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Estonian Review: March 21-27, 2005
30.03.2005
TOP NEWS
FOREIGN NEWS
DEFENCE NEWS
DOMESTIC NEWS
CULTURAL NEWS
TOP NEWS
Estonian PM: It is vital to open the European services market
Mar 23 - A meeting of the European Council focused on the EU's Lisbon Agenda and the reform of the Stability and Growth Pact.
A key issue under the Lisbon Agenda was the liberalisation of the European services market. "Completing the opening of the market also in the sector of services is vital for giving a boost to the European economy," Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts said. "It is good that most leaders recognized the need to open up the European services market and progress was made on the services directive."
It's not acceptable to Estonia that artificial restrictions are set to Estonian entrepreneurs who wish to offer their services in France, for instance, the Head of Government added. "It is to be hoped that free movement of services in Europe will become reality in the next few years," he said.
Parts expressed satisfaction that economic growth and employment were agreed upon as the focus of the Lisbon agenda. "The European Union does not lag behind its global competitors in environmental protection or in social standards in contrast to productiveness and economic growth. Because of that, concentrating on economic growth and employment is the only possible course and this coincides with the Estonian view," he stated.
EU leaders approved the Finance Ministers' proposals on reviewing the Stability and Growth Pact, voicing the hope the revised pact will, through a more flexible approach, secure a strong and stable common currency.
Under discussion were the fall U.N. summit and the newly revealed plan for reforming the organization. Estonian Foreign Minister Rein Lang said U.N. reform and in particular a thorough overhaul of the human rights system is highly necessary to restore the credibility of the organization.
"There are two aspects of the reform, which we strongly support," Lang said. "We back the U.N. Secretary-General's proposal to set up a human rights council, and secondly, the U.N. reform must bolster coping with global security threats."
Outside the meeting's official agenda, Heads of Government and Foreign Ministers discussed the issues that caused the postponement of the start of accession talks with Croatia. It was agreed that it is necessary to form a working group to draft a roadmap for Croatia's accession process.
Lang said the formation of such a group is a strong positive signal to both Croatia and those who would like to delay its entry into the EU.
Parts in an online press conference said the Council's decision to form a work group to map out a plan for opening accession talks with Croatia shows the 25-nation bloc's flexibility in a very complicated situation with some countries firmly for and others equally firmly against admitting Croatia.
Estonia's 2004 government debt ratio lowest in EU - Eurostat
Mar 18 - Estonia was one of the few European Union member states to record a government surplus last year and its government debt was definitely the smallest, Eurostat reported.
Estonia ran a budget surplus of 1.8 per cent of GDP in 2004, trailing only Denmark (2.8 per cent) and Finland (2.1 per cent). The budget deficit of the 12-nation euro zone contracted to 2.7 per cent from 2.8 per cent in 2003. The annual deficit for the 25 member states was 2.6 per cent of GDP, down from 2.9 per cent in the year earlier.
With its government debt making up 4.9 per cent of GDP, Estonia had the lowest debt burden among EU members in 2004. Next came Luxembourg with 7.5 per cent, Latvia with 14.4 per cent and Lithuania with 19.7 per cent.
Under the Maastricht criteria, the annual budget deficit must be no more than three per cent of GDP and outstanding government debt must not exceed 60 per cent of GDP.
FOREIGN NEWS
Estonian Ambassador conferred National Order to Belgium's Permanent Representative to NATO
Mar 21 - Estonian Ambassador to Belgium Malle Talvet conferred the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana 3rd Class to Belgian Permanent Representative to NATO Dominique Struye de Swielande.
Ambassador Malle Talvet said in her address at the ceremony that the National Order was conferred in connection with the 87th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia in acknowledgement of the services rendered to the Estonian State and people.
Estonia's Permanent Representative to NATO Harri Tiido thanked Dominique Struye de Swielande for the support for Estonia's accession to NATO and for his personal contribution to ensuring the air policing of the Baltic States. A surprise to many was that the Belgian aircrafts were the first to begin policing the Baltic States air space and the personal efforts of Ambassador Struye played a considerable role in achieving this, Harri Tiido said.
Dominique Struye de Swielande has been working in the Belgian Foreign Service since 1974 and represented Belgium in Austria, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zaire, at the UN, as well as at other international organisations in Geneva. He has also been Ambassador to Germany. He has held high offices also at the Prime Minister's and at the International Co-operation and Development Aid State Secretary offices. Since 2002, Dominique Struye de Swielande has been working as Belgium's Permanent Representative to NATO.
Estonia's Military Representative to NATO Lieutenant General Johannes Kert and the representatives of the Belgian Foreign Ministry participated in the ceremony.
Estonian Ambassador to FYROM presents credentials
Mar 22 - Estonia's Ambassador to the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia Aivo Orav in Skopje presented his credentials to President Branko Crvenkovski.
Orav underlined in his remarks at the ceremony the need to strengthen bilateral relations on all levels.
The President thanked Estonia for supporting his country's bid for EU and NATO membership.
The Ambassador resides in the Polish capital Warsaw.
Former President Lennart Meri and Acting Foreign Minister Rein Lang's Letter of Condolences to Mrs. Kennan
Former President Lennart Meri and Foreign Minister Rein Lang sent a letter to Mrs. Kennan offering heartfelt condolences following the passing of George F. Kennan.
The letter brought forward Mr. Kennan's contributions as a diplomat, which made the 21st century world what it is today. It noted that his far-reaching vision of containment, control over Stalinistic tyranny and communism in the name of protecting the ideals of freedom, had formed the second half of the 20th century more than any other vision or visionary. Thanks in a great deal to Mr. Kennan's observations and suggestions, the USSR is history; the European people are free, democratic and living in peace based on lasting and strong Western values.
The former President and Foreign Minister wrote that after 50 years of Soviet occupation, Estonia has joined the ranks of the European Union and NATO, the two strongest organisations who ensure Western values. We are happy that Mr. Kennan was able to see the fulfilment of his vision in the emotionally close Baltic States, where a large part of his diplomatic career was spent.
The former President and Foreign Minister remind that we cannot forget George F. Kennan's message today. If free people do not have a vision or the desire, the strength, the unity to implement such a vision, and spend all their energy on empty words and actions, the continued existence of freedom and democracy will not be assured. Only united, can we stand against new threats and challenges, so that the world can have a peaceful future!
George F. Kennan's memory will stay with us forever.
DEFENCE NEWS
NATO fighters land in Estonian capital
Mar 21 - Two Norwegian NATO F-16 fighters policing Estonian skies landed at the Tallinn airport.
The purpose of the landing was to get acquainted with the airfield so the aircraft would not run into trouble in a possible emergency landing, the Defence Forces Headquarters said.
While staying in Tallinn, the air patrol continued monitoring the airspace and the fighters would have taken off immediately if necessary.
DOMESTIC NEWS
Ergma re-elected as Chairman of Estonian Riigikogu
Mar 24 - The Estonian Riigikogu (Parliament) re-elected Ene Ergma as Chairman of the Riigikogu.
Ergma, who is entering her third one-year term as Chairman, garnered 66 votes in the secret ballot in the 101-seat chamber.
The Riigikogu also elected Andres Lipstok and Toomas Varek as its Deputy Chairman.
Both received 34 votes in the secret ballot in the 101-seat chamber,.
The Riigikogu elected its Chairman and two Deputy Chairman in a scheduled annual ballot.
Less Estonians than predicted working in other EU States
Mar 26 - Less people have left Estonia to work in other European Union member states than authorities in Estonia estimated before May 1 last year.
The Chief of the EU Secretariat at the Estonian State Chancellery, Keit Kasemets, pointed out in remarks published in the regional newspaper Sakala that Britain, Ireland and Sweden, of the old EU members, had fully opened their labour markets to Estonian nationals. The Netherlands, Finland and Germany have done so with limitations.
According to figures available to the State Chancellery some 3 000 Estonians have gone to work in Britain, 2 000 to Ireland and a couple of hundred in Sweden over the past year.
The EU Secretariat had predicted shortly before Estonia's entry into the EU on May 1 last year that about 20 000 Estonians would leave the country during the first year to work elsewhere in the EU. "Actually the number is more than two times smaller," Kasemets said.
Currency Rates in Kroons
March 27, 2005
British pound - GBP - 22.509
Canadian dollar - CAD - 9.893
Swiss franc - CHF - 10.071
Danish krone - DKK - 2.100
Japanese yen - JPY - 0.113
Latvian lat - LVL - 22.479
Lithuanian lit - LTL - 4.532
Norwegian krone - NOK - 1.909
Russian rouble - RUB - 0.435
Swedish krona - SEK - 1.718
US dollar - USD - 12.036
Euro - EUR - 15.647
CULTURAL NEWS
Hague Residentie Orchestra names Neeme Järvi to Principal Conductor post
Mar 21 - The Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi has been appointed Principal Conductor of the Hague Residentie Orchestra. He signed a four-year contract on to begin in September. He will also become music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra next season, and will maintain his post as principal guest conductor of the Japanese Philharmonic.
Neeme Järvi, born on June 7, 1937, is one of the best-known Estonians and one of today's most sought-after conductors in the world.
In 1963, Neeme Järvi became Music Director of the Estonian Radio and Television Orchestra, founded the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, and was appointed Chief Conductor of the Estonia Opera House in Tallinn, a position he held for thirteen years. In 1976-1980, he was Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the newly founded Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
During the 1960s, Järvi gained a reputation far beyond the borders of his native Estonia. He has previously served as Principal Conductor of Sweden's Gothenburg Symphony and Music Director of the Detroit Symphony. During his career, Neeme Järvi has conducted around 70 different orchestras and has recorded more than 400 records.
EESTI RINGVAADE is compiled from local news services, including BNS, 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
To subscribe please contact: vmpress@vm.ee
 
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