Estonian government threatens to terminate railway privatization

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
By Kairi Kurm
Apr 26, 2006
The government has approved a proposal to terminate the privatization of Estonian Railway, claiming the invester has failed to meet its obligations. The decision amounts to a final warning for Baltic Rail Services, the private company that owns 66 percent of Estonian Railway and has been at loggerheads [...]

Ilves versus Savisaar in presidential poll?

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
By Kairi Kurm
Apr 19, 2006
presidential jockeying is reaching full stride in Estonia. According to polls, most residents would like to see Social Democrat and European Parliament member Toomas Hendrik Ilves as the next head of state. At the same time, the third most favored choice is a person whose name isn’t even [...]

Tallinn’s new broom sweeps in own style

The Baltic Times
Interview by Kairi Kurm
Apr 12, 2006
Juri Ratas is a loyal, enthusiastic Center Party politician with a sharp sense of humor. At the age of 27, he is the youngest mayor in Tallinn’s history. Initially, many were skeptical that this young Centrist could handle the responsibilities of city mayor, but Ratas has proved himself [...]

Estonia’s future niche for production

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
By Kairi Kurm
Apr 12, 2006
Over the past five years, Estonia has seen a record number of industrial parks develop across the nation. Some are supported by the local government, while others are privately owned. Yet all are becoming an increasingly affordable option for production and warehousing, with some land plots being sold [...]

Fight continues over priceless national asset

The Baltic Times
By Kairi Kurm
Apr 05, 2006
Government officials are not disturbed by fresh arbitration court papers that could result in a fine of 1 billion kroons (64 million euros) to the government for violating a contract with Baltic Rail Services, the private owners of the Estonian Railway. “The U.S. firm NRG Energy threatened us the [...]

Baltic’s grand port of Tallinn continues to dominate

The Baltic Times, TALLINN
By Kairi Kurm
Apr 05, 2006
The rise of intense Russian competition has forced Baltic ports to adjust their development strategies – often radically and on the fly – in order to retain their market share. With 12 percent of the cargo traffic in the Baltic Sea/Gulf of Finland region, Port of Tallinn is [...]