Baltic Military College

Training of military personnel, including the operation of the Baltic Military College, is among the main topics of the two-day meeting with the participation of commander of Lithuanian armed forces Vladas Tutkus, commander of the Latvian national armed forces Juris Maklakovs and commander of the Estonian defence forces Ants Laaneots. The Baltic Military College trains future commissioned officers both from the Baltic countries as well as military and civil specialists from Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Balkan countries. The commanders will discuss operation of the military swimmers school in Liepaja, various courses for training non-commissioned officers and other projects of training personnel. The agenda includes an exchange of opinions on the operation of the tracking system of air space BALTNET, the BALTBAT battalion, the Baltic naval squadron BALTRON, the NATO mission on patrolling the air space of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as well as other pressing issues of military politics.

Tiny Estonia still suffering from Russia

TALLINN, Estonia: The 128 40-million (US 60-million) coal terminal at the Muuga port outside Tallinn has ground to a halt, its mountains of sooty Siberian cargo vanished. Russian coal and oil deliveries destined for the European market have shifted to other Baltic Sea ports, as Estonia feels the financial sting of its giant eastern neighbor. A year after a furious row over the relocation of a Soviet war memorial in Tallinn, a government study says the Baltic country has lost Russian business worth an estimated 128 450 million (US 700 million), or nearly 3 percent of its gross domestic product. The impact was especially strong at the Port of Tallinn, where state-of-the-art coal conveyers stretch between shiny silos and lofty cranes. The port lost 13 percent of its transit volumes last year as Russian cargo trains suddenly stopped crossing the Estonian border.

Economics and culture shape Estonian forestry debate

Debate is underway in Estonia about how to safeguard the economic and environmental potential inherent in the country s forests. Parliament is being urged to debate the issue by groups including the People s Union policy council group, which has signalled its desire to establish forestry protection in the region. In a report published by the Baltic Times, the head of the parliamentary faction of the opposition party, Karel Ruutli, argued that discussion on the state forest was needed taking into consideration the social, economic, regional and cultural aspects. Investment in forestry has become big business, with annual returns on investment reaching up to 30 per cent in recent years, causing many to examine the potential the forests can unlock. As Estonia and other Baltic countries have acceded to the European Union, the backdrop for overseas investment has improved, with many looking to the emerging economies in eastern Europe for investment opportunities.

Estonian economy cooling faster than expected

This has been caused by less supportive external environment, which has brought along slower external demand growth and a rise in commodity and food prices, as well as an increase in risk margins. In addition, the increasing uncertainty and high inflation have reduced domestic demand. At the same time, faster economic adjustment helps speed up the decline in the current account deficit and in inflation, the report said, issued April 16. Not only will the fall be sharper than expected, it will last longer, Eesti Pank believes. Both the domestic and external environment are less favourable than last autumn The long-awaited economic adjustment is under way in Estonia, but it is no longer as smooth as expected due to the less favourable external environment. The economic activity indicators are following a downward trend in several major economies, referring to a further slowdown in growth.

Estonian EU fund absorption problems

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said today that problems may arise in regards to projects using EU support in the previous finance period. Ansip named projects such as the 43 million kroon (EUR 2.75 mln) labor market measures plan, the EmajogiRiver catchment basin water management project worth 700 million kroons, the construction of a breakwater in the port ofTallinnfor 371 million kroons, and the Kukruse road construction project budgeted at 590 million kroons. In his words, it is not fully certain at this point that Estonia will manage to implement those projects and use up the EU funds. Absorption of EU support is particularly important in the present economic cooling situation where utilization of EU monies would support the economy and by bringing extra taxes into the state budget. Estonia has until the end of 2010 to distribute the EU support of the previous financing period.

FISHING: Red Herring

TALLINN - Here s something you ve probably heard: Fish stocks are depleted due to overfishing and environmental damage. We need to cut down on the amount we catch and conserve. If you believe all that you d be wrong. The fishing trade is as complex an issue as the eco-system which supports it. Platitudes can t explain it and the shortage of fish story is one common misconception that laymen buy in to. There are fish in the sea and the situation is getting better and I might say that as there are more sprat in the sea, trawlers should have more work, Toivo Orgusaar of the Estonian Fishermen s Union said. Despite this, fishermen are not happy. The unions say things have never been worse and it is getting harder for fishermen to earn a living.

Experts split on cyberterrorism threat Technology

Estonian defence ministry official Christian-Marc Liflander said sustained electronic attacks on his country last year came both from crude hackers and from sophisticated cyberterrorists remotely manipulating zombie computers known as botnets. I would say we have entered an era of cyber terror and perhaps even of cyber war, Liflander told a London security conference at the Royal United Services Institute. Estonia has said it believes the Russian government was behind last year s attacks, which came amid a diplomatic row over Tallinn s decision to relocate a Soviet-era war memorial. But Liflander said the botnet attacks came from computers in 76 different countries and it was hard to prove who sponsored them. What we have is just a gazillion IP (Internet Protocol) addresses that don t prove anything. The effect was to paralyse websites and cause severe disruption to key services such as banking, in a country with one of the highest levels of Internet usage in the world.

Bear hit by Estonian Defense Ministers

The accident took place at 8:40 a.m. Tartu to the town of Paide and was unable to avoid hitting a large bear that had suddenly run onto the road near the Imavere road crossing. Aaviksoo was in the back seat of the Audi A6 at the time of the accident, had his seat belt fastened and was reading a book, said Riina Vandre, adviser to the minister. The bear managed to cross the road to the other side after the accident but had to be shot later by hunters called to the scene. The front of the minister s car was damaged and needs repair. Vandre said Aaviksoo was on his way to meet with JarvaCounty governor Ullar Vahtramae when the accident happened. Peep Mannil, unit head at the Ministry of Environment, said road accidents involving bears were rare in Estonia.

Estonian History Museum Maarjamäe Palace

The history museum devoted to the 19th and 20th centuries is housed in this pseudo-gothic manor on the road to the Pirita district. Re-created living quarters, schoolrooms and the like give visitors a clear picture of life in generations gone by, and the museum has extensive displays chronicling the Estonian war for independence and World War II. Temporary exhibitions on the ground floor might include anything from wedding dresses to propaganda posters. Pirita tee 56 ph. 372 622 8630 372 622 8600 www.eam.ee Bus 5, Maarjamägi stop Open: March October 8594 Wed-Sun 11:00-18:00 November February 8594 Wed-Sun 10:00-17:00 Price: 25 EEK(adult), 15 EEK(student)

Late-night flights on Tallinn-Stockholm route

From April 14 Estonian Air added the flight schedule late-night flights between Tallinn and Stockholm. Additional late-night flights will be operated three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Stockholm airport offers convenient transit connections to Europe, Northern America and Asia both for leisure and business travellers. Late-night flights from Stockholm will depart after the arrival of most flights from Europe to Stockholm, which will create very good late-night connections from European cities (London, Munich, Madrid, Paris, Zürich, Amsterdam, etc) to Tallinn. Additional late-night flights will be operated three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Stockholm airport offers convenient transit connections to Europe, Northern America and Asia both for leisure and business travellers. Late-night flights from Stockholm will depart after the arrival of most flights from Europe to Stockholm, which will create very good late-night connections from European cities (London, Munich, Madrid, Paris, Zürich, Amsterdam, etc) to Tallinn.