Religious education may return to Estonian schools

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
By Kairi Kurm
Dec 21, 2005
Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said last month that religious freedom does not mean one should be uneducated about religion. Since his speech at a religious conference, a nationwide debate has ensued, though in reality the question of a religious – or spiritual – education has been on the [...]

‘Not the way honest, democratic government should behave’

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
Interview by Kairi Kurm
Dec 21, 2005
When Edward Burkhardt decided to invest in the Baltics, he went for broke. He sold his railroad business in Wisconsin and bought a 66 percent stake in Estonian Railway in 2001. He assumed the position of chairman, but the job has been anything but calm. Government interference [...]

Road of death to remain lethal

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
By Kairi Kurm
Dec 14, 2005
A Tallinn chemistry lab employee carefully placed five coffee cups on the table in anticipation of her guests, colleagues who were scheduled to arrive from Tartu.
Alas, she never got the chance to pour the coffee. A tragic accident on the Tallinn-Tartu highway claimed two lives on the spot, [...]

Robert Lepikson too straight to be a politician

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
Interview by Kairi Kurm
Dec 14, 2005
Robert Lepikson is a controversial politician in Estonia. Like Juri Mois, Tonis Palts and other successful businessmen-turned-politicians, he says things the way they are, and has ended up in hot water for it. For instance, when Lepikson’s Porsche Cayenne S, worth almost 100,000 euros, was stolen in [...]

Estonia’s best companies are Regio and Hansapank

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
By Kairi Kurm
Dec 14, 2005
Enterprise Estonia voted map publisher Regio as Estonia’s best entrepreneur, and Hansapank as the most competitive company during its annual awards ceremony this fall.
Organizers of the award include Enterprise Estonia, the Estonian Chamber of Commerce, Estonian Employer’s Confederation and the daily Eesti Paevaleht.
“Regio is a good example of [...]

Blair asks Balts to accept financial cuts for sake of European stability

The Baltic Times, TALLINN and RIGA
By Kairi Kurm and Aaron Eglitis
Dec 07, 2005
While meeting with Baltic leaders on Dec. 2, British Prime Minister Tony Blair found little support for his proposal to cut EU spending on new member states’ development.
Latvian Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis said on Dec. 6 that the country would not accept the [...]

Tax board keeps up pressure on firms paying ‘envelope salaries’

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
By Kairi Kurm
Dec 07, 2005
A number of Estonian entrepreneurs suspected of tax fraud have increased salaries and started to pay more income and social tax after the Estonian Tax and Customs Board sent warnings to 1,000 companies earlier this year.
Almost one-third of those companies contacted by the tax board, and half of [...]

Consumers can choose between 2 diesel fuels from 2006

Today, on 18 November, the Minister of the Environment Mr Villu Reiljan signed a regulation that makes it possible to sell diesel fuel with two different sulphur contents during the next three years.
Given the current situation of the world economy and the condition of the fuel market, in order to avoid price increases related to [...]

Estonia started to trade in greenhouse gases

Since 1 November 2005, an Estonian national Internet-based greenhouse gas emissions trading registry is open. This registry is a computerised solution for creating a database on the traders and monitoring transactions initiated / executed by the traders.

International trading in greenhouse gas emissions provides Estonia with new opportunities in alleviating climate change and investing in the [...]

Estonia – a potential transit center for rising China?

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
By Kairi Kurm
Dec 04, 2005
No doubt, the biggest buzz in the transportation sector is this week’s visit of a Chinese delegation looking for opportunities to establish a transit center in Estonia.
The Chinese Embassy in Estonia welcomed the delegation of experts from the Chinese Transport Ministry and port representatives and operators on Dec.5 [...]