30.09.23 NEWS ... In a longer interview with Vikerraadio on Friday, Center Party chair Mihhail Kõlvart defended party mates Andrei Korobeinik and Andrei Kante, whose statements have drawn a fair share of criticism even within the party. Kõlvart has promised to speak with the party's internal critics, but noted he was unable to do so with Jaanus Karilaid, for example, as the former Center deputy chair and longtime member wouldn't take his calls.

30.09.23 NEWS ... Narva Cat Room (Narva Kassituba), the city's largest cat shelter, which currently houses nearly 200 cats, is facing major difficulties. According to the Estonian Agriculture and Food Board (PTA), the shelter only has room to care for half the animals it currently has. However, Narva Cat Room says there is nowhere else in Narva for as many as 100 cats to go.

30.09.23 NEWS ... Estonian-American tennis player Ingrid Neel, who began representing Estonia in April this year, scored the biggest tournament victory of her career on Saturday, when she and Norway's Ulrikke Eiker won the women's doubles at the WTA 500 Japan Open in Tokyo.

30.09.23 NEWS ... In early September, 16-year-old Eneli Jefimova returned from the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel, with three medals. In an interview on ERR Show "Ringvaade," Jefimova discussed her latest success, as well as the challenges of combing life as a top athlete with schoolwork.

30.09.23 NEWS ... A pop-up exhibition of works by the late photographer Anke Ellik opened in Tallinn's Telliskivi district on Friday, September 29. "The Poetry of Capturing the Moment" features 17 black-and-white images captured by Ellik from 2017 to 2022.

30.09.23 NEWS ... Estonian Minister of Regional Affairs Madis Kallas (SDE) has signed the Southeast Estonia Entrepreneurship Support Measure, which aims to promote innovation and productivity among small and micro-enterprises operating in Valga, Võru and Põlva counties.

30.09.23 NEWS ... The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) has been awarded the prize for best innovative technical solution at the Europol Excellence Awards in Innovation. The PPA took the award for the development and implementation of its Drug Hunter Analyzer.

30.09.23 NEWS ... On Friday, the Estonian Marine Institute of the University of Tartu unveiled its new autonomous robotic research vessel "Heli" at Tallinn's Hundipea Harbor. As Estonia's first unmanned research vessel, Heli is able to navigate the waters autonomously to carry out pre-programmed work plan.

30.09.23 NEWS ... During an archeological dig ahead of planned roadworks in Viru-Nigula, Lääne-Viru County, human bones have been discovered in the vicinity of the church wall. The archaeological work confirms researchers' earlier hypothesis that the cemetery and church were built in the medieval period on the site of an earlier settlement.

30.09.23 NEWS ... Estonia's Ott Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja (M-Sport Ford) are leading the way after the first six special stages at Rally Chile. Tänak, who won Rally Chile back in 2019, ended Friday 4.2 seconds ahead of Finland's Teemu Sunenin (Hyundai) in second place.

30.09.23 NEWS ... Latvia's economy is in slightly better shape than Estonia's, according to the Bank of Latvia's (Latvijas Bankas) latest economic forecast, which was published on Friday. Unlike in Estonia, Latvia is preparing legislation to ease the impact of rising interest rates on households with mortgages.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) on Friday during a visit to Finland said EU countries bordering Russia play an important role in implementing and stopping sanctions evasion. Estonia is also arguing for a complete trade embargo on Russia, she said.

29.09.23 NEWS ... All of Tallinn's tramlines will return to service from October 1 (Monday).

29.09.23 NEWS ... Retail sales have been declining for a year, and businesses are forecasting a difficult start to 2024. Half of purchases are currently sold at discount.

29.09.23 NEWS ... The Police on Friday decided to hand a €500 fine to the 25-year-old leader of a campaign that spread Russian propaganda slogans.

29.09.23 NEWS ... A sugar tax will be introduced from 2025 which is estimated to bring in at least €25 million in revenue, the government has agreed. But exactly how much tax shoppers will pay has not yet been decided.

29.09.23 NEWS ... According to the Reform Party, the Tallinn city government did not support their proposal to deprive Russian and Belarusian diplomats of the right to free rides on Tallinn's public transport, Postimees reports.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Former Estonian Minister of Finance and current member of the Riigikogu's Finance Committee Aivar Sõerd (Reform) said that as next year's state budget once again uses an activity-based model, it is very difficult to identify exactly where the money will be spent. In his view, this will lead to additional resource costs for the Riigikogu.

29.09.23 NEWS ... A wildlife camera in South Estonia recently picked up a very rare sight, a female moose, or in Europe, elk, accompanying three youngsters. Normally, elk will give birth to just one or two calves at a time, agricultural weekly Maaleht reports.

29.09.23 NEWS ... While European Union nations failed to reach an agreement on the details of a long-negotiated migration pact Thursday, the major players are hopeful this will come within the next few days, ERR's Joosep Värk reported from Brussels for "Aktuaalne kaamera."

29.09.23 NEWS ... The recent Storm Shadow strikes by Ukrainian forces on the Russian Black Sea Fleet's HQ in Sevastopol is ample demonstration of the fact that nowhere in Crimea is immune to such attacks, commander of the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) Intelligence Center Colonel Ants Kiviselg said.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) said Estonia will not withdraw its candidacy for the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2024, despite opposition from Russia and Belarus.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Tallinn City Council member Liina Normet, a founding member of Eesti 200 who left the party last month, has joined the Social Democratic Party (SDE).

29.09.23 NEWS ... Inflation stood at 3.96 percent on year to September, state agency Statistics Estonia says in a flash estimate issued Friday. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained unchanged between August and September this year, the agency adds.

29.09.23 NEWS ... The Financial Supervision Authority (FSA) and the European Central Bank will analyze the size and quality of the financial buffers held by Estonia's biggest banks to determine whether they require supervisory approval for the large dividend payments, which have been agreed with the Estonian government.

29.09.23 NEWS ... An entry in the four-year state budget strategy, known in Estonian as the RES, which set aside €15 million for the westward extension of the national rail system was in fact written in erroneously; the same funds are to be used for the construction of a state-owned vessel which will carry out a number of functions.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Previously, it had seemed that the tramline connecting Tallinn Airport to Vanasadama, which is currently being constructed at a cost of €46 million, would run on an entirely new route. However, in reality, Tallinn's tram number 2, will switch from its current route, to a new one, connecting the airport to Vanasadama and then on to Kopli.

29.09.23 NEWS ... The situation in Estonia regarding the protection of legitimate expectations started deteriorating several years ago already, Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise said in an appearance on ETV's "Esimene stuudio" on Thursday night, noting that politicians here make promises too lightly and then later renege on on those same promises just as lightly.

29.09.23 NEWS ... The Estonian Minister of Culture has decided to increase the size of the operating grant for the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia's (EKKM) in the 2024 state budget. Starting next year, the EKKM will receive €180,000 per year in operating subsidies from the state, an increase of €30,000.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Sawmills in Southeastern Estonia are continuing to have to reduce output and make lay-offs as uncompetitiveness in domestic prices, partly resulting from high energy prices, and a slump in demand from Scandinavian markets, continue to bite, ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) reported Thursday.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Marje Verbo, crisis control officer at the Estonian Rescue Board (Päästeamet), said, on ETV show "Ringvaade," that the main aim of the CREVEX 2023 exercise is to practice cooperation between different agencies, when carrying out evacuations in crisis situations.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Priit Sauk, director general of the Estonian Transport Administration, tells ERR in an interview that there is no money in the budget for constructing four-lane highways to Pärnu and Tartu by 2030 and that not a single kilometer of gravel roads will be paved in the coming years.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Tartu has announced a procurement process to reconnect Estonia's second city with Finland's capital, Helsinki.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Estonia's Ott Tänak is in seventh place on the leaderboard after the shakedown at Rally Chile. Tänak is the only driver to have a previous win at Rally Chile to his name after recording victory the last time it was held, in 2019.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Natural gas customers in Estonia and across Europe can expect significantly lower prices than those experienced last winter, board chair of Eesti Gaas Margus Kaasik said Friday.

29.09.23 NEWS ... "Lihtsad uudised," meaning easy or simple news, is for anyone who wants to improve their Estonian language skills. You can listen to a selection of this week's top news stories by clicking on the player above, and read along from the text below.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Sworn lawyer Karmen Turk said on ETV's "Ringvaade" talk show, commenting on the damages claim of PM Kaja Kallas' husband Arvo Hallik, that there is a trend in Estonia toward reining in freedom of expression.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Retail trade turnover in Estonia fell by 8 percent to €912 million at constant prices on year to August, state agency Statistics Estonia says, adding that this trend has been ongoing for a year now.

29.09.23 NEWS ... A second prosecutor plans to step away from the protracted Port of Tallinn (Tallinna Sadam) corruption case, investigative weekly Eesti Ekspress reports.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Next Monday, October 2, is the deadline by which any additional income tax due on the basis of this year's declaration of income must be paid.

29.09.23 NEWS ... Job portals confirm that the number of wanted ads has dropped by 20-30 percent compared to a year ago and currently matches the 2019 level.

28.09.23 NEWS ... The Ministry of Finance is planning to offer bonds totaling €200 million to the public next year to help cover the more than €1 billion state budget deficit. Recent bond issues show that small investors in Estonia are looking to invest their money.

28.09.23 NEWS ... The National Audit Office has criticized the amount of time interest groups are given to respond to draft legislation and calls for the time to be extended.

28.09.23 NEWS ... The Riigikogu has voted against re-adopting an unamended version of a law, which would have called for the removal of a variety of Soviet-era features, including details on buildings and in other public spaces. Therefore, the debate on historical symbols and the search for legal clarity continues.

28.09.23 NEWS ... While the amount of light pollution in Tallinn remained largely unchanged during the coronavirus pandemic, in 2022 the volume rapidly increased, a study by TalTech researchers show.

28.09.23 NEWS ... Minister of Climate Kristen Michal (Reform) said that Estonia needs more money to finish major four-lane highways than has been earmarked in the state budget strategy (RES).

28.09.23 NEWS ... In the latest chapter of the country's broader CREVEX 2023 exercise, a large-scale crisis field exercise began in the Tallinn suburb of Muuga on Thursday, involving various Estonian authorities, local governments, the private sector and more than 1,000 volunteers roleplaying as evacuees.

28.09.23 NEWS ... Tallinn residents can submit ideas until October 8 to improve the capital city in this year's participatory budget.

28.09.23 NEWS ... In an appearance on Vikerraadio's "Reporteritund" on Thursday, former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid said that not just Eesti 200, but also the Reform Party had invited to run in the Riigikogu elections this spring. According to the former head of state, she and current Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) spoke privately on two different occasions about Estonia possibly backing her candidacy for NATO's top spot, but that ultimately never worked out.

28.09.23 NEWS ... Starting from January 1 next year, VAT in Estonia is set to rise to 22 percent. The increase will affect the prices of all goods, including motor fuel. In May the impact of the excise duties increase will also have an impact on the price of diesel.