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Estonian Review: December 2 - 8, 2002
12.12.2002
FOREIGN NEWS
DEFENCE NEWS
DOMESTIC NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
CULTURAL NEWS
FOREIGN NEWS
PM: Estonia to make last bid for better EU entry terms
Dec 03 - Prime Minister Siim Kallas said Estonia would make a last effort to win better entry terms from the European Union ahead of the European Union enlargement summit in Copenhagen on December 12-13.
"The principal issues we'll be negotiating are production quotas, farming subsidies and various smaller but important issues such as hunting lynx and bear," said Kallas.
The prime minister added that Estonia would also be keeping a close watch on the other candidate countries' talks and the deals they negotiated. "Estonia will try to keep negotiating till the last optimum moment, we don't want to leave the talks until the summit. This may only happen in case some major controversial issue crops up," he said.
The Estonian government said that every effort would be made to settle open issues in the two remaining rounds of talks. Also under discussion was the publication of information regarding the negotiations. The Estonian government’s cabinet felt that as much information as possible should be made public if it did not prejudice the negotiating positions, and that substantive information about Estonia's positions should be given to the public as soon as possible.
Estonian foreign minister expects accords with EU before summit
Dec 06 - Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kristiina Ojuland expressed confidence that an agreement on the terms of Estonia's entry into the European Union could be reached before the EU’s Copenhagen summit.
Speaking at a meeting of the foreign minister's consultative council, Ojuland said the negotiations had entered their final phase for matters that had still not been decided. The issues awaiting agreement include direct farm subsidies, the milk production quota, the base periods, steel imports, the sale of land to foreigners and the minimum size of the Baltic herring fishery.
Deputy Under-Secretary of the Estonian Foreign Ministry speaks at OSCE meeting
Dec 06 – Harri Tiido, Deputy Under-Secretary of the Estonian Foreign Ministry, made a speech at the Annual Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which gathered in Porto, Portugal.
In his statement Tiido stressed Estonia’s intention to join the adapted CFE Treaty once the Treaty will be open for accession. He also said that Estonia supported the call of the NATO Prague Summit for a swift fulfillment of the outstanding Istanbul commitments on Georgia and Moldova, which would create the conditions for States Parties to the Treaty to move forward on the ratification of the Adapted CFE Treaty.
"We strongly believe that no nation can feel fully sovereign with an undesired foreign military presence on its soil," Deputy Under-Secretary Harri Tiido said.
For the Deputy Under-Secretary’s statement, please see: http://www.vm.ee/eng/kat_140/3221.html
Estonia backs Ukraine's integration with the EU
Dec 04 - Prime Minister Siim Kallas assured Vladimir Litvin, the visiting speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, of Estonia's support for Ukraine's integration into the European Union at their meeting.
Kallas said Ukraine's success mattered to Estonia and that it supported the continuation of economic and government reforms in Ukraine. The prime minister assured Litvin that Estonia was willing to share its reform experience with Ukraine. "Ukraine's setting itself the goal of drawing closer to the European Union is bound to be of advantage in the country's modernization process," he said. Kallas also hoped the export of Estonian fish products into Ukraine would continue at existing levels and that bilateral trade would grow.
While meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Kristiina Ojuland, Litvin asked about Estonia's integration experiences with the EU and NATO. "Estonia is willing to share its reform experience and experience of accession talks with the EU and preparations for joining NATO," said Ojuland. She also stressed that Estonia supported Ukraine's bid for membership in the European Union and NATO. Ojuland brought up the British initiative regarding the EU's new neighbours policy that was directed at Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus. In her words, such cooperation in each country must be approached individually and programmes designed specially for each of them. The foreign minister assured Litvin of Estonia's support for Ukraine's accession to the World Trade Organization.
Livin met also with President Arnold Rüütel, with Speaker of the Estonian Parliament Toomas Savi, and with members of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.
Estonian, Russian customs to conduct joint operations in Narva
Dec 06 - Leaders of Estonia's north-eastern customs district and Russia’s regional customs authority agreed to carry out joint operations next year at customs checkpoints in Narva and the Russian border town of Ivangorod across the river border.
Joint operations aimed mostly at finding narcotics, illegal cigarettes and alcohol will be carried out at the Narva-Ivangorod customs checkpoints as well as on the Kreenholm pedestrian bridge. Both sides also agreed that the exchange of information concerning goods passing through the Narva-Ivangorod border point must be continued in order to ensure that all goods were declared in the same way and in the same amount on both sides.
DEFENCE NEWS
High-ranking US general visits Estonia
Dec 06 - Estonia will continue to reform and modernise its Defence Forces in order to be a good ally to NATO, Estonian Minister of Defence Sven Mikser told visiting General Peter Pace, Vice Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Pace congratulated Estonia for its recent invitation to join NATO. "When Estonia finally becomes a member of NATO, we can say that any attack against Estonia is an attack against the United States," said Pace.
Pace stressed that the contribution of all members was important in collective defence and that each member should have some special abilities to fight against modern dangers, especially against terrorism. Mikser thanked the general for US support in the NATO membership process.
General Pace also met with the Chief of the Defence Forces Vice Admiral Tarmo Kõuts and Chief of Staff Colonel Alar Laneman. Pace visited the Scout’s Battalion in Paldiski and the Air Force’s base and airspace surveillance centre in Ämari.
Estonian, NATO negotiators to hold first plenary meeting in January
Dec 04 - Delegations from Estonia and NATO will hold their first plenary meeting to discuss political and defence issues regarding Estonia’s entry into the alliance early in January, said Jüri Luik, Estonia's chief negotiator.
Luik said the process of Estonia's integration into NATO kicked off immediately after the country received the invitation to join at the end of November, and he said that meetings between the two sides' experts were ongoing.
NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Günther Altenburg leads NATO’s delegation at the talks with Estonia.
Estonia will assign eight officers to NATO in 2003
Dec 05 - Starting in 2003, Estonia will have eight officers at NATO headquarters serving under Lieutenant General Johannes Kert.
The five officers currently serving in the military mission to NATO will be joined by three more in the first half of next year. Eight is the minimum number to ensure Estonia’s adequate representation and to cope with the tasks of the headquarters, a spokesman for the Defence Forces said. The number could change in the course of Estonia's entry talks with the alliance, he added.
Together with this representation, eighteen Estonian officers are presently serving abroad in various NATO commands, NATO and U.N. missions, the alliance's Partnership for Peace programme, and as defence attaches. A further nine officers are planned to be posted abroad next year, bringing the number to twenty-seven.
Government approves defence pact with Sweden
Dec 03 – The Estonian government endorsed an agreement on extensive military cooperation with Sweden that regulates bilateral defence cooperation, including the visits of Swedish military advisers and instructors to Estonia. The document prescribes cooperation in training and education, organisational issues related to the Defence Forces and high-level visits.
A large portion of the agreement is dedicated to the status of Estonian and Swedish troops in each other's territory, providing medical services in the other country, the handling of disciplinary and criminal cases, and settlement of damage claims.
The agreement promotes the Euro-Atlantic integration process and will lead to closer cooperation with Sweden, said Estonia’s Ministry of Defence.
DOMESTIC NEWS
Riigikogu approved law on international sanctions
Dec 04 - The Estonian Riigikogu approved a law on international sanctions that allows Estonia to implement various international sanctions when the United Nations Security Council, European Union Council or some other international organisation or government has decided upon implementing sanctions.
Prime Minister Siim Kallas said that after the law comes into force various sanctions could be enforced in Estonia according to international agreements, which would allow Estonia to meet its international obligations. Kallas said that amendments in various other legislative acts related to the ministries of justice and foreign affairs would also have to be made.
Estonia is the least corrupt EU candidate state
Dec 05 - A report by the Open Society Institute and the Jaan Tõnisson Institute says that Estonia has the lowest level of corruption of the European Union candidate countries and that corruption is a "relatively limited problem" in Estonia.
Nevertheless, the document recommends carrying out a review of the work of the principal anti-corruption bodies in Estonia: in the first place the parliamentary anti-corruption committee and public procurement office, and the adequacy of supervision of local self-governments.
The report names weak legal protection and a low-level of corruption in the Police and Border Guard as Estonia's major problems. The Customs Board is advised to concentrate on the fight against corruption and implementing a code of ethics.
Parliament committee proposes EU referendum date
Dec 03 - The Constitutional Committee of the Estonian Parliament suggested holding a referendum on the country's entry into the European Union on September 14, 2003.
The referendum date must be approved by a plenary session of the legislature. Committee head Indrek Meelak said it was still undecided whether one or two questions would be included in the referendum.
Pro Patria Union elects Tunne Kelam as chairman
Dec 07 - The opposition Pro Patria Union Party elected Tunne Kelam, deputy speaker of the parliament, as its new chairman. Peeter Tulviste and Trivimi Velliste were elected as deputy chairmen and Tarmo Loodus as the new secretary general of the party.
The 66-year-old Kelam was the sole candidate for the post.
HIV vaccine of Estonian scientists successful in human tests
Dec 03 – It was reported that the first stage of human tests of the HIV vaccine developed by Estonian scientists was more successful than expected, with the virus rendered harmless by a much smaller dose than usual.
The Finnish bio-technology company Fitbiotech announced its test results after the completion of the first stage of tests with the HIV vaccine. A year ago, fourteen HIV-positive people from Finland were administered the new vaccine and then kept under close medical surveillance. No harmful side effects were detected in any of the patients. Professor of Virology of Tartu University and Vice-President of Fitbiotech Mart Ustav said that the most surprising test result was the fact that a dose one thousand times smaller than the usual dose used in clinical tests also proved effective. Four test subjects out of five who were administered the smallest dose developed immunity against HIV.
The professor pointed out that the vaccine, which should be available in five years, was expected to control the spread of the virus in the human organism. The body itself is able to keep the virus from multiplying, and thus HIV will not develop into AIDS.
Res Publica catching up with Centre Party in popularity
Dec 02 - A recent poll showed that the rating of the Res Publica Party, a newcomer on the Estonian political scene, was catching up with that of the most popular Centre Party.
In a survey performed in November by Emor, the Centre Party was backed by 22 per cent of the respondents and Res Publica by 20 per cent. The Reform Party followed with 11 per cent, the People's Union with 6 per cent, Pro Patria Union 5 per cent and the Moderates with 4 per cent support.
ECONOMIC NEWS
Estonian economy grows 7 pct in Q3
Dec 04 - Preliminary figures show that the economic growth in Estonia was 7% in the third quarter of 2002 as compared to the same period a year earlier, reported the Statistical Office. The economic growth in the third quarter was based on the fast development of the trade, construction and industrial sectors as well as the financial sector.
The Statistical Office said that the preliminary gross domestic product (GDP) for the 3rd quarter of 2002 would be published on 30 December 2002. Preliminary calculations by the Statistical Office showed that the year-on-year economic growth in Estonia was 7% in the second quarter of 2002 while the economic growth in the first half of the year was 5.2%.
Estonian Central bank expecting 5.3 economic growth in 2002
Dec 04 - In its quarterly comment the Bank of Estonia forecast that the growth in the Estonian gross domestic product (GDP) this year would be 5.3 per cent and 5.0 per cent next year.
The central bank said that although stabilization could be expected according to the forecast, the period of high investment activity would continue.
The Bank of Estonia forecast this year's inflation rate at 3.7 per cent and next year's at 3.3 per cent, saying that the growth of consumer prices would presumably be relatively low due to foreign price pressure as an after-effect of low import prices and a lack of any remarkable administrative price rises.
Riigikogu passes new excise law
Dec 04 - The Estonian Parliament adopted an alcohol, tobacco and fuel excise law aimed at bringing the Estonian excise law into line with EU legislation.
A covering letter to the bill says that the alcohol, tobacco and fuel excise law also encompasses a system of excise warehouses for tobacco and fuel instituted under the alcohol excise law as of January 1, 2001.
With the implementation of the excise warehouses system goods are taxed upon their delivery for final consumption, with the moment of taxation being postponed, which creates free working assets for the excise warehouse administrator.
Under the same law, the fixed excise rate on cigarettes will rise to 210 kroons (EUR 13.42) per 1,000 cigarettes as of July 1, 2003, and the proportional excise to 24 per cent.
As of this July the excise has been 175 kroons per 1,000 cigarettes and the proportional excise 23 per cent.
The harmonization of tobacco excise rates is expected to bring about 70 million kroons of additional excise revenue a year into the state budget.
Estonian Railway freight volume up 34 pct November
Dec 04 - Preliminary figures show that the November freight volume of Eesti Raudtee (Estonian Railway) was 3.54 million tons, or 34 per cent more than in November 2001.
In January-November this year a total of 38.47 million tons of goods were hauled on Estonian Railway, up 9.2 per cent year-on-year. The freight volume of Estonian Railway itself grew by 13.3 per cent to 29.7 million tons.
Transit shipments accounted for 84.4 per cent of the total freight, with local shipments accounting for 9.0 per cent, imports 5.4 per cent and exports 1.2 per cent, reported Estonian Railway.
Rail shipment of nearly all major commodity groups increased in November.
The carriage of oil products increased by 33 per cent y-on-y to 2.3 million tons; oil shale by 27 per cent to 355,000 tons; grain by 650 per cent to 222,000 tons. Shipment of coal increased by 36 per cent to 131,000 tons and the shipment of timber increased by 38 per cent to 83,000 tons.
Port of Tallinn handles 17.2 pct more freight in 11 months
Dec 02 - AS Tallinna Sadam (Port of Tallinn) handled 31.56 million tons of freight in January-November this year, 17.2 per cent more than in the same period in 2001.
In November, the Port of Tallinn handled 3.2 million tons of freight according to its preliminary figures. Transit increased by 21 per cent year-on-year to 27.1 million tons.
Imports of goods and commodities grew by 15 per cent over January-November 2001 to 3.4 million tons. Exports meanwhile dropped by nearly 3.0 per cent to 3.9 million tons.
The Port of Tallinn received 5.5 million passengers in January-November, 4.0 per cent more than in the same period last year.
Tallink shipping line serves 189,000 passengers in November
Dec 03 - Estonia's biggest shipping line, Tallink, served 189,141 passengers in November, 23,000 passengers more than in October.
According to Tallink, it carried 170,533 passengers on the Helsinki route and 16,608 passengers on its Swedish routes. While the total passenger number is smaller than in October, the number of passengers carried by Tallink's newest passenger ship Romantika increased by 1,200 to a total of 96,329 during the month.
According to the Port of Tallinn, there were 338,000 passengers on the Tallinn-Helsinki route in November against 379,000 in October. Accordingly, Tallink's market share increased from 48.5 per cent in October to 50.5 per cent in November.
Government sets 2003 minimum wage at 2,160 kroons
Dec 03 – The Estonian government approved raising the 2003 minimum monthly wage in Estonia to 2,160 kroons from the existing 1,850 kroons. The minimum hourly wage of a full-time job would be 12.90 kroons starting January 1, 2003, instead of the current 10.95 kroons an hour.
The aim of the wage agreement is to achieve by 2008 a minimum wage level equal to 41% of the average gross wage in the country. In the second quarter of this year the average gross monthly wage in Estonia was 6,353 kroons, thus the current minimum wage equalled 29% of the gross average.
CPI drops in November
Dec 06 - The Estonian consumer price index (CPI) in November was 0.2 per cent lower month-on-month and 3.1 per cent higher year-on-year, reported the Statistical Office.
The prices of groceries increased by 0.2 per cent and prices of non-food items fell by 0.5 per cent. Services were 0.1 per cent cheaper in November than in October.
Compared with November 2001, the prices of goods and services were 3.1 per cent higher on average. Administratively regulated prices increased by 7.4 per cent and in non-regulated prices by 1.3 per cent. The only items to fall in price year-on-year were groceries and non-alcoholic beverages, by 0.9 per cent.
EU to double investments in Estonian roads in 2003
Dec 05 – The European Union's ISPA programme will grant Estonia double the amount of money for road construction in 2003. In 2002 ISPA allocated 171 mln kroons for road construction in Estonia. ISPA requires 25 per cent co-financing from the state of Estonia.
Estonia initially allocated 1.4 bln kroons for road repair in 2003. "Although the sum will climb by a few hundred million kroons from 2002, it is still not sufficient," Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Liina Tõnisson said. "Estonia has a very dense network of roads, although the habitation itself is sparse."
Estonia renovated 120.6 kilometres of roads in 2002 with funds allocated by the ISPA programme. The total cost of the work was 264 mln kroons, with 75 per cent of the money coming from ISPA as irretrievable aid. The rest was covered with a loan taken from the European Investment Bank.
In the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla road, the main road leading from Tallinn to Latvia, 83.4 kilometres of roads were repaired. In the Tallinn-Narva road, the main road that leads to Russia, 37.2 kilometres were repaired.
Estonia supports restrictions on single-hull tankers
Dec 04 - Estonia supports the European Union (EU) initiative to set reasonable restrictions on the traffic of single-hull tankers in the Baltic Sea, said the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. The ministry said that the key to the success of the restrictions was to get all Baltic Sea states to join the plan.
"Setting restrictions against single-hull tankers is reasonable from the point of view of environmental protection, but it will have a sufficient effect only if all countries on the Baltic Sea will do it," said the ministry's press spokesperson, who added that since the Bay of Finland and the Baltic Sea were very narrow, restrictions by just a few countries would not bring the desired results and the environmental threat by the single-hull tankers would persist, and the countries that did implement the restrictions would just create a competitive advantage for the others in the transit market that did not.
Chemical companies vow to improve environment protection
Dec 06 – The Estonian Ministry of Environment and the Estonian Association of Chemical Industry (EACI) signed an agreement on more stringent environmental protection than that required by law.
The voluntary Responsible Care initiative was signed by seven companies, including paint manufacturer Vivacolor, the rare earth metals plant Silmet, the chemical plant Viru Keemia Grupp, the chemical firm Velsicol Eesti and the consumer chemical products plant Orto.
The chemical firms signed the agreement in order to prove to the public that they were no longer heavy polluters, and that they were able to control their hazards and even recycle the refuse of other producers.
The Ministry of Environment promises to include the EACI into the process of writing environmental legislation.
The Responsible Care initiative was launched in Canada in 1985 and expanded to US in 1988 and to Europe in 1990s.
Microlink in the Top 500 list of European high-tech companies
Dec 05 - Microlink, the largest IT firm in Estonia and the Baltics, was ranked 479th on the list of 500 fastest-growing high-tech companies in Europe. The list was compiled for the Financial Times by Deloitte & Touche.
Danish firm Danionics was honoured as the fastest-growing company on the list. The top 500 list included public and private sector high-tech firms from Europe, Israel, Russia and South Africa. The companies were compared based on the growth of revenues in the period 1999-2001.
Vodafone and Radiolinja sign partnership agreement
Dec 03 - Estonia's third-largest cell phone operator Radiolinja signed a partnership agreement with Vodafone, the leading global mobile firm. The first joint services in offering international calls will be launched in spring 2003.
As a result of the agreement, Radolinja can offer its clients more favourable phone tariffs abroad and the use of the European GPRS roaming network covering most of Europe. Vodafone Eurocall service will allow Radiolinja clients to have a fixed call tariff in fifteen European countries. Radiolinja and Vodafone will organise joint marketing campaigns for the new service and will use a common trademark.
Estonian Lottery, EMT to bring mobile lottery to the market
Dec 04 - In cooperation with the mobile communication firm EMT, Eesti Loto (Estonian Lottery) will start selling Viking Lottery and Keno Lottery tickets by mobile phone.
A representative of Estonian Lottery said that for the time being the lottery tickets can only be bought via EMT, adding that the other mobile operators would join the system later.
Currency Rates in Kroons
December 6, 2002
British pound - GBP - 24.567
Canadian dollar - CAD - 9.999
Swiss franc - CHF - 10.636
Danish krone - DKK - 2.107
Japanese yen - JPY - 0.125
Latvian lat - LVL - 26.019
Lithuanian lit - LTL - 4.531
Norwegian krone - NOK - 2.153
Russian rouble - RUB - 0.490
Swedish krona - SEK - 1.728
US dollar - USD - 15.628
Euro - EUR - 15.646
CULTURAL NEWS
Estonia, USA to conclude cultural heritage protection accord
Dec 03 - The Estonian government approved a draft agreement on the protection and preservation of cultural heritage to be concluded with the United States and gave Minister of Culture Margus Allikmaa powers to sign the accord.
The agreement is designed to protect and preserve cultural heritage of all past and present nations and ethnic and religious groups inhabiting the territories of the two countries, including victims of World War II genocide.
Estonia and the United States will set up a joint cultural heritage committee that will draw up a list of objects and sites that need protection and preservation and which will see to their protection, a spokesman for the government said.
The task of implementing the agreement in Estonia will be given to the Board of Antiquities. The Ministry of Culture will cover programme expenses from its budget.
Black Nights Film Festival announces winners
Dec 07 – Tallinn’s 6th Black Nights Film Festival (BNFF) announced the festival winners, with the Grand Prix for the best animation awarded to Pjotr Sapegins "Aria" (Norway-Canada). The Society of Estonian Film Journalists chose Peter Mullan’s "Sisters of Magdalena" (Ireland - Great Britain) as the best film. The audience voted their favourite film to be Pedro Almadovar’s feature film "Talk to her". The best children film was "My sisters children" by Tomas Vilum Jensen from Denmark, and the best youth film was "One way ticket to Mombasa" by Hannu Tuominen from Finland.
World famous writer Paul Coelho visits Estonia
Dec 08 - Brazilian writer Paul Coelho, whose books have been translated into 55 languages and who is considered to be one of the most read writers in contemporary literature, arrived in Estonia to present and sign translations of his three books to his Estonian readers. Coelho’s books “Veronica Decides to Die”, “Pilgrimage” and “The Alchemist” were recently published in Estonia by Philos.
Take 6 opens Christmas Jazz Festival
Dec 05 – The famous American vocal jazz ensemble Take 6 opened to a sold out audience at the Christmas Jazz Festival in Tallinn. Take 6 is considered to be one of the best a capella groups in the world. They have won seven Grammys.
EESTI RINGVAADE is compiled from local news services, including BNS and ETA, and is issued by the Press and Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Eesti Ringvaade is also available through the Internet at http://www.vm.ee
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