11.11.26 OPINION ... In this edition of his commentary series, Harri Tiido focuses on space communications. In October, ICEYE, which has emerged as a leader in European space-based intelligence, announced a partnership with Nokia to jointly develop secure, sovereign and cutting-edge broadband satellite communications systems for governments.

11.11.26 OPINION ... The long-term impact of universities can be seen in how people think, how decisions are made in society and the ability to recognize new problems. This may not always make for a compelling success story, but that does not make the impact any less important, writes Marek Tamm.

11.11.26 OPINION ... Estonians believe democracy is functioning better than the current government. That is not necessarily bad news: democracy is healthiest when people trust the system itself while maintaining a critical view of those in power, writes Liisa Talving.

10.11.26 OPINION ... Debts are meant to be repaid. At least in an ideal world. Yet there are debts that people can legally refuse to pay, but thousands still do so, writes Kaire Sepper.

10.11.26 OPINION ... If we want the next logistics hub to be built in Estonia, we must adopt European regulations without adding our own extra requirements, writes Tõnu Väät.

10.11.26 OPINION ... Although citizens and the state are part of the same whole, many people are left with a bitter taste in their mouths after their everyday dealings with government, Imre Kaas argues in his daily commentary on Vikerraadio.

09.11.26 OPINION ... Technological development is increasingly changing how companies operate and the number of workers they need. Young people face the greatest risk from these changes, writes Natalie Mets.

09.11.26 OPINION ... Artificial intelligence is just another tool, much like the power tools that transformed construction or word processors that revolutionized writing. Rather than demonizing AI, we should learn to use it skillfully and take responsibility for the results, write Kaarel Vanamölder and Madli Vanamölder.

09.11.26 OPINION ... The Ministry of Climate appears to believe Estonian entrepreneurs do not know how to count money. How else can one explain a draft proposal that would require businesses to renovate old commercial and industrial buildings, asks Mart Võsu.

07.11.26 OPINION ... Universities need certainty that funding will be available for the entire duration of a student's studies. A decision on admissions for one year creates a commitment lasting several years to the young people who enroll, writes Priit Reiska.

06.11.26 OPINION ... Changing who owns family medicine practices will not solve Estonia's shortage of family doctors, create more trained physicians, or ensure better access to care in the regions that need it most, write Kaija Kasekamp, Triin Habicht, and Ruth Kalda.

06.11.26 OPINION ... In this installment of his commentary series, Harri Tiido examines Finns' assessment of the health of their democracy. Democracy is likely one of those things whose absence is felt most acutely only after it is gone, Tiido notes.

05.11.26 OPINION ... Estonian politicians repeatedly promise to fix the education system, but school principals are left shouldering responsibility without the authority to make real decisions, Rando Kuustik writes.

04.11.26 OPINION ... Estonia must quickly find more opportunities for IT specialists outside the technology sector. Recent layoffs at Pipedrive and Telia, along with others likely still to come, highlight just how urgent that need has become, writes Lauri Haav.

04.11.26 OPINION ... Most drivers may be more open to cycling than their daily habits suggest, but encouraging them to make the switch requires understanding their different levels of readiness to change, writes Elise Jalonen.

04.11.26 OPINION ... The state can directly limit logging only in state forests, which account for about one-third of the timber reaching the market. Logging volumes in those forests are planned in advance and mainly change because of weather conditions, writes Erkki Keldo.

04.11.26 OPINION ... In this edition of Harri Tiido's commentary series, the focus is on France's National Rally party. The party's traditional and older wing largely shares the Kremlin's view of the war in Ukraine and believes it was caused by NATO's eastward expansion, Tiido notes.

03.11.26 OPINION ... Europe must speak with one voice to both Russia and the United States. Solo moves by individual countries risk undermining that message and creating a false start, writes Peeter Kaldre.

30.10.26 OPINION ... Europe faces a decisive choice: give in to Russian pressure and accept a situation where aggression forcibly changes Europe's borders and calls into question our entire security order, or defend a united, free and expanding Europe, all at a time when authoritarian regimes around the world are increasing their influence, writes Reform Party MP and Riigikogu Foreign Affairs Committee chair Marko Mihkelson.

27.10.26 OPINION ... Estonia has strengthened its regulations through economic and money laundering crises, but along with the rules, the procedural environment has also changed, no longer conforming to good practice but instead deterring international companies, attorney-at-law Karmen Turk writes.

23.10.26 OPINION ... Estonia needs a new mechanism for making long-term strategic decisions that brings together experts, politicians and citizens while remaining above day-to-day party politics, Erik Terk, Mati Heidmets and Marju Lauristin write.

21.10.26 OPINION ... Estonia must do more to influence decisions shaping Europe's security and Ukraine's future rather than risk having its own future decided by others, argues the author.

20.10.26 OPINION ... Estonia faces genuine challenges from irregular migration, but repeated warnings of a potential crisis risk amplifying public fears beyond what the numbers warrant, writes Keidi Jaakson.

20.10.26 OPINION ... Investments in ammunition and concrete are of no use without motivated fighters to back them up, writes reservist Karl Lumiste.

20.10.26 OPINION ... Estonia needs to modernize its system of government, strengthen political accountability and give citizens a greater role in decision-making to restore public trust and address future challenges, Jaak Aaviksoo, Marju Lauristin and Jüri Raidla write.

20.10.26 OPINION ... American TV series are increasingly portraying female murderers as victims of tragic pasts. While fresh perspectives can add depth, they can also obscure characters' true nature and lull society into complacency, writes Mari Peegel.

19.10.26 OPINION ... For every election promise, it is worth asking what problem it solves, who it helps and at what cost, Külli Taro finds.

18.10.26 OPINION ... Students do not choose their parents, the language spoken at home or their socioeconomic background, but teachers can choose how they support students and what learning opportunities they provide, writes Janno Jakobson.

14.10.26 OPINION ... From the perspective of security of supply and energy security, it makes sense to have a diversified electricity generation mix that uses different production technologies, writes Arvi Hamburg.

12.10.26 OPINION ... The attempts of the past decade to remake people, to prescribe how they should live, think, feel or speak have inevitably undermined mutual trust. We have learned that lesson. Now we must rebuild trust, Ülle Madise said in her first speech as president.

12.10.26 OPINION ... In his farewell speech to the Riigikogu, Estonia's outgoing President Alar Karis emphasized the country's resilience in the face of successive crises, called for greater trust and cooperation in politics and urged bold decisions to address future challenges.

12.10.26 OPINION ... Our 25 million linguistic relatives need support. Supporting Finno-Ugric peoples is a matter of our national security and identity, Jaak Prozes writes in an overview originally published in Sirp magazine.

11.10.26 OPINION ... The agreement's economic impact will likely be minimal, while its moral and political consequences could be far more lasting and extremely damaging to the U.S. in the long run, writes Eerik-Niiles Kross.

10.10.26 OPINION ... Can Estonia's current minority government make it to the finish line or are we heading toward early elections, asks Mari‑Liis Jakobson.

10.10.26 OPINION ... We forget two factors when talking about the growth of the debt burden — factors that affect the whole picture: economic growth and price growth, writes Raul Eamets.

09.10.26 OPINION ... EU proposals to curb young people's social‑media use, and Estonia's school‑level device restrictions, may be well‑intentioned — but believing that rules and bans can solve the problem is misguided, writes Mikk Artur Mikfelt.

08.10.26 OPINION ... Ida-Viru County must be seen not as a region defined by its problems, but as a source of opportunity for Estonia's future, with long-term investment, local involvement and development essential to the country's prosperity and security, Dmitri Teperik writes.

08.10.26 OPINION ... The vigilant citizen begins their day by examining drone warnings and war maps. Estonia is living in a recurring cycle of war anxiety that social media abundantly feeds, writes Argo Ideon.

08.10.26 OPINION ... If local entrepreneurship disappears, then sooner or later even a small town with the most magnificent square will decline, notes Erik Gamzejev.

08.10.26 OPINION ... The continuity of the Estonian state cannot depend on a simple majority vote by a single composition of parliament, Lauri Hussar writes.

08.10.26 OPINION ... In Harri Tiido's commentary series, the focus this time is on Finland and Russia's influence activity. As a broader example, Finland shows how Russia's provocations in foreign countries may begin to undermine the embedded influence, at least it is worth hoping so.

07.10.26 OPINION ... A patient's connection to a family doctor or a stable family doctor team creates responsibility so that care is not limited to a single moment. Someone is accountable for the full treatment path, prevention, follow‑up and combining recommendations from different specialists, Ruth Kalda writes.

07.10.26 OPINION ... With the new state budget, the government is acknowledging that its policies have reached a dead end. Taxes have been raised, yet public finances are still not in order. Spending cuts have been promised, yet the need to borrow remains, Lauri Laats writes.

06.10.26 OPINION ... Europe may lead on drone rules, but Asia leads on putting them into practice — and Estonia's first move should be establishing two or three permanent drone corridors, writes Evelin Kasenõmm.

06.10.26 OPINION ... Estonia relies heavily on volunteers to bolster its internal security, but low pay for professional rescue workers risks making that reliance increasingly necessary.

05.10.26 OPINION ... As the United States scales back its military role in Europe, the continent faces a dangerous test: strengthening its own defenses while Russia intensifies its threats and war against Ukraine.

04.10.26 OPINION ... The meaning of citizenship is deeply personal. For some, it is important that the entire family share the same citizenship; for others, it is about having the opportunity to participate more actively in Estonia's social and political life, Dmitri Moskovtsev writes.

04.10.26 OPINION ... Raising the minimum wage directly boosts the earnings of the lowest‑paid workers, giving full‑time employees a higher income and reducing their risk of in‑work poverty, writes Elle Pütsepp.

04.10.26 OPINION ... Rapid automation presents both opportunities and risks. Malicious actors have already begun using it. But it is these actors who commit crimes, not AI agents — software portrayed almost as mystical beings, Kaimar Karu writes.

03.10.26 OPINION ... Estonia shows a pattern in which many county centers are, relative to their population, almost oversupplied with sports, education, culture and public services, Raul Rebane writes.