ESTONIA

Estonia: The government announced new measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — At today’s cabinet meeting, the government approved measures to be taken at work, at home, on public transport, and in other public places to curb the spread of the coronavirus and to protect the lives and health of Estonians.

According to Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, the situation regarding the spread of the coronavirus in Estonia is critical and the number of patients in hospital is growing rapidly. ‘In cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Health Board, and the Science Council, we offer recommendations and suggestions on how to reduce the spread of the infection at work, at home, on public transport, and in other public places. In addition, in the current situation, we consider it necessary to tighten restrictions in commercial establishments and catering and entertainment establishments so that we could control the spread of the virus,’ he said.

Today, the cabinet approved in principle the measures, the implementation of which requires a change in the government’s orders. The government will issue the relevant orders this Thursday.

Workplace measures

• We recommend employees to work remotely if possible.
• Employers are advised to prepare a remote working plan and arrange remote working in case someone becomes infected with the coronavirus at work.
• We recommend cancelling all joint events, including Christmas parties, which are attended by people who do not come into contact on a daily basis. Celebrating Christmas with family is, of course, allowed.

Measures at home

• Before meeting a person at risk, make sure you are safe from infection and ensure safety when visiting: wear a mask, keep your distance, and clean your hands and surfaces.
• Social welfare institutions must ensure safe opportunities for contact and non-contact communication for people belonging to the risk group.
• The safety rules applicable to living with a person infected with the coronavirus must be observed, including wearing a mask, keeping distance and avoiding contact with them, if possible, and cleaning hands and surfaces regularly.

Measures in public places and public transport

• On public transport, in the service halls and public areas of commercial enterprises, and at conferences, concerts, theatres, and cinemas, a mask must be worn or the nose and mouth must otherwise be covered. We ask carriers, enterprisers, and event organisers to monitor compliance with this requirement and to inform people thereof. People for whom it is medically indicated (for example, asthmatics or the deaf) and children under the age of 12 do not have to wear a mask. Other justified situations are also possible (for example, if there are no other passengers in the vehicle).

• Carriers are asked to put up a notice on wearing a mask on public transport, such as ‘Dear passenger, put on your mask!’ Other safety information must be displayed in a visible place on public transport.

• The government establishes by its order a 2 + 2 rule in service halls and public areas of commercial enterprises, in accordance with which no more than two people may move together and a distance of at least two metres must be kept with others, except for families and if this cannot be reasonably guaranteed. The rule will take effect on 16 November.

• The government establishes a two-metre distance rule between groups of people in catering and entertainment establishments, with a maximum of 10 people per group. The restriction does not apply to members of the same family, nor does it apply to, for example, hobby education and children’s playrooms. The rule will take effect on 16 November.

• The government limits the opening hours of catering and entertainment establishments from midnight to 6 a.m. to prevent crowds. The restriction does not cover the take-away of food. The rule will take effect on 16 November.

 

Source: Estonian Government

 

Estonia: Committees of the Riigikogu discuss foreign investments and impacts of foreign capital at public sitting

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Economic Affairs Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) will today hold a joint public sitting “The results of the Estonian Research Council RITA study of foreign investments, and the impacts, bottlenecks and opportunities of foreign capital in Estonia”.

According to Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee Sven Sester, the purpose of the sitting is to get an overview of the impact of foreign capital on Estonia’s economy. “We must make continuous efforts in Estonia to attract foreign investments and to make our country attractive for foreign investors. Today, we will get the latest information from the Estonian Research Council, which will enable us to be better prepared for discussing the bills and laws concerning the Estonian economy,” Sester said.

“Sustainable increasing of foreign investments is one of the priorities of Estonia’s foreign policy and foreign trade in the coming years,” Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Enn Eesmaa said. “The volume of innovative investments into Estonia is decreasing at the moment. A survey of the role of foreign investments in Estonia’s economy helps recognise the reasons for the decrease, learn about the assessments of foreign investors and create a context for further decisions concerning Estonian economy and investment climate,” he added.

At the sitting, Professor of International Business at the University of Tartu Urmas Varblane will speak about the results of a study on smart foreign investments, Director of the Estonian Investment Agency Raido Lember will give an overview of foreign investments in Estonia, and representatives of foreign investments Katri Jürine from Ericsson Estonia Ltd and Jaanus Aal from Enics Estonia Ltd will share their experience. Deputy Secretary General for Economic Development at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications Viljar Lubi and Head of the Foresight Centre Tea Danilov will also present their comments.

The representatives of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Estonian Employers’ Confederation, the Estonian Service Industry Association and the Foreign Investors’ Council in Estonia are also included in the discussion.

The joint sitting of the Committees begins at 2 p.m., and it will be streamed online.

Source: Parliament of Estonia

 

Estonia: The Riigikogu did not support expressing no confidence in the Minister of Finance Martin Helme

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The motion of no confidence in the Minister of Finance Martin Helme, signed by 34 members of the Riigikogu, was not supported in the Riigikogu. 46 members of the Riigikogu voted for the motion of no confidence and nobody was against. However, the support of at least 51 members of the Riigikogu was needed to express no confidence.

Marko Mihkelson (Reform Party), who presented the motion of no confidence, noted that Martin Helme in his capacity as a member of the Government had persistently engaged in damaging Estonia’s security and international reputation and allied relations important to Estonia.

The motion of no confidence states that Martin Helme has called into question the reliability of Estonian elections and the independence of Estonian democratic institutions and has deliberately sown mistrust in the fundamental principles of the functioning of the Estonian state as a democracy. Martin Helme has also engaged in splitting the society and has attacked various social groups.

Minister of Finance Martin Helme and Minister of the Interior Mart Helme gravely attacked democratic elections in the United States of America, Estonia’s main security partner and ally, in a statement they made after the US presidential elections. They attacked our major ally’s domestic political right to self-determination and the newly elected president personally. Mart and Martin Helme’s unfounded accusations regarding US election fraud and their personal attacks towards the US president-elect Joseph R. Biden are unfounded, immoral and completely inappropriate for a member of Government. With such a statement, Mart and Martin Helme have caused extraordinarily severe damage to Estonia’s foreign and security policy interests.

The protection of human rights, the principles of the rule of law and the minorities are in the heart of Estonian foreign policy. By attacking Estonia’s foreign policy course and, besides that, the general principles of liberal democracy and by calling on to decide on the rights of minorities through a referendum, Martin Helme seriously jeopardises the reliability of the Republic of Estonia as a democratic state based on the rule of law in the eyes of the European Union and NATO allies. His activities place our country from the West to the East, and in the case of such an allegiance, we have no reason to expect allies’ support.

Martin Helme has also been continuously attacking the separation of powers, independent investigation, the administration of justice and the press.

“It is clear, having regard to all of the above, that Martin Helme is unsuitable for his office and therefore we propose that the Riigikogu express no confidence in the Minister of Finance,” the motion of no confidence states.

The members of the Riigikogu asked numerous questions of Minister of Finance Martin Helme, requesting for clarifications on the reproaches expressed in the motion of no confidence.

During the debate, Kaja Kallas (Reform Party), Viktor Vassiljev (Centre Party), Siim Pohlak (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) and Indrek Saar (Social Democratic Party) took the floor on behalf of their factions.

The Bill on amendments to this year’s state budget passed the second reading in the Riigikogu.

The Bill on Amendments to the State Budget for 2020 Act (252 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the second reading and was sent to the third reading.

Considering that the State Budget for 2020 Act was prepared in the autumn of the preceding year and some of the funding needs have changed, it is expedient to initiate an amendment of the state budget to achieve more effectively the aims set by state agencies. The Bill (252 SE) covers 85 amendments in total.

According to § 43 of the State Budget Act, in order to amend the state budget without amending the total amount of funds, the Government of the Republic may initiate a draft State Budget Amendment Act not later than two months before the end of the budgetary year.

During the debate, Aivar Sõerd (Reform Party) took the floor.

The Riigikogu heard replies to two interpellations

Prime Minister Jüri Ratas replied to the interpellation concerning the tourism sector support measures (No. 43), submitted by members of the Riigikogu, and Minister of Education and Research Mailis Reps replied to the interpellation concerning the transition to instruction in Estonian (No. 42).

During the open microphone, Peeter Ernits took the floor.

The sitting ended at 8.06 p.m.

 

Source: Parliament of Estonia

 

Estonia: Tallinn earmarks €86 million for public transport costs, development

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Tallinn will set aside €86 million for the running and development costs of public transport in 2021 which include the purchase of 100 new gas powered buses. By the end of next year, half of the city’s public transport will be carbon dioxide free.

The budget of Tallinn for 2021 sets aside €86 million towards operating costs of the public transport system and €3.7 million euros towards investments in public transport.

Deputy Mayor Andrei Novikov said on Tuesday that in addition to the 100 gas powered buses that were received this year, 100 more buses running on green gas will join the fleet of the city’s public transport company next year. The cost of the buses inclusive of IT equipment is nearly €30 million, and by the end of next year 50 percent of the city’s public transport will be carbon dioxide free.

In addition, some 10 electric buses will start operating the city’s bus lines as part of a pilot project with manufacturers of electric buses, Novikov said.

Frequencies will be added on more than 10 bus lines next year.

Furthermore, the city will continue to equip bus stops with displays showing real-time information about departures, as well as with shelters. The city is planning to replace shelters made of metal sheets and install new shelters at stops which do not have shelters at present.

The city is also planning to set up new traffic lights to improve traffic safety and to transition to LED traffic lights. Money has been earmarked in the budget also for the installation of 157 traffic counters at road intersections.

Parking lots of the Park and Ride system will be equipped with displays and a feature added to the system enabling to see the number of available parking spaces on one’s smartphone.

State-of-the art infrastructure consisting of parking spaces and gas refueling facilities will be completed at the bus depots of the city’s public transport company on Peterburi Road and Kadaka Avenue. In addition, a new terminal station for buses will be completed on Vana-Louna Street.

The investments in public transport will include an expansion of the school bus project and acquisition of new trams.

Estonia: The prime minister delivered the letter of resignation of Mart Helme to the president

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — Today, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas received a letter of resignation from Minister of the Interior Mart Helme and delivered it to President Kersti Kaljulaid.

Ratas recognised Helme’s decision to resign. “The United States is our biggest ally and strategic partner and all members of the Estonian government must contribute to maintaining and strengthening the allied relations between Estonia and the US. In the current situation, the resignation of Mart Helme is the only possible option for the government to continue its work and pursuing its foreign policy goals,” said Ratas.

On the proposal of the prime minister, President Kaljulaid will release Mart Helme from office and, following the announcement of a new candidate, appoint a new minister.

 

Source: Estonian Government

 

Estonia: Economic Affairs Committee: Hotels must have the possibility for digital registration of guests

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — At its sitting today, the Economic Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) approved the motions to amend the Bill regulating tourism. The motions enable the establishments providing accommodation to register their guests electronically and the obligation to preserve visitor’s cards in paper format will be abolished.

Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee Sven Sester said that the possibility to register the users of accommodation services electronically would make the work and life of both the providers of accommodation services and their clients simpler. “Actually, there is no reason why such an amendment could not have been made long ago. The guests would not have to fill in the visitor’s cards at the reception any more, and the information submitted already during making the reservation could be entered on the electronic card,” Sester added.

Member of the Economic Affairs Committee Annely Akkermann pointed out that the amendment would give the accommodation establishments the possibility of not having to the preserve visitor’s cards in paper format, which would be a big step in reducing bureaucracy. “At the same time, the new possibility is not an obligation, and if some hotels feel that registration on paper and preserving paper cards is more convenient for them, they will still have the right to do that,” she explained.

Regardless of whether the guests are registered on paper cards or electronically in the future, the accommodation establishments will still have to preserve the data on guests for two years, as it is required also at present.

The purpose of the Bill on Amendments to the Tourism Act and the Consumer Protection Act (234 SE), initiated by the Government, is to update the requirements for the provision of the accommodation service. The requirements which are not directly necessary or where self-regulation works well, like in the case of quality requirements, are reduced. The definition of the accommodation service and the description of the types of accommodation establishments will be renewed. The second reading of the Bill will be held on 18 November.

Source: Parliament of Estonia

 

Estonia: Statement by Prime Minister Jüri Ratas: Remarks by Mart Helme and Martin Helme regarding the U.S. elections are not credible and are even absurd

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — The United States of America is a country with a very strong democracy, whose elections are honest, free, and transparent. Disputes and complaints regarding the election results are resolved in the court, as it is customary in any democratic state.  Crude criticism of these processes based on spurious information and fake news is not appropriate for ministers of the Republic of Estonia.

The President-elect Joe Biden, voted for by the American people, is a worthy statesman, who has promised to serve all the people of the United States. He has promised to work hard to bridge the differences arisen in society and heal the rifts that have widened over the years. These are sincere goals which Estonia could also learn from. On behalf of the Republic of Estonia, I congratulated Joe Biden on his election as 46th President of the United States.

Martin Helme, as leader of his political party and the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Estonia, must understand that the United States is an important ally, and indispensable strategic partner, both for Estonia and the European Union. Mart Helme, as Minister of the Interior, should also know very well that making serious accusations without evidence is unacceptable.

The American people vote for their leaders in free elections. For Estonia, strong transatlantic ties and the deepening bilateral defence co-operation with the United States have always been a foreign policy objective, whether a Republican or a Democratic president is in office. Aggressive rhetoric directed against one of our most important allies is therefore extremely irresponsible.

Remarks by Mart Helme and Martin Helme regarding the U.S. elections are not credible and are even absurd.  Members of the Estonian Government must be able to remain balanced when commenting on the internal policy of our greatest ally. Mart and Martin Helme must immediately stop undermining Estonian-U.S. relations.

I have conveyed this message directly to the Chairman of the Conservative People´s Party of Estonia.

 

Source: Estonian Government

 

Estonia: The Government approved two financial allocations from the Government’s reserve

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — The Government approved two financial allocations from the Government’s reserve as meeting decisions.

Firstly, it was decided to allocate 50,000 euros from the Government’s reserve to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide assistance to the Czech Republic.

Based on the data of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control from 3 November, the Czech Republic ranks second in Europe in terms of the 14-day infection rate of COVID-19, after Belgium. The 14-day infection rate per 100,000 inhabitants is 1586.3 in the Czech Republic. This level of spread of the virus places an exceptionally heavy burden on the local healthcare system and the state has made several requests for assistance to alleviate the issue. Although Estonia’s capacity and capabilities to provide assistance that would exactly match the assistance required by the Czech Republic are highly limited, Estonia considers it vital to offer its support to the Czech Republic as a matter of urgency in resolving a very complex and difficult crisis situation.

Secondly, the decision was made to allocate 100,000 euros from the Government’s reserve to the Ministry of Justice in 2020 to cover the costs of supporting the provision of legal advice.

 

Source: Estonian Government

 

Estonia: The government allocated 880,000 euros to monitor the spread of the coronavirus

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — At today’s meeting, the government decided to allocate 880,000 euros from the reserve to the Ministry of Education and Research to continue the COVID-19 monitoring study in November and December 2020. The aim of the monitoring study conducted by the University of Tartu is to monitor the actual spread of the coronavirus and the course of the epidemic in Estonia.

According to Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, in the current situation, the state needs science-based information to make decisions. “In order to control the spread of the virus, we need constant input from scientists on the epidemiological situation. In this way, as a country, we can respond quickly and flexibly and avoid placing an excessive burden on our people and businesses. The monitoring study provides valuable input on the basis of which the government can plan further activities,” said Ratas.

The Minister of Education and Research Mailis Reps acknowledged the work of the researchers. “Estonia has done well in preventing the spread of the virus so far, and our researchers have played an important role in this. The government has funded several large-scale researches to further investigate the coronavirus during and after the emergency situation,” said Reps.

The monitoring study is carried out on the basis of a random sample of the adult population, which makes it possible to identify the extent of the spread of asymptomatic infections. People’s risk behaviour and its changes will also be studied. At the beginning of September, for example, thanks to a monitoring survey, the latent spread of the virus was discovered in Ida-Viru County and a little later nationwide. Thanks to the monitoring survey, the spread was detected in the initial phase of the outbreak.

Researchers at the University of Tartu have conducted a cross-sectional study consisting of eight survey waves to determine the actual spread of the coronavirus and the course of the epidemic. Based on a random sample, nearly 21,000 people across Estonia have been interviewed and tested. Six waves were conducted countrywide and two were conducted regionally in Ida-Viru County and Tallinn and Harju County.

The allocated amount is intended for four study waves in November and December this year. After each study wave, the research team has provided the government with mid-term reviews which serve as a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of the measures and revising them if necessary.

The scientific council will use the results of the study to assess the situation and to advise the government in planning and easing measures. The results of the study will also be shared with the Health Board.

Participation in the study is voluntary – the people included in the sample have the right to refuse to answer or take the test at any time.

In addition to the COVID prevalence monitoring survey, waste water surveillance will continue to detect latent spread of the virus and to do so as early and accurately as possible. If the possible spread of the virus is detected in some areas during the surveillance of waste water, the share of these areas in the population-based monitoring sample will be increased.

Read more about the monitoring survey: https://www.ut.ee/en/research/study-prevalence-coronavirus-estonia

 

Source: Estonian Government

 

Estonia: The cabinet supports the proposal of creating a national working group of nuclear energy

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — At today’s cabinet meeting, the government discussed the possibilities of using nuclear energy in Estonia and decided that a national working group of nuclear energy should be created to define the nation’s positions towards the issue.

So far, no decisions have been made regarding the use of nuclear energy in Estonia, as thorough preparations are required prior to that. The working group will be tasked with analysing the feasibility of using nuclear energy in Estonia with the help of foreign experts and submitting their conclusions and proposals to the government. Their impact analysis on the implementation of nuclear energy will help the government make a calculated and informed decision on the matter.

“The introduction of nuclear energy after 2030 is one possible way of increasing Estonia’s energy security, sustainability, and competitiveness, as well as reaching the climate goals set for 2050,” said Prime Minister Jüri Ratas. “It is one of many possible solutions for producing climate-neutral energy in Estonia, which definitely deserves widespread discussions within the society and thorough analyses to help us make decisions in the future.”

The topic of nuclear energy has become prevalent in Estonia mostly because it would help to achieve Estonia’s climate goals for 2050 as an energy source with low carbon emissions. Another benefit of nuclear energy is its capability of ensuring round-the-clock electricity supply regardless of weather conditions. However, one of its most significant downsides is the time-consuming and resource-intensive implementation process.

According to Minister of the Environment Rene Kokk, the use of nuclear energy would help to ensure Estonia’s energy security, but would also require large-scale investments from the government to build and operate a power plant, as well as an extended period of preparation.

“In addition to producing electricity, nuclear energy can also be used to heat buildings and, with certain technological solutions, produce hydrogen. However, numerous security and political risks are involved with establishing a nuclear power plant. It is also important to consider the issue of the used nuclear fuel – handling and storage thereof is complicated and would require the establishment of a suitable repository,” he explained.

The implementation of nuclear energy requires at least 10–15 years of preparatory work. Therefore, Estonia’s first nuclear power plant could not begin operations before 2035.

Currently, Estonia lacks the legal framework, the competent authorities, and the experts required for establishing nuclear power plants. Pursuant to the Radiation Act, a radiation practice licence for the operation of a new nuclear facility can be applied for after the Riigikogu has adopted a decision on commissioning a nuclear facility.

As it is currently not known whether a nuclear power plant could be built in Estonia and what technological solutions it would implement, the requirements for the storage of nuclear waste created in the plant are also not defined. In order to store the used nuclear fuel, a suitable repository should be established in Estonia. The nuclear waste repository that will be constructed for the disassembly and safe storage of the training reactors of nuclear submarines in Paldiski by 2040 is not suitable for the possible storage of nuclear fuel.

The decision of using nuclear energy is a matter of great significance for the general public; therefore, it is important for people to be allowed to contribute to discussions on the matter. It will be specified in the course of the process of analysis whether the general public would be involved in the form of a referendum or in other ways.

The working group will be assembled by the Ministry of the Environment in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and other relevant ministries.

 

Source: Estonian Government

 

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