Estonia takes EEK 6.5 bln loan

Today the government decided to take up to EEK 6.493 bln loan for up to 15 years to finance state budget expenditures and financing transactions, aripaev.ee writes. 
The Ministry of Finance is in talks with Swedbank and European Investment Bank to get the loan. They plan to borrow EEK 2.346 bln from Swedbank, with deadline up [...]

PM has mounted record tax burden

The PM Andrus Ansip has directed Estonia to last decade’s greatest tax burden before the government will meet today or in the future to discuss tax increases and new taxes, Äripäev reports.

“Fridays tax-free” the tax collector promises in Reform Party’s election campaign and gives taxpayer back his piggy and pants. Couple of years later the [...]

Industrial production decreased by a third

According to Statistics Estonia, in March 2009 compared to March of the previous year, the production of industrial enterprises decreased 30%.

The rapid decrease in industrial production, which had begun in the end of the previous year, continued in March. When in October-November 2008 the decrease in production was around 15% compared to the respective month [...]

Decrease in retail sales slowed down a bit

According to Statistics Estonia, in March 2009 compared to March of the previous year the retail sales of goods of retail trade enterprises decreased 13% at constant prices. In March, the decrease in retail sales slowed down a bit and was 5 percentage points smaller than the annual decrease of February.

In March, the retail sales [...]

Rating for Estonia unchanged

The international rating agency Moody’s Investors Service today lowered the credit ratings of Latvia and Lithuania but left the Estonian rating unchanged.
Moody’s confirmed the foreign and local currency ratings of the government of Estonia at A1. The long-term foreign currency bank deposit ceiling was also confirmed at A1. The outlook for these ratings was changed [...]

Best Estonian nature photo

The other photos you can see here

Furniture producers join sales force

Estonian furniture manufacturers join their forces to establish an Estonian furnishings department store to Stockholm and Helsinki, Eesti Päevaleht reports.
By this autumn curtain producer Sunorek and sofa producer Berg will create a group of furniture manufacturers. In that group are Aet Piel’s design plc, lamp creator Tõnis Vellama and Tank Indoor Systems, Finnish furniture modules [...]

Sales of equipment dropped

According to Statistics Estonia, in February exports of goods from Estonia at current prices totalled 7.9 billion kroons and imports to Estonia 8.9 billion kroons. Compared to February of the previous year, exports declined by 26% and imports by 35%. The decrease was caused by a significant decline in the trade concerning machinery and equipment [...]

Migration decreases population by 16,000 persons

When we consider migration in current population as of 1 January 2008 we will get 16,000 people less. It is not one year emigration but eight years’ process where emigration has been bigger than immigration.

The number of population published by Statistics Estonia is based on the 2000 Population and Housing Census data and is complemented [...]

Construction price index fell for the first time during the last 14 years

According to Statistics Estonia, in the 1st quarter of 2009 the percentage change of the construction price index was -4.7% compared to the 1st quarter of 2008. Since 1995, the construction price index fell for the first time compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

The fall of the construction price index was mainly [...]