Estonian government to earmark 100,000€ for fees paid to discoverers of valuable artifacts
The Estonian government has drafted a regulation which would allocate almost 100,000 euros from the government's contingency reserve for payouts of finders of valuable historical and cultural artifacts.
The government would give 97,145 euros to the Ministry of Culture's area of government for the payment of these fees as outlined in the Heritage Conservation Act, it stands in the draft regulation.
Under Article 33, Section 1 of the act, the discoverer of a historical find is entitled to receive a fee, the size of which is determined by the National Heritage Board on the basis of an expert assessment. The fee amount is established taking into account the natural, historical, archaeological, scientific, artistic or other cultural value of the item found, the cirumstances of its discovery and its transfer to the state. The procedure for the payment of the fee is established by a government regulation.
According to the Heritage Conservation Act, the recipient of the fee is entitled to remain anonymous.
The 2016 budget of the National Heritage Board included 3,500 euros for the payment of these fees, which were paid to the discoverers of 13 individual finds and bodies of finds.
The National Heritage Board has also decided to award fees to the discoverers of an additional 23 individual finds and bodies of finds.
The biggest individual award of 39,000 euros will go to the discoverer of the Vaidavere III coin find, while the Kõue IV coin find and Soomevere find will net their discoverers 12,555 and 10,000 euros, respectively.
Should the allocation of additional money be endorsed by the government, it will likely be paid out in February, spokespeople for the Ministry of Culture told BNS.
Editor: Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS