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Estonian Review 28 January - 3 February 2009
06.02.2009
FOREIGN NEWS
DEFENCE NEWS
DOMESTIC NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
FOREIGN NEWS
Estonia to Open Embassy in Belarus
29 January - The Government of Estonia approved an order to establish an embassy of the Republic of Estonia in the capital of Belarus, Minsk.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that the government's decision reflects both the more open policy of the European Union towards Belarus as well as Estonia's interest in intensifying bilateral relations.
We are interested in gradually opening Belarus up to Europe, said Paet. However, while we are creating closer relations, all the European Union's positions on improving the condition of human rights and freedoms in Belarus still apply, he emphasised.
The establishment of an embassy creates better conditions for developing bilateral relations and for beginning all sorts of co-operation projects, said Foreign Minister Paet. The existence of an embassy also provides opportunities for energising economic relations between the two nations, Paet asserted. The investment climate in Belarus has become more liberal and Estonian investments in Belarus have increased exponentially over the past few years. When the economic situation stabilises, the export of Estonian goods to Belarus could also hold great potential, he explained.
The embassy will begin functioning in the space currently used by the Estonian consulate general. A charge d'affaires will be dispatched to Minsk to replace the director of the consulate general and begin directing the activities of the embassy. The expenses tied to establishing an embassy will be covered by the budget of the Foreign Ministry.
Estonia has had a consulate general in Minsk since 1995, but in accordance with diplomatic practices, the consulate is not able to fulfil all the responsibilities of a diplomatic representation.
Holland to Represent Estonia for Issuing Visas in Nigeria and Kenya
31 January - Beginning on 1 February, the embassy of the Netherlands in Abuja, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya will begin issuing Schengen visas on behalf of Estonia.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia's goal in concluding representation agreements is to simplify travel to Estonia. It makes applying for a visa simpler for travelers that live in countries where Estonia doesn't have a representation, said Paet. In countries where Estonia does not have its own foreign representation, Estonia may be represented for the issuing of visas by another European Union nation that belongs to the common visa space. The representing is meant only for the issuing of visas and does not include any other consular services.
Applications for short-term visas, transit visas, and airport transit visas can be brought to representations of member states standing in for Estonia. For a long-term visa or residency permit, an applicant must still turn to the nearest foreign representation of the Republic of Estonia.
Estonia has signed representation agreements for the issuing of Schengen visas with Latvia, Germany, Finland, Hungary, and Slovenia. Negotiations for representation agreements are underway with many other Schengen states.
Hungary represents Estonia in six countries - Moldova, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Pakistan and India. Germany represents Estonia in 16 countries - Angola, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Jamaica, Madagascar, Oman, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda. Latvia represents Estonia in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and Slovenia currently represents Estonia in Montenegro. Finland represents Estonia for issuing visas in the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, Indonesia, Namibia, Peru, Serbia, Syria, Thailand, Tanzania, and Tunisia.
President of the Republic Accepted Credentials from Four New Ambassadors
29 January - In Kadriorg, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves met with the Ambassadors of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bangladesh, and Canada, who presented their credentials to the head of state.
Credentials were presented by Vera Mavrić, the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia, who resides in Helsinki; Darko Zelenika, the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who resides in Stockholm; Mohamed Mijarul Quayes, the Ambassador of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, who resides in Moscow; and Scott Heatherington, the Ambassador of Canada, who resides in Riga.
Estonian Ambassador to San Marino Presents Credentials
3 February - Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the Republic of San Marino Andres Tomasberg presented his credentials to Captain Regents of San Marino Ernesto Benedettini and Assunta Meloni.
In the discussion following the credential-presenting ceremony, the parties discussed the need to further develop ties in the economic, tourism and cultural realms. San Marino is an interesting vacation destination for Estonians, and we should definitely develop tourism ties, said Ambassador Tomasberg. They also talked about co-operation opportunities in international organisations.
Estonia established diplomatic ties with San Marino on 9 July 2003. San Marino is the world's oldest democracy, as it has functioned under such a system for 1 702 years already.
Andres Tomasberg was born in 1960. He graduated from Tartu University with a degree in French language and literature. Tomasberg has been involved in diplomatic work since 1991, when he began working at the Foreign Ministry. From 1993-1997, Andres Tomasberg was the ambassador to France, becoming also the ambassador to Spain in 1995 and to Portugal in 1996 (residing in Paris). From 1997-2000 Tomasberg worked as the chef de cabinet in the Foreign Ministry, and beginning in 1998 he was the ambassador to Turkey, residing in Tallinn. From 2000-2004, Andres Tomasberg was the ambassador to Turkey and Spain, residing in Madrid, and beginning in 2001 he was also the non-resident ambassador to Morocco. Before he was appointed as ambassador to Italy, Toomas worked as the chef de cabinet in the Foreign Ministry. Tomasberg has been the ambassador to Malta since 2006, residing in Rome.
Andres Tomasberg speaks French, Spanish, Italian, English, Finnish and Russian. The ambassador resides in Rome.
Estonian Added to Google Translate
2 February (BNS) - Estonian was one of the seven new languages added to Google Translate over the weekend.
The other languages were Albanian, Galician, Hungarian, Maltese, Thai and Turkish. The translator website now supports 44 languages.
Changes Made in Schengen Visa Application and Issuing Procedure
1 February - In accordance with the implementation of the Schengen acquis in the consular representations of Estonia, starting on 1 March 2009 the process of applying for and issuing Schengen visas for minors that travel with a parent and are also included in the parent's travel document will change. Beginning on 1 March, consular representations will beginning following the principle that a visa payment must be made for each separate individual's visa.
The current system has a visa sticker carrying the appropriate mark and indicating the number of minors being issued as a visa for children under the age of 15 that are included in their parent's passport. The state fee is paid for the processing of only one visa application.
Beginning on 1 March, a separate visa application must be filled out and a state fee must be paid for every minor included in the parent's passport. The child will be issued his or her own visa sticker, which will be placed in the parent's passport.
The state fee for a Schengen visa is 60 euros. Citizens of countries that are issued European Union visas on the basis of a visa facilitation agreement must pay 35 euros for a visa.
DOMESTIC NEWS
President Ilves Opens IT Demo Centre in Tallinn
29 January - President Toomas Hendrik Ilves opened the information technology and communications technology Demo Centre in Tallinn's Ülemiste City, where ICT companies will introduce solutions intended for the governmental and private sector.
Our success depends on innovation, the discovery of new ideas and their implementation. This is one of the engines and life lines for the Estonian economy, the president said.
As the patron for the Innovation Year, President Ilves expressed his satisfaction that the Demo Centre was created in co-operation with several parties. The importance of the Demo Centre is also increased by the fact that several large international IT companies have contributed to this enterprise, he said.
Possible Basement of Medieval House Unearthed in Excavations in Central Square
3 February - Archeologists have found what they believe are the remains of the basement of a medieval house outside the city walls during excavations in the central Vabaduse Square in Tallinn, the daily Eesti Paevaleht reported.
Archeologist Villu Kadakas, who supervises the dig, said that nothing else but the basement had survived of the house, but it was presumably a multi-storied wooden dwelling. The basement under the dwelling was quite typical, used instead of the modern refrigerator," Kadakas said.
The archeologist said other such houses could be unearthed from Vabaduse Square as the excavations had reached a zone that could have been densely populated.
Kadakas said that the house stood in what was formerly Pärnu Maantee, which in earlier times ran along the present Roosikrantsi Street. Pärnu Maantee was one of the main highways leading to the city, and the city gates were quite close so it was logical for the place to be settled.
"Rather than wealthier folk, it was probably where poorer people lived," Kadakas said.
Although the find was not very unexpected, Kadakas said that it was unique because no earlier houses of Tallinn's suburbs had been unearthed so far and so there was not much information about them.
The other stories of the building will apparently not be found as they were demolished either during the construction of the bastion in the 17th century, or, if the buildings were put up in the medieval period, they must have been dismantled during the Livonian War in the 16th century.
Kadakas added that some samples had been taken in order to establish the age of the building, but they need not give an accurate dating. (BNS)
The Celebration of the 91st Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia Will Take Place in Tallinn, Narva, Jõhvi
2 February - The celebration of the 91st anniversary of the Republic of Estonia will begin on Monday, 23 February, with wreaths being laid on the gravesites of Estonian state figures in Metsakalmistu in Tallinn. Also in Tallinn, the national prizes for science and culture will be handed out by the prime minister, and state decorations will be handed out by the President of the Republic. On the morning of 24 February, a formal flag-raising ceremony will also take place on Pikk Hermann tower in Tallinn, and a speech will be given by speaker of the Riigikogu Ene Ergma.
On Tuesday, 24 February, a flag-raising ceremony will take place in the yard of Narva Castle as well. Wreaths will be placed at the base of the memorial to the War of Independence and a church service will take place in Narva's Alexander Church. The annual Defence Forces parade will also be held in Narva. On the same day, a celebratory concert and the formal reception of the President of the Republic and Mrs Evelin Ilves will take place in the evening in Jõhvi Concert Hall.
The formal events will be attended by the President of the Republic, the speaker of the Riigikogu, the prime minister, members of the government and Riigikogu, and representatives of the diplomatic corps.
Environment Board to be Headed by Andres Onemar
28 January - The senior public servants accreditation commission at the Estonian State Chancellery today proposed to appoint Andres Onemar director general of the newly-formed Environment Board that is to start work next month. The new agency was formed by unifying existing environmental services.
Onemar currently works as development director of the state forests management centre RMK. He is a member of the ruling Reform Party.
The State Nature Protection Center, 15 regional environmental services, and the Radiation Centre will be merged into the Environment Board starting on 1 February. The new agency will have a staff of 416 people, 82 fewer than the merging entities.
Onemar is a forestry graduate from the then Estonian Academy of Agriculture. His career includes the jobs of chief forester of Hiiumaa Island, chief co-ordinator of the national forestry development programme, and project manager and director general of RMK. He has been working as development director of RMK since 2006.
DEFENCE NEWS
Permanent Undersecretary of Ministry of Defence Visits Latvian Colleague
28 January - The Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defence Riho Terras met in Riga with his Latvian college Jānis Sārts to discuss the current status and future plans for defence-related co-operation between the Baltic states.
The permanent undersecretaries both agreed that in the future, the Baltic Defence College should become an international, modern staff college, not just for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania but also for other small countries.
We're all willing to take joint steps to achieve this objective. It's important that all the states that contribute to the Baltic Defence College will have an equal say concerning the future of the college, Undersecretary Terras stated.
Both Terras and Sārts also admitted that regardless of the current difficult economic situation, both countries still treat the ambitious project of establishing a joint infantry battalion of the Baltic states as a high-priority venture.
A joint infantry battalion, manned by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, forms a part of the 14th rotation of the NATO Response Force, or NRF-14, during the first part of 2010. Estonia will contribute one infantry company, a reconnaissance platoon, a logistic support element and staff officers, amounting to a contribution of 200 defence force members to the battalion. Interoperability exercises of the units of the battalion will be taking place this year in Latvia, in the Adaži training grounds.
The possible future co-operation of Estonia and Latvia in international operations was also discussed at the meeting; the participants also weighed different opportunities for saving more resources by introducing joint ventures during the difficult economic situation. Specific suggestions for possible joint procurements will be submitted by the defence ministries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania by the next meeting of the defence ministers of the Baltic states, which is to take place in May in Estonia.
Permanent Undersecretary Terras also met with the Commander of the Latvian Defence Forces Major General Juris Maklakovs and the Chief of Staff of the General Staff of the Defence Forces of Latvia Colonel Andis Dilāns.
ECONOMIC NEWS
Currency Rates in Kroons
(Bank of Estonia)
Estravel Posts Turnover of EUR 64 Million in 2008
28 January (BNS) - The 2008 turnover of the Estonian travel bureau Estravel was one billion kroons (EUR 64 mln) according to non-audited figures, 0.5% higher than the year before.
Of the company's revenue, sale of air tickets accounted for 582 million kroons, with the figures increasing by 3.5% against the previous year.
The sale of package tours increased by 8.6% on year, totaling 143 million kroons, and sale of rail tickets by 10.3% to nine million kroons. Sale of hotel accommodations, however, fell by 11.1% to 154 million kroons.
The company posted 20.7 million kroons profit last year.
Estravel CEO Anne Samlik said tough competition between tour organisers made prices attractive last year, as a result of which the sale of holiday trips showed strong growth despite the difficult economic situation.
Contraction in corporate clients' purchase volume was due to the economy of expenses in companies. "At the same time, there are companies that spent more than before on travelling, in connection with entry into new markets and establishment of business contacts there."
This year will be generally complicated on the tourism market both in Estonia and in the rest of the world, and small tourism companies in particular will have to thoroughly reorganise their operations in order to stay afloat.
The main owner of Estravel is Suomen Matkatoimisto Oy, which in turn belongs 100% to Finnair.
Estonian Air to Open Pärnu-Stockholm Air Route in Spring
2 February (BNS) - In co-operation with the Sanatorium Tervis and the Spa and Conference Hotel Strand, Estonian Air will open a seasonal air route between Pärnu and Stockholm in the spring.
The flights will take place twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays and will continue until 23 August, the company said.
"Opening opportunities for air travel from different Estonian airfields is part of the Estonian Air strategy. The opening of the Pärnu-Stockholm route will make travelling between Scandinavia and Estonia significantly more convenient," said Andrus Aljas, president and board chairman of Estonian Air.
The new route will be served by 33-seater Saab 340 aircraft that have one service class. A light meal of a sandwich and a drink will be offered on board.
All Saab 340 flights are carried out by Estonian Air Regional, a subsidiary of Estonian Air.
Saku Was Beer Market Leader in 2008
3 February (BNS) - Saku Õlletehas retained its lead on the Estonian beer market in 2008, a survey by AC Nielsen shows.
Saku's share of the total turnover of the Estonian beer market during the year was 45.7%, while A. Le Coq had a market share of 38.1%, Saku Õlletehas said on Tuesday.
The CEO of Saku Õlletehas, Veli Pekka Tennila, said the Estonian beer market's leading brands are Saku Originaal, Rock and A.Le Coq Premium.
In the quality beers segment, Saku's market share exceeded 50%, Tennila said.
The manager of rival beverage house A. Le Coq recently claimed that in the final months of last year A. Le Coq emerged as the market leader in beer sales in Estonia by a narrow margin.
Saku Õlletehas also announced on Tuesday that according to the AC Nielsen survey, it has for the first time emerged as the market leader in the table water segment with a market share of 20%.
Port of Tallinn's January Freight Handling Climbs 2.5 Percent on Year
3 February (BNS) - The volume of freight handled at ports of the Estonian state-owned company Port of Tallinn in January was 2.48 million tons, marking a 2.5% improvement on the same month a year ago.
The handling of liquid cargoes, the biggest group of commodities passing through the ports, grew by 16.6% on year to 2.02 million tons.
The handling of ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) cargo dropped by 33.2% to 192 300 tons.
Bulk cargoes and mixed cargoes declined by 34.4% to 167 400 tons and by 52.4% to 17 000 tons respectively. The shipment of coal doubled in comparison with January 2008.
Container shipments through the ports dropped by 11.2% to 11 852 containers.
The number of passengers served during the first month of the year was up by 23.2% at 442 900, the highest figure for January ever. Passengers travelling between Tallinn and Helsinki numbered 364 200.
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