Statistical yearbook reflects in figures the life of Estonia

Statistics Estonia presents today, i.e. on 31 July, the newly published publication “Eesti statistika aastaraamat. 2009. Statistical Yearbook of Estonia“, which gives an overview of the Estonian environment, social and economic life and provides comparisons with other European countries.

Statistical Yearbook of Estonia covers in figures the major spheres of life of the state and places [...]

Bear population highest during past century

There are about 700 bears living in Estonian woods, the highest figure during the past one hundred years, the daily Eesti Paevaleht reported.
The number of bears has recently increased, mainly because of the growing wild hog and roe deer populations. Due to the increased numbers, hunters will be issued more bear shooting licenses this year [...]

Profit of Yliopiston Apteekki up 69 pct

The operating company of the Estonian Ülikooli Apteek pharmacy chain, Yliopiston Apteekki OÜ, posted a profit of 8.7 million kroons (EUR 560 000) last year, up 69% from 2007.
The company finds that the growth in profit was due to increased turnover and fall in the prices of purchased raw materials and components, it appears from [...]

SmartPost to sell its self-service post-office pack to Italy

When the state-owned Estonian Development Fund announced about a year ago that it will make its first seed investment into “self-service post office” solution provider SmartPost some people were truly amazed, the others kind of dissapointed.
They doubted if that qualifies of being “Estonian Nokia” everybody were looking for.
But now, a year later, SmartPost business idea kind of make [...]

Lithuania to increase VAT to 21 pct

Lithuanian lawmakers gave final approval to an increase in the value added tax to 21 percent as the government copes with faltering tax revenue, Bloomberg writes.

Lawmakers voted 66-34, with 18 abstentions, to approve the change, according to Parliament’s Web site. The increase from 19 percent will come into force on Sept. 1.
Read more from BBN

Trade in machinery and equipment declined the most

According to Statistics Estonia, in May 2009 exports of goods at current prices were 31% less and imports 41% less than in the same month of the previous year. The decrease in trade was primarily caused by the steep decline in the exports and imports of machinery and equipment.

In May 2009, exports from Estonia totalled [...]

Volume of problem loans may reach 9 pct this year

Jana Kask, Head of the Financial Sector Policy Division of Eesti Pank
In June, the corporate and household loan and leasing stock declined by 1.7 billion kroons, i.e., 0.6%. At end-June the volume of the loan and leasing portfolio amounted to 261 billion kroons, being nearly 2% smaller year-on-year. The drop in the loan volume this [...]

Big amounts of cash move to Russia

In 303 cases people have declared cash amounts of more than EUR 10,000 (more than EEK 156,461) to take out from Estonia, in total amount of EEK 2,73 bln, Estonian Tax and Customs Board (MTA) told Eesti Päevaleht.

The main destination is Russia. In most cases the amount had been below EUR 6 mln.
According to the [...]

Double tax doesn’t bring victory

The state’s hope to earn EEK 370 mln with doubling fringe benefit tax on official cars seems to be wishful thinking for the companies write official cars to employees’ name, Äripäev reports.

On September 18 last year the government decided to increase fringe benefit tax from EEK 2000 to EEK 4000 from January 1, 2009.
Tax experts [...]

Producer price indices decreased in June

According to Statistics Estonia, in June 2009 the producer price index decreased 0.2% compared to May and 1.2% compared to June 2008.

In June compared to the previous month the producer price index was more than average influenced by the decrease in prices in the manufacture of fabricated metal products and by the increase in prices [...]