Salaries in Estonia too high for Elcoteq

The reason for Elcoteqs sharp cut backs in Estonia are the ever-increasing labour costs. Elcoteq has recently reduced the number of employees at two plants in Estonia from 3500 to 2000 staff. Meanwhile, equipment has been auctioned off too. In recent years, wages have increased by 20 per year in Estonia. This has led to the fact that Elcoteq and a number of Estonian companies too, have moved their production to other countries. Behind the sharp increase in wages is the lack of workforce and a high inflation. In Tallinn exists practically no unemployment. Source http: evertiq.com

Open Air Museum

A must-see for first-time visitors to Tallinn, the Open Air Museum transports visitors back in time to the rural Estonia of old. The vast, forested park is filled with thatched, 19thcentury farm buildings, windmills and schools, with staff in period costume demonstrating how people lived and worked in times past. Visitors can buy handicrafts, go for a horseback ride, and try out the traditional food served in the village tavern. Vabaõhumuuseumi tee 12 ph. 372 654 9100 www.evm.ee Bus 21, Rocca al Mare stop Open: May September 8594 Mon-Sun 10:00-20:00, houses 10:00-18:00 October April 8594 Mon-Sun 10:00-17:00, houses closed. Price: May - September 8594 80 EEK (adult), 35 EEK (student) October - April 8594 35 EEK (adult), 20 EEK (student)

iPhone in Estonia!

Another piece of the international iPhone puzzle has been jammed into place. When we detailed the contracts signed between Apple and telcos worldwide, there was a conspicuous gap in the map, above and to the right of Western Europe. That has been filled by this press release from TeliaSonera, cellphone provider for the Nordic and Baltic markets: TeliaSonera today announced it has signed an agreement with Apple to bring the iPhone to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia later this year. The number of countries expecting a new toy on June 9th is fast approaching 50. One notable exception is still Spain, despite strong evidence that Telefonica will be carrying the Iberian Stupendabrick. We re expecting that announcement mañana.

Alvarion to Deploy Balticum TV

Balticum TV is the first 3.5GHz WiMAX license holder to launch a commercial 802.16e deployment, providing advanced high-quality voice and data services enabled by Alvarion s 4Motion solution. Lithuania represents a progressive telecom market with a continuous increase in broadband usage and high penetration of mobile technologies, creating great potential for Balticum TV to conduct future deployments to enhance usability and lifestyles among its citizens. We are excited to be the first to offer the citizens of Lithuania the benefits of the latest technology together with the WiMAX leader Alvarion, says Virginijus Jurgelevichius, CEO of Balticum TV. Following successful trials with excellent results, we are confident that Alvarion s 802.16e network will increase broadband access with unmatched coverage, and provide a flexible platform to enable more advanced Personal Broadband services in the future.

Estonia s Premia Buys Russia s Oldest Ice Cream Maker

Based in St. Petersburg, Hladokombinat No. 1 has an annual production capacity of 6,000 tons and recorded sales of 284 million rubles (7.6 million euro) in 2007, the reports said. Premia Tallinna, combined with Premia KPC of Lithuania and Premia FFL of Latvia, is the largest ice-cream producer and seller in the Baltics. 2007 turnover for the 3 units amounted to 776 million kroons (49.6 million euro) - a 65 increase compared with 2006. The news comes 3 months after Unilever acquired Inmarko, another Russian leading ice cream manufacturer, as reported by FLEXNEWS. Inmarko saw a turnover of approximately 115 million euro in 2007. Source http: flex-news-food.com pages 16725 estonia ice-cream- rus. html

Estonia overdue loans stable at 5.2 pct in April

The amount was up slightly from 13 billion in March, though the share was stable at 5.2 percent, it said in a statement. Loans overdue for more than 60 days rose in April to 2.99 billion kroons from 2.28 billion in March. Overdue housing loans rose to 4.3 billion kroons from 3.9 billion the previous month. Moody s ratings agency recently gave Estonia s banking sector a negative outlook due to a growing risk of a decline in asset quality and liquidity in light of the rapid growth of loans in recent years. Source http: reuters.com article rbssfinancialservicesandrealestat

Ansip and Reinfeldt in Stockholm discussed energy policy

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and his Swedish colleague Fredrik Reinfeldt who met on Friday in Stockholm spoke about current EU affairs and about energy policy. «Sweden is an important partner to Baltic States with small markets in ensuring energy independence,» noted Ansip at the meeting, writes ETV24 LETA. He added that in order to increase energy independence and improve supply security, closer co-operation between neighbouring countries will be necessary. The heads of government also spoke about co-operation between the two countries during Swedish Presidency of the European Union. One of the principal Swedish initiatives during this period is drafting the Baltic Sea strategy with Finland and Estonia also acting as leading countries in developing the strategy. «It is in Estonia s interests to overcome regional differences in the Baltic Sea region through better operation of the internal market and linking infrastructures,» said Ansip.

Dima Bilan wins the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest for Russia

Dima Bilan has won the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, the 53rd, for Russia with his song Believe. The song was developed by US R B artist Timbaland. The song won the competition with 272 points 42 points ahead of Ukraine s Ani Lorak in second place with 230 points for the song Shady Lady. Third was Kalomira for Greece with Secret Combination The voting for the competition came from 43 countries across Europe, but with 25 countries competing, the others having failed to get through the semi finals. Russia has never won the contest before, Bilan having come second in 2006, losing out to Finnish hard rock band Lordi with Hard Rock Halellujah. Furtherdown the scale Germany s No Angels with Disapear, Poland s Isis Gee with For Life and the United Kingdom s Andy Abraham with Even If came joint last with 14 points.

Serious side of Euro party

The contest, which is being held in the city s arena alongside the River Sava, will also be the European Broadcasting Union s biggest ever show with 43 entries at the start of this week, now whittled down to just 25. A storm of inch-long hailstones earlier in the week, smashed car windscreens and knocked chunks of stone off the Turkish Embassy in the old city, but its ferocity is unlikely to compete with the Eastern European countries, which are set once more to knock spots off Western European countries competing here tomorrow. Disgruntled Dubliner, James Squires, was fed up but philosophical after Dustin the Turkey got a pre-Yuletide stuffing in the first semi-final - a shock exit as this is the first time Ireland hasn t made it to the final.

Undiscovered treasures of Estonia

Viljandi, Põlva County and Avinurme tourist destinations got to the final round of «Undiscovered treasures of Estonia» The competition announced this January by the Tourist Board of Enterprise Estonia, for finding exciting, but less known tourist destinations, received 18 applications. An expert committee selected six of the more interesting tourist destinations from those received, visited them all, and nominated the tourist destinations submitted by the Viljandi town government, Põlva County Development Centre and the Avinurme Rural Municipality Government for the final round. Viljandi is known for the preservation of heritage. In addition to the recently opened Kultuuriait (Culture Barn), where all who wish to can take music lessons, the committee was deeply impressed by the Kondas Centre with its impressive work in collecting and exhibiting naivistic art,» said Marje Baunbrück, Deputy Director of the Tourist Board of Enterprise Estonia.