery works are a fine offering. So were crispy, crunchy gingerbread biscuits (Estonian) and a packet of dried apple rings (Polish).

Production of Estonian farmers lost 15% of its value in 2009

The value of total production of Estonian farmers and farming companies fell by 15% in 2009 and Estonian agricultural production value was 8.7 billion kroons, Äripäev.ee/LETA cites agriculture ministry

The price of milk fell by up to 30%, grain purchase price 20-30%. The value of milk production formed over 20% and grain nearly 15% of the total value of agricultural production.

At the same time, spending on production input has fallen also by 10% mainly due to price falls.

Juhan Tere

Autoliv closes plants, keeps Norma in Estonia

The car safety equipment producer Autoliv, majority owner of Estonian Norma, is closing its plans all over the world; Norma plant in Tallinn will not be closed but workers have to spend the end of the year 2009 and January at a forced vacations, National Broadcasting/LETA reports. Autoliv concern’s plants in France, Germany, Mexico and Tunisia will be closed and 1,400 people will lose jobs.

Norma’s board chairman Peep Siimon said that Autoliv closes plants to consolidate production capacities in centres. “But we will stay operating, deficiently will stay operating,” Siimon confirmed. He added that although January has a low turnover and partial work-time will be implemented, major redundancies are not planned.

Norma’s turnover has fallen in a year but the company is still in profit. Sales to Russia and Ukraine have fallen considerably. Swedish car industry also faces major changes. Norma supplies Volvo with safety belt parts.

“I don’t see a major fall next year. When the ownership change in Volvo takes place, then with a company that big, abrupt changes shouldn’t take place,” said Siimon.

Norma is part of the Autoliv concern since 1999.

Juhan Tere

Estonia adopts EU Services Directive

Estonia has passed a law for the implementation of the European Union (EU) Services Directive.

The bill was passed in the 101-seat Riigikogu with 77 votes, Baltic Business News (BBN) reports.

Service providers in Estonia will now be able to offer their services to customers in other EU countries under the directive.

This will include freedom to establish operations in other EU countries. The directive also facilitates the free movement of service providers on a temporary basis to encourage cross-border competition, the news provider said.

Such integration with EU economic policy is designed to encourage further EU investment in Estonia. An important feature of the directive is the setting up of "points of single contact", which enable small and medium sized enterprises to deal directly with EU administrations, the BNN said.

Last week, Andres Lipstok, the head of Estonia's central bank, said that Estonia will meet the EU's criteria to move towards a single currency and adopt the euro by next year.

Bamboo Group releases Wind OS 1.0 - Exciting Windows emulator for IPhone

Tallinn - Bamboo Group releases Wind OS 1.0, a new application for iPhone and iPod touch. Wind OS is an entertainment app simulating Windows operation system. Wind OS provides iPhone users an opportunity to dive into the well-known and intuitive environment and entertain themselves by playing Minesweeper and solving funny tasks prepared by developers.

To replicate user experience of the famous operating system, Wind OS imitates it from the very beginning, namely from the loading process. The developers strive to create a Windows presence effect by special audio and visual means imitating Windows experience. During the loading process users hear the old-hat noises of a humming cooler, and then the classic desktop screen appears displaying an easily recognizable landscape.

Qualifying primarily as an entertainment app, Wind OS still supports a few simple practical operations. One can type and edit texts by means of a notepad application, as well as a browser is available for Internet surfing.

Tallinn may lose right to host European Movie Awards Gala

Although Tallinn has won the right to host the European Film Academy awards gala in 2010, it has not yet secured funding for the event.

It is planned to hold the awards ceremony of the European Film Academy at the end of 2010 at the Solaris Centre in Tallinn.

Initially, it was agreed to split the event's 40 million kroon budget so that the European Film Academy contributes 20 million and both the Estonian state and City of Tallinn give 10 million kroons to the event, reports ERR.

Now, however, the state and the city have cut their funding promise to 7 million kroons each. According to Tiina Lokk, member of EFA 2010 organizing committee, it will not be enough.

This is below the critical budget for ensuring an event with normal quality. To do it badly is even worse than to withdraw us from the organization," she said. Lokk said that if no consensus on funding is found, Tallinn should withdraw from hosting it.

This would be a huge blow to the image of Estonia and Tallinn. The world would look and think that poor Estonia did not have the money to organize the event. "It will show our short-sightedness and stupidity" she said.

Estonian hunters declare Christmas peace

Estonian Hunters Society will declare on Tuesday in the Põltsamaa castle Christmas peace, during which animals will not be hunted, National Broadcasting/LETA reports.

The December 24-26 Christmas peace will be declared by the society’s president Margus Puust.

Estonian hunters declared Christmas peace for the first time in 1993, following the example of Finland.

During the Christmas peace, hunters wont hunt animals, instead they go to forests with their families and bring food to animals.

Currently it is the hunting season for wolves and lynxes.

Estonia ends cooperation with the Czech on War of Freedom Monument

The Estonian Defence Ministry decided to end cooperation with Czech company Sans Souci since they could not make the lighting of the new War of Freedom Monument work properly, Postimees Online/LETA repoprts.

The ministry will now declare a state procurement contest to find a new company to fix the monument.

Defence minister Jaak Aaviksoo said at the press conference that since the monument was not completed by deadline, Sans Souci has to pay a fine of 50,000 euro and will be deprived of the last installment the Estonian state had to pay for it, i.e. 5.3 mln kroons.

Aaviksoo said that the Czech obviously overestimated their abilities. He added that it must be possible to find a company that would ensure proper lighting of the Victory Monument, which essentially is a huge cross made of glass blocs, lit from inside when it is dark.

The construction of the monument in central Tallinn started a year ago, but the Chech company has had a hard time fixing problems that have emerged after it declared its work finished. The lighting issue was the last in a long row, and the firm was given two postponements before the ministry made its decision.

Swedbank : industry in Estonia is in danger as due to the growing prices of electricity

Swedbank stated that the industry in Estonia is in grave danger as due to the growing prices of electricity, the companies focussing on chemistry and metallurgy enterprises might have to close down from the year 2013 in the Baltic region as these industries consume a lot of energy, Eesti Päevaleht/LETA writes.

Estonian entrepreneurs estimate that the government’s path to forcefully raise the excise tax rates on energy amplifies the price surge caused by the international quota business.

The tax-free CO2 quotas used so far will disappear and European states will have to start selling pollution permits to their companies at auctions.

Companies with energy-intensive production share the expectations of Swedbank as to the price and believe a price increase of up to 40 percent may take place. “We should start producing electricity ourselves,” says Riia Ratnik, board member of Estonian Cell, that is Estonia’s largest electricity consumer. “Currently we are analysing with whom and on what fuel we would build the electricity station.”

“Cheap electricity was one of the competitive advantages of Estonian industry but CO2 trade and free electricity market will make it non-existent,” said Development Fund economic expert Heido Vitsur. “When our government keeps raising energy excise taxes uncontrollably, there is just one result; energy-intensive sectors contract and new jobs don’t emerge from anywhere,” said Vitsur.

Juhan Tere

Ilves : Estonian economic fall has bottomed out

Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said that the Estonian economy has hit the bottom and the first signs are hinting at the situation improving while in several other states, the worst lies still ahead.

“Trying to be a realist, I would say that the bottom has been achieved. The first signs here and there refer to the fact that the situation is improving,” The Baltic Course quoted Toomas Hendrik Ilves saying on public television ETV in an interview rounding up the year, with reference to ERR.

Ilves noted that Estonia has been able to make difficult decisions during the year which have helped to avoid bigger problems. “The latest news from Greece show that there difficulties lie still ahead,” said Ilves.

“States where the budget deficit is high, can ease it only by taking a loan. And this is a solution for which they have to pay for a long time,” Ilves said.

Ilves said that the credibility of Estonia in the eyes of foreign investors has improved as compared to that of a year ago and they are not afraid of devaluation of the kroon anymore. “There was a news just recently that a Swedish company will create a couple of hundred jobs in Saaremaa. A year ago such a decision could not have come,” said Ilves.

Toomas Hõbemägi

Nord Gas plans LPG terminal on Estonian coast

TALLINN - An Estonian-based company, AS Nord Gas, is planning to build a 100,000 cubic metre liquid petroleum gas (LPG) terminal in Estonia and seek supply from Russia and central Asian states, the daily Eesti Paevaleht said on Monday.

The planned terminal with a total annual capacity of 800,000 cubic metres would cost 32 million euros ($46.60 million) to build and construction could start as early as November this year, although no port site has been selected or approved as yet, the daily said.

The newspaper said that the export terminal could supply gas markets in Germany if the controversial German-Russia Nord Stream undersea gas pipe line project was delayed.

Board member of the company, Sander Maasik, was reported as saying it could take several years to start operations depending on the delivery of equipment to liquefy and store the liquid gas.

Estonia has been an important outlet for oil products exported from Russian and Belarusian refineries.

However, a recent diplomatic spat with Russia and Moscow's stated aim to use its own ports for exporting natural resource exports has seen oil loadings fall.

Reporting by David Mardiste; editing by James Jukwey