Estonia - US Relations: U.S. Ambassador to Estonia resigns over Trump anti-Europe rants

Ambassador James D. Melville announced in a message to friends on social media late on Friday evening that he has decided to resign. Recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump that the EU was "set up to take advantage of the United States" and that "NATO is as bad as NAFTA" are not only factually wrong, but prove that it is time for him to go, Melville wrote.

Read more: U.S. Ambassador to Estonia resigns over Trump anti-Europe rants | News | ERR

Estonia: A sustainable Europe through business unusual – by Lauri Tammiste

As Estonia begins its EU presidency on 1 July, business as usual won’t cut it. We need business unusual and Estonia’s successful track record in the last 25 years gives us hope that it will be able to make its mark, writes Lauri Tammiste.

Estonian society has gone through radical changes over the past 25 years, and its bold decisions on economic policies, the IT sector and politics have paid off. Now it’s time to apply the same radical thinking to environmental policy and business. As Estonia begins its EU presidency, business as usual won’t cut it. We need business unusual.

Saturday marks the start of Estonia’s first EU presidency, a tenure that brings the opportunity to find “unity through balance” – as the presidency motto goes – when tackling Europe’s most pressing challenges and motivating other member states to come along. One of the challenges is how to transition to a climate-resilient, smart economy.

Though many have focused on Estonia’s goals for the digital internal market, security and migration policies, the country has also made environment and sustainability a top priority. We applaud this foresight. EU environmental regulations are often perceived as burdensome and causing headaches, but they also positively impact society in ways we often take for granted.

Wastewater treatment systems are now more efficient, for example, and the quality of tap water has increased. EU directives on renewable energy have also helped to shape a framework for our country to invest into better alternatives than oil shale.

Now Estonia – together with our fellow EU members – is set to address another looming issue: How can we transition to an economy that is low-carbon and climate resilient?

Read more: A sustainable Europe through business unusual – EURACTIV.com

Estonia: The two Estonians who are taking on the banks at currency exchange

Kristo Kaarmann, one of the founders of peer-to-peer money sending firm TransferWise, has a glint in his eye as he recounts how the business he created with his friend Taavet Hinrikus has grown.

The firm, founded just four years ago, has already moved more than $4.5bn (£3bn) of customers' money across the world and employs 400 people in five offices globally.

Banks once had a near monopoly on this lucrative sector, where people send more than $500bn (£334bn) abroad each year.

But not anymore, according to Mr Hinrikus who says the banks "have fallen asleep".

"They have been quick to adopt modern technology to optimize the way things work internally, but when it comes to services for customers their processes haven't really changed for many decades."

Read more: The two Estonians taking on the banks at currency exchange - BBC News

Europe: St.Martin Day Celebration

Each November 11, many northern European countries celebrate St.Martin's day. This Sunday was no exception, also in the Netherlands. St. Martins day is named after St. Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier who became a monk after being baptised as an adult.

Kids in Almere, the Netherlands, celebrating St.Martin Day

He was born Born: 316 in Savaria, Pannonia (modern day Szombathely, in Hungary) He eventually obtained sainthood from the Catholic Church for being a kind man who became known for cutting his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm. The modern version of what used to be a Catholic celebration has now become a traditional children's event where kids between the ages of 3 and 10, accompanied by their parents, participate in family processions with paper lanterns in remembrance of St. Martin. 

They ring door bells in their neighborhood singing St.Martin songs. Kids usually have made their own little paper lanterns in school or kindergarten before taking to the streets. After singing their songs kids are rewarded with candy.

Originating in France, the tradition of celebrating Martinmas spread to Germany in the 16th century and later to Scandinavia and the Baltics. In Estonia, Martinmas signifies the merging of Western European customs with the local Balto-Finnic pagan traditions, it also contains elements of earlier worship of the dead as well as certain year-end celebration that predates Christianity.

Martinmas actually has two meanings: in the agricultural calendar it marks the beginning of the natural winter, but in the economic calendar it is seen as the end of autumn.

EU-Digest

Estonia: `Nazi diet pill` advertisement upsets Jews

An Estonian newspaper has provoked global outrage after it published an advertisement for diet pills, mocking the gaunt and scrawny victims of Buchenwald, Germany's largest death camp.

The astonishing picture of dozens of starving men is accompanied by the strapline: “One, Two, Three… Dr Mengele slimming pills work wonders for you! There were no thickset people in Buchenwald!”

Jewish organisations have denounced Eesti Ekspress for publishing the image, which ran in the paper's humour section.

Read more: Estonia: `Nazi diet pill` advertisement upsets Jews

Shadow economy in eastern Europe undermines growth, says World Bank - by Nikolaj Nielsen

Doing business and working outside government regulation and tax systems in eastern Europe is so widespread that it risks undermining the region's long-term growth potential, says a World Bank report released on Monday (10 September).

"The governments of the new member states in Eastern Europe simply cannot afford a large shadow economy, neither in the short run due to fiscal concerns, nor in the long run due to the shrinking labour force," said World Bank senior adviser, Katarina Mathernova.

The report looked primarily at Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Read more: EUobserver.com / Economic Affairs / Shadow economy in eastern Europe undermines growth, says World Bank

Estonian Supreme Court Upholds ESM Treaty as Constitutional

The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the Treaty Establishing the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) is in accordance with the Constitution of Estonia. “Although the contested article restricts the financial competence of the Estonian Parliament, the principle of rule of law and the sovereignty of Estonia, the restriction is justified,” a statement published on Thursday said.

The explanation continued: “The Supreme Court considered the restriction arising from the article, i.e. the decrease of the power to decide the use of public finances. On the other hand, the Supreme Court considered the purpose of the contested article - to ensure an efficient decision-making procedure in case of a threat to the financial stability of the euro area, including Estonia.

Stability is necessary in order for Estonia to be able to perform its obligations arising from the Constitution, including ensuring the fundamental rights of people.”

Read more: Estonian Supreme Court Upholds ESM Treaty as Constitutional | Politics | News | ERR

EU: Baltic Economy doing well

This corner of the European Union is an exception to the economic doom and gloom crippling other parts of the eurozone. The three Baltic nations, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, look at their southern European partners now struggling with cutbacks and think, “we’ve seen worse.” According to an old Estonian pledge: eat potato peelings if you must and just get it done.

They did. This past weekend, luminaries gathered in Tallinn to celebrate the Baltic states’ declaration of independence from the Soviet Union 20 years ago..

“I remember the days when the counters of the shops in Tallinn were empty and the people were starving. The economy more or less had to be rebuilt from scratch,” recalled Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, a longtime Baltic supporter. If you had asked people on Aug. 20, 1991 whether in 20 years “Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania would be seen as economic success stories in Europe, would be full members of NATO, full members of the European Union,” Blidt asked, “if anyone had said yes, that person would have been seen as a fairly likely candidate for lunacy.”

Baltic Economy | Estonia | Latvia | Lithuania | Former Soviet Union

Baltic minnow is first former Soviet state to join eurozone -

Estonia, the small Baltic state of 1.3 million people became the 17th eurozone country at midnight, beginning a switch from the kroon, and is the first former Soviet state to adopt the euro.

 

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip was the first to withdraw euros from a specially installed cash machine outside a theatre where a ball had been held to celebrate the switchover and the new year. “It is a small step for the eurozone and a big step for Estonia,” he said, holding the notes.

“We are proud to be a eurozone member state.” 

For more: Baltic minnow is first former Soviet state to join eurozone - Herald Scotland | News | World News

Estonia published its bid for becoming the location of EU IT agency :- bgy Juhan Tere

The Ministry of Internal Affairs published Estonia’s bid for becoming the location of the European Union’s IT agency, aiming to convince the Member States to decide in favour of its vision, writes LETA/National Broadcasting. The entire Europe can see on the website of the ministry, which is Estonia’s vision of the EU agency for operative management of IT systems in the Justice and Home Affairs area. Estonia is interested in bringing the new agency to Estonia in order to make it into a pan-European centre of competence.

“Estonia has set itself an objective long ago to explain to Member States the necessity of an IT agency in the European Union and its future objectives,” stated the chairman of the Riigikogu European Union Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson.

For more:P Estonia published its bid for becoming the location of EU IT agency :: The Baltic Course | Baltic States news & analytics

Estonia rated as top economic reformer

Estonia has achieved a high ranking in a global list of top economic and political reformers. In a survey of 128 countries by the non-profit, pro-democracy Bertelsmann Foundation, Estonia was ranked fourth while Latvia came 13th, the Baltic Times (BT) reports.

The study measured the state of democracy and the market economy in each surveyed nation, in addition to the quality of the political scene, the news provider said.

Estonia also achieved third place in the management index part of the study, outranked only by Uruguay and Chile, BT added.

For the complete report: KMS

Miami Herald: Estonians sing to lift spirits amid slump - by Jari Tanner

For the complete report from the MiamiHerald.com click on this link

Estonians sing to lift spirits amid slump - by Jari Tanner

More than 20,000 choir singers gathered Sunday to fill the air with positive vibes as Estonians took their minds off a crippling recession in a mass celebration of folk songs. The power of music has lifted the Baltic country's spirits before. During five decades of Soviet occupation, Estonians found a rare outlet for celebrating their national heritage by gathering by the thousands to sing patriotic songs. The independence movement of the late 1980s was even dubbed the Singing Revolution. Now, Estonia again is hoping its Song and Dance Celebration - a four-day event held every five years - will unite the nation of 1.3 million people, which has been severely battered by the economic downturn.

The Baltic Course: Fitch cuts Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania ratings

For the complete report from The Baltic Course click on this link

Fitch cuts Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania ratings

London-based ratings agency Fitch on Wednesday downgraded the EU Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, citing their sliding economic situation. Fitch said it had cut Estonia's long-term foreign currency issuer default rating to BBB+ from A-, Latvia's to BB+ from BBB-, and Lithuania's to BBB from BBB+, and maintained its negative outlook for all three.

Latvia, which along with Estonia and Lithuania won independence from the crumbling Soviet bloc in 1991, had a reputation as a "tiger" in the European Union, which it joined in 2004. The economy of Latvia, a country of 2.3 million people, grew 11.9% in 2006 and 10.2% in 2007. But output fell 4.6% in 2008 and the government forecasts it will shrink 13.0% this year.

balticbusinessnews.com - Estonians question the interest of developers of wind power parks - by Toomas Hõbemägi

For the complete report from the balticbusinessnews.com click on this link

Estonians question the interest of developers of wind power parks - by Toomas Hõbemägi

Canadian company that plans massive wind power parks in Estonia could produce more energy than Estonia can consume or sell. Vali was referring to the plans of Greta Energy, a Canadian company with close links to Russian businessmen, that has announced plans to build a 1,000 MW offshore wind power park near Hiiumaa coast and another 500 MW park in Purtse. Critics have already questioned such plans and say that the Purtse park could start distorting the operation of Estonian air defence radars that monitor activities of Russian military airfields near the Estonian border. By a new law that is being drafted the development of offshore wind power parks would also require a permission from the Defence Ministry, namely because of the radar problem.

EarthTimes: Estonia in recession until 2010, says central bank

For the complete report from the Earthtimes click on this link

The Estonian economy is set to remain in recession until 2010 according to a forecast published Wednesday by the Estonian central bank, Eesti Pank. According to the base scenario of Eesti Pank's 2008 autumn forecast, Estonia's gross domestic product will decline by 1.8 per cent in 2008 and by 2.1 per cent in 2009. The economy should pick up again either at the end of 2009 or at the beginning of 2010, resulting in an average economic growth rate for 2010 of 3 per cent, Eesti Pank believes.

"Private consumption growth should recover in 2010 along with the revival of household confidence, whereas 2009 will be characterised by slowing wage growth and increasing unemployment," the for