Tax-free income in Estonia totalled EUR 4.15bn in 2023, according to the Ministry of Finance, ERR reports. In 2023, the tax-free income threshold was EUR 704 per month for pensioners and EUR 654 for working-age individuals. The ministry does not have a current forecast on the amount of tax-free income in 2024. Former prime minister…
The Estonian Transport Administration (Transpordiamet) has mapped around 75% of the country’s seabed so far, ERR reports. The work to survey Estonia’s entire maritime area has been going on for many years and may still take more than 15 years to complete. The seabed survey has not yet reached the area west of Saaremaa and…
The Baltic States will receive a total of USD 228mn in security assistance from the US under the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) in 2024, ERR reports. The three countries received USD 225mn of assistance under the initiative in 2023, USD 180mn in 2022, and USD 169mn in 2021. The exact amount distributed to each of…
Estonia needs to discuss the possible introduction of tuition fees in higher education, Toomas Asser, rector of the University of Tartu, stated, ERR reports. He said that maintaining the quality of education with state budget funds only was becoming unsustainable, noting that even affluent countries struggle to fund high-quality education exclusively with public funds. Asser…
Estonia’s Ministry of Justice plans to submit a draft bill to expedite and make the handling of criminal cases more cost-effective, ERR reports. The proposed amendments aim to reduce delays in criminal proceedings by giving judges more control, such as preventing changes in defence attorneys to delay cases, separating civil claims from criminal cases, and…
Estonia’s incoming prime minister, Kristen Michal, said that the Estonian Reform Party would not propose reducing or repealing the tax-free income threshold during upcoming talks on forming a new coalition, ERR reports. Earlier, outgoing prime minister Kaja Kallas said that Reform had suggested lowering the basic income tax exemption, but that the party’s coalition partners…
A recent study reveals a significant increase in the occurrence of heat waves in the Baltic States, particularly Estonia, over the past 30 years, ERR reports. Using data from 40 weather stations in 1951-2021, the study assessed changes in heat waves using five common indices: Number, duration, total days, amplitude, and magnitude, showing a marked…
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, visited Estonia, where he met with Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, ERR reports. The discussions focused on economic and business cooperation, regional security, and human rights. Also, the foreign ministries of the two countries signed a memorandum to facilitate regular consultations….
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has pledged not to comment on domestic politics if she is appointed as the EU’s foreign policy chief, ERR reports. She will be stepping down after over three years in office. Despite challenges and tensions within the ruling coalition during her tenure, Kallas acknowledged the honour of serving and expressed…