The Estonian government plans to invest EUR 680.5mn in road maintenance in 2024-2027, which is EUR 76mn more than in the previous four-year period, the Ministry of Climate announced, BNS reports. State budget funds will account for EUR 543.8mn and funding from the EU’s Cohesion Fund and Connecting Europe Facility for EUR 136.7mn of the…
The Estonian government has approved draft legislation to introduce an annual car tax and a vehicle registration fee, ERR reports. Under the plan, the new law will enter into force as of 2025. The amount of the car tax and the registration fee will depend on the vehicle’s emissions and age as well as weight…
The Estonian government has decided to terminate the country’s legal assistance agreement with Russia, ERR reports. The agreement mostly applies to cases under family and commercial law. The decision will lower judicial cooperation with Russia to the same level as with other third countries. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna noted that the legal assistance treaty was…
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas may succeed Josep Borrell as the EU’s next foreign policy chief, Politico reports. Kallas leads the Estonian Reform Party, which is part of the liberal Renew Europe group in the European Parliament. However, she could face some resistance due to her tough stance on Russia, Politico suggested. Earlier, Kallas argued…
The Presidium of the Baltic Assembly has demanded “immediate efforts in Europe” to ensure total victory for Ukraine in the war against Russia, LSM reported. In their statement, the Baltic parliamentarians insisted that support for Ukraine must be “continuous, sufficient, timely, and far-sighted.” They warned other European parliaments not to underestimate the long-term impact on…
Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) has refused to extend the residence permit of Metropolitan Eugene (Valery Reshetnikov) of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, ERR reports. The head of the Russian church in Estonia will therefore have to leave the country by 6 February 2024. Despite repeated warnings, Reshetnikov has continued…
The defence ministers of the Baltic States have signed an agreement on building “anti-mobility defensive installations” on their borders with Russia and Belarus, Estonia’s Defence Ministry announced, ERR reports. The Baltic defence line will include bunkers, support points, and distribution lines. Estonia plans to begin building the bunkers in early 2025. The number of bunkers…
Estonia’s population totalled 1,366,491 people in the beginning of 2024, which was 607 more than a year earlier, according to Statistics Estonia’s preliminary data, BNS reports. The number of live births totalled 10,721 in 2023, which was 925 less than in 2022. The number of births was the lowest since 1919, when population data began…
The Baltic States support banning the import of grain from Russia and Belarus into the EU, according to the Lithuanian Transport Minister, Marius Skuodis, BNS reports. He discussed the issue with Latvian Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens and Estonian Climate Minister Kristen Michal. The ministers agreed to coordinate actions and avoid national initiatives. Earlier, Skuodis noted…