Skip to main menu 08.10.26 NEWS ... Nearly €400,000 worth of gold coins found hidden in a truck seat at Estonia's Luhamaa border checkpoint are now up for grabs after authorities put them up for auction.
08.10.26 NEWS ... The number of young adults failing to report for conscript service in the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) has fallen steadily in recent years, reaching 2 percent in 2025.
08.10.26 NEWS ... Firefighters say they found no fire safety violations at a Narva nursing home where an elderly woman perished in a fire Tuesday evening.
08.10.26 NEWS ... The Ministry of Justice wants to explicitly enshrine in law the right of lawyers, journalists, notaries and clergy to refuse to provide information or testify in criminal proceedings.
08.10.26 NEWS ... Drone technology has been introduced as an elective course in many upper secondary schools this year. The broader goal is to make drone education available in all high schools in the coming years.
08.10.26 NEWS ... The Estonian Christian Orthodox Church and Pühtitsa Convent in Kuremäe, Ida-Viru County, have filed complaints with the European Court of Human Rights over a law requiring them to sever ties with Moscow.
08.10.26 NEWS ... Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise says the Environment Agency has registered protected bird species in Estonia's nature database on incomplete evidence.
08.10.26 NEWS ... Young people are competing for attention by slipping into abandoned buildings and infrastructure sites, prompting concerns that the urban‑exploring craze may pose real security risks.
07.10.26 NEWS ... Justice Minister Liisa Pakosta says the long‑stalled gender equality and equal opportunities bill will be passed during the current Riigikogu term, though she has not yet explained the draft's contents or the timeline for its processing.
07.10.26 NEWS ... A court has overturned a ruling ruling that suspended a three-year rape sentence, imposed on a DJ, ordering him to serve the term in prison.
07.10.26 NEWS ... Director Madis Ligema, who recently became a father for the third time, told ETV that while money does not necessarily motivate people to have children, more generous benefits could increase the number of births in Estonia.
07.10.26 NEWS ... Filling the required number of conscript positions with men alone could soon become difficult as the number of male births declines, Anu Rannaveski, director general of the Defense Resources Agency, said.
07.10.26 NEWS ... Although older people want equal treatment in the labor market and employers see them as having an important role in the workforce, prejudices on both sides can pose an obstacle to hiring.
07.10.26 NEWS ... The Environmental Board has granted Eesti Energia permission to use shale oil instead of natural gas to heat Narva. However, it may only do so if there is a risk of disruption to gas supplies.
07.10.26 NEWS ... Ahead of the spring Riigikogu elections, the Ministry of Finance will analyze election promises with the help of artificial intelligence.
07.10.26 NEWS ... For Viljandi folktronica band Oopus, it's clear that nightclubs today fill the same social role the village swing once did, bringing people together through music and dance.
07.10.26 NEWS ... One person perished in a fire at a care home in Narva on Tuesday evening, with the cause believed to be smoking without due care and attention, the Rescue Board said.
07.10.26 NEWS ... Just over 2,000 people are on the waiting list for specialized care services, with the number remaining at roughly the same level month after month. The Social Insurance Board considers the situation critical.
07.10.26 NEWS ... Half an hour north of Tartu, a bear at Elistvere Animal Park skipped hibernation last winter and may do so again, preferring regular meals and human attention to a long sleep.
06.10.26 NEWS ... The investigation into the helicopter crash in Finland that killed five people found that the aircraft had been flying in a formation‑like manner while disregarding standard group‑flying practices, and had performed several dangerous maneuvers before the collision.
06.10.26 NEWS ... Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa Pakosta has submitted a proposal to the Riigikogu and the government seeking significantly tougher penalties for illegally transporting foreign nationals across the state border.
06.10.26 NEWS ... In the past few days, police have detained six foreign nationals suspected of organizing illegal migration, along with 19 people who entered Estonia without a legal basis. Prosecutors are seeking the arrest of all six suspects or immediate punishment through expedited proceedings.
06.10.26 NEWS ... The Estonian Educational Personnel Union (EHL) and the Ministry of Education and Research will begin negotiations next week on a collective agreement for the country's state-run general education schools.
06.10.26 NEWS ... A University of Tartu study found nearly 3 in 4 educators have experienced bullying at some point in life, affecting how they perceive their workplace.
06.10.26 NEWS ... Estonia's first fall storm is forecast to hit this weekend, said Hannes Tõnisson, senior researcher in geoecology at Tallinn University. Temperatures are expected to turn sharply colder around October 18–21.
06.10.26 NEWS ... This year, flu vaccines will reach Estonia later than usual, with the final delivery arriving only in January.
06.10.26 NEWS ... The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) has stepped up its border checks, and not only at the eastern border, but also in Valga, on the Latvian border.
06.10.26 NEWS ... Land tax could rise by up to 100 percent in Kohtla-Järve, Ruhnu and Tori next year, Postimees reported, citing rates published by Estonia's Tax and Customs Board, Postimees reports.
06.10.26 NEWS ... People in Estonia continue to return bottles at high rates despite the 10-cent deposit losing value to inflation, giving the state little incentive to raise the fee.
06.10.26 NEWS ... An incident at the weekend involving a family on a Tallinn tram prompted similar stories online accusing drivers of a lack of due care and attention.
05.10.26 NEWS ... Estonian statesman Otto Pukk has been laid to rest on his home island of Saaremaa, 126 years after his birth there and 75 years after his death.
05.10.26 NEWS ... QR code stickers appearing near schools in Estonia are directing users to a website selling drugs online, police say, raising concerns about access by minors.
05.10.26 NEWS ... The lights recently being off on Estonia's War of Independence Victory Column in Freedom Square in Tallinn has a simple explanation.
05.10.26 NEWS ... On the Western Estonian island of Saaremaa, nearly 300 photographs are now on display at a local nature center, spotlighting decades of work by mycologist Vello Liiv.
05.10.26 NEWS ... Foreign tourists are increasingly focusing trips to Estonia on Tallinn, with the capital setting a July tourism record as other destinations lag behind pre-pandemic levels.
05.10.26 NEWS ... A court on Monday upheld a ruling denying convicted traitor Deniss Metsavas conditional early release from prison.
05.10.26 NEWS ... In mid-September, police in Rakvere detained two men, aged 21 and 24, on suspicion of drug offenses. Evidence gathered so far indicates that the men worked as couriers, placing drugs in caches across Estonia.
05.10.26 NEWS ... Old hand-scribbled "___ was here" tags are giving way to social media content, prompting Estonian museums to adapt how they present art for Instagram and TikTok audiences.
05.10.26 NEWS ... The Climate Ministry says it wants truck drivers to be allowed to work longer in emergencies to help prevent disruptions to supplies of essential goods.
04.10.26 NEWS ... During a review of manor heritage in Jõgeva County, the National Heritage Board recommended removing one-third of the area's architectural monuments from state protection.
04.10.26 NEWS ... Pike anglers competed at Lake Saadjärv on Saturday. Pike are crafty fish and less experienced anglers may end up with no catch at all.
04.10.26 NEWS ... Estonia's preparedness for major crises is steadily improving, but much remains to be done, according to both the interior minister and the Rescue Board. The biggest challenge is the shortage of shelters in Estonia.
03.10.26 NEWS ... Getting to a doctor increasingly requires traveling farther from home as services concentrate in larger centers. For example, residents of Võru and Põlva counties make nearly 70 percent of their doctor visits outside their home county.
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.
03.10.26 OPINION ... The lack of meaningful integration between the social welfare and healthcare systems forces people in need to navigate a bureaucratic maze that many older adults cannot manage, writes Marica Lillemets.
03.10.26 NEWS ... Minors in Estonia are using the state portal Eesti.ee to change their personal data in a web browser and thereby gain access to bars and clubs. The Information System Authority (RIA) is aware of the scheme but cannot do anything to stop it.
03.10.26 NEWS ... If schools restrict snack bar offerings but children start buying snacks from nearby shops instead, their diet will not become healthier, school caterers say. The Ministry of Social Affairs, however, believes there is no reason to assume that all students will rush to shops instead of the school snack bar because of the new requirements.
03.10.26 NEWS ... The government's decision to slow salary growth for some higher‑ranking state officials over the next three years will save €32.3 million, but judges argue the move may violate the constitution.
02.10.26 NEWS ... Estonian prisoners gain access to nicotine pouches and uninterrupted sleep thanks to Swedish inmates.
02.10.26 NEWS ... The Social Insurance Board will pay out €200 for retirees who live alone together with the pension on 5 October.
