13.06.25 NEWS ... Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will strengthen regional cooperation in cross-border evacuations planning, developing joint mass evacuation plans, and ensuring the timely exchange of information, Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported on Friday.

13.06.25 NEWS ... Although only the Social Democratic Party and Isamaa have officially confirmed their mayoral candidates for Tartu, several other parties have already chosen their candidates. For the upcoming local elections, parties are focusing on Tartu's safety, economy, and residents' health.

13.06.25 NEWS ... Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) should focus on improving his foreign policy recognition and credibility rather than attacking the Tallinn mayor and interfering in city affairs, deputy mayor Madle Lippus (SDE) said.

13.06.25 NEWS ... A nationwide state of emergency has been declared in Israel following attacks on Iran on Friday morning, and retaliatory strikes from Iran are expected, said Estonia's ambassador to Israel, Veikko Kala.

13.06.25 NEWS ... The speaker of the Polish parliament Szymon Hołownia emphasised international cooperation and unity during a speech to the Riigikogu on Thursday. He encouraged politicians to sell hope, not fear.

13.06.25 NEWS ... Minister of Justice Liisa Pakosta (Eesti 200) has rejected claims made in a failed no-confidence motion filed by opposition parties, accusing her of mishandling a care home abuse case and misleading the public about a prison rental scheme for foreign inmates.

12.06.25 NEWS ... The ruling coalition parties in Tallinn managed to hold firm during Thursday's session of Tallinn City Council. The council will reconvene for an extraordinary session in mid-July.

12.06.25 NEWS ... The Estonian government has authorized Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta (Eesti 200) to sign a 5-year prisoner exchange agreement with Sweden. The agreement is due to be signed in Stockholm on June 18.

12.06.25 NEWS ... The motion of no confidence initiated against Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta (Eesti 200) by the opposition has not been passed by the Riigikogu.

12.06.25 NEWS ... The ruling Tallinn coalition parties have bought time for themselves by postponing to the second half of July a decision on inserting the abolition of kindergarten fees in the capital into an ongoing supplementary budget.

12.06.25 NEWS ... Tallinn mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE) has so far failed to get the capital's coalition to work together effectively, Prime Minister and Reform Party chair Kristen Michal said

12.06.25 NEWS ... The Reform Party's Tallinn City Council faction has submitted a draft proposal to abolish kindergarten fees in Tallinn from September 1 this year, despite not having the agreement of its coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SDE), Isamaa and Eesti 200.

12.06.25 NEWS ... The revised bill to remove foreign influence in churches and religious organizations passed its second Riigikogu reading on Wednesday, with 67 votes in favor at the 101-seat chamber, and one abstention.

11.06.25 NEWS ... Since the second half of May, a split in the Reform-Eesti 200-SDE-Isamaa coalition has emerged, seemingly about abolishing Tallinn kindergarten fees. But the rift goes deeper. ERR News takes a closer look at the disagreements and their implications in the capital.

11.06.25 NEWS ... Riigikogu opposition parties will submit a no-confidence motion on Wednesday against Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta, citing the minister's failure to initiate criminal proceedings against Pihlakodu AS and her misleading the public regarding the planned transfer of 600 Swedish prisoners to Tartu.

11.06.25 NEWS ... Tallinn Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE) has told the Reform Party and its deputy mayor, Pärtel-Peeter Pere, that if kindergarten fees in the capital are to be abolished, this must be done correctly. However, Pere wants to do things the other way round: Make the decision first and then start looking for funding sources, in the context of sustainable budgets.

11.06.25 NEWS ... Support for the Conservative People's Party (EKRE) rose to 17.1 percent, placing the party second in the political popularity rankings, according to a survey commissioned by the Institute for Societal Studies and conducted by Norstat.

11.06.25 NEWS ... A visit on Tuesday to Estonia by the Palestinian National Authority's minister of state for foreign affairs and expatriates was "surprising" and will probably be viewed as controversial, Associate Professor Dr. Birgit Poopuu said.

11.06.25 NEWS ... Estonia was one of six of the EU27 to abstain on a European Union regulation vote which would extend the delay threshold for compensation on flights.

10.06.25 NEWS ... The Center Party has no interest in joining the coalition in Tallinn just four months ahead of the local elections, but if the current coalition falls apart, it would become a duty to step in and take responsibility, former Tallinn mayor and Center Party chair Mihhail Kõlvart told ERR.

10.06.25 NEWS ... The Tallinn city council's finance committee overall supported the Reform Party's amendment proposal on Monday to eliminate kindergarten fees starting from the next academic year.

09.06.25 NEWS ... During its general meeting on Saturday, the former United Left Party of Estonia (Eestimaa Ühendatud Vasakpartei), opted to change its name to Eestimaa Vasakliit (Left Alliance). The party's new leadership also dropped hundreds of former members, who it alleged had been not active enough or had not paid membership fees.

09.06.25 NEWS ... Four parties in Tallinn's ruling coalition say they have decided to pause the supplementary budget process for a month in order to find funding sources for the Reform Party's proposal to abolish kindergarten fees,Isamaa deputy mayor Karl Sander Kase said Monday.

09.06.25 NEWS ... The opposition Center Party has taken out a €385,000 loan towards a million-euro fine it was hit with last year.

09.06.25 NEWS ... Former minister and Social Democratic Party (SDE) honorary chair Marju Lauristin criticized current leader Lauri Läänemets over the pace of decision-making in the party, in on surveillance cameras – whose regulations at European Union level she helped to draft while she was an MEP a decade ago.

08.06.25 NEWS ... Sides to the four-way coalition in Tallinn — namely the Social Democrats, Isamaa and Eesti 200 — issued a joint statement declaring that the Reform Party has undermined the trust between coalition partners. However, they also called for continued discussions in order to maintain cooperation.

08.06.25 NEWS ... At their general assembly on Sunday, the Social Democrats approved their local election platform, which aims to foster a cohesive and safe home community, offer the best living environment for everyone, promote vibrant entrepreneurship and job creation and ensure honest and transparent governance. The party's campaign slogan is "Everyone Counts!"

08.06.25 NEWS ... Kristen Michal, who was the sole candidate in the Reform Party's leadership election, received 741 votes out of 915 cast and will therefore continue as the party's chair.

07.06.25 NEWS ... "Next Generation Estonia!" debuted Saturday as Eesti 200's slogan for the upcoming local elections, paired with a campaign platform focused on "people, development and community." Speaking at the party's general assembly, chair Kristina Kallas explained that Eesti 200 entered politics to ensure each new generation can live in a better country than the last.

07.06.25 NEWS ... In the upcoming local elections, political parties are focusing primarily on larger cities, but also hope to make gains in the municipalities surrounding Tallinn. Unlike in previous years, they're now placing greater emphasis on running in Ida-Viru County as well.

06.06.25 NEWS ... Housing foreign criminals in Estonian prisons may involve additional risks related to Islamic extremism and internationally organized crime, the Internal Security Service believes. The police and the Office of the Chancellor of Justice also have concerns.

06.06.25 NEWS ... Officials from the eight Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8) visited Armenia and Azerbaijan this week to show support for the two countries' peace deal and discuss regional cooperation.

06.06.25 NEWS ... Vehicles will no longer be able to stop or park on sidewalks, even for loading goods, from July 1 under a new rule to increase traffic safety. However, local governments say they have not been able to create additional infrastructure for companies to operate.

06.06.25 NEWS ... Vietnam's Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính became the country's first head of government to officially visit Estonia this week in order to strengthen diplomatic ties.

06.06.25 NEWS ... Latvia's newly won non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is beneficial for the Nordic-Baltic region, but expectations should be kept in check, said Kristi Raik, director of the International Center for Defense and Security (ICDS) think tank in Tallinn.

05.06.25 NEWS ... The Russian Theater (Vene Teater) in Tallinn will announce its new name next week and it is expected to be Südalinna Teater.

04.06.25 NEWS ... The second-tier Tallinn Circuit Court has ruled that all possible crimes relating to the so-called Port of Tallinn case have expired, meaning criminal proceedings have been terminated. The defendants are to be reimbursed €930,000 in legal costs.

05.06.25 NEWS ... The Estonian parliament is considering striking off the category of national commemorative day from the official public holidays calendar after the government office had called for the system to be overhauled.

04.06.25 NEWS ... Estonia will lease space at Tartu Prison to Sweden and accept up to 600 inmates under a new agreement being negotiated between the two countries. The draft legislation has been sent to the parliament.

04.06.25 NEWS ... Estonia's parliament on Wednesday voted to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel landmines, following in the footsteps of neighboring Latvia and Lithuania.

04.06.25 NEWS ... Stripes of blue, black and white could be seen adorning houses, buildings, and buses throughout Estonia on Wednesday as residents celebrated the 141st anniversary of the national flag.

04.06.25 NEWS ... Reform, the biggest party in Estonia's governing coalition, will elect a new chairman this weekend. Prime Minister Kristen Michal is the only candidate, but there is an intense competition for seats on the new board.

04.06.25 NEWS ... Parties are preparing for the upcoming local elections this fall. In Tartu, transport, urban space, and civil protection dominate politicians' agendas.

04.06.25 NEWS ... Support for the Conservative People's Party (EKRE) rose by 1 percentage point over the past week to 15.7 percent, while the Center Party overtook the Reform Party, according to a Norstat poll commissioned by the Institute for Societal Studies.

03.06.25 NEWS ... The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) will not be able to use license plate recognition cameras for approximately six months after politicians rejected a bill that would have legalized their use on Tuesday.

03.06.25 NEWS ... The issue of abolishing kindergarten fees in Tallinn comes down to the Reform Party not being able to be in two coalitions at the same time, Mayor of Tallinn Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE) said Tuesday, after Reform issued a press release almost simultaneously with the Center Party issuing its own press release calling for scrapping fees for kindergartens.

03.06.25 NEWS ... The Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee (ERJK) has decided that Isamaa chair Urmas Reinsalu should pay the newspaper Postimees €1,830 per episode for a webcast he hosts online for the publication, on the grounds that it is political advertising.

02.06.25 NEWS ... According to Mayor of Tallinn Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE), the Reform Party is playing a political game and is in essence censuring the city government, expressing its willingness to bring the Center Party back to power. Pärtel-Peeter Pere( (Reform) said Ossinovski's statement marks the beginning of the election campaign.

02.06.25 NEWS ... Estonia's foreign minister criticized Georgia's "foreign agent" act, which came into effect on Sunday, saying that the law is the latest step in the country's democratic decline.

02.06.25 NEWS ... Estonian President Alar Karis said it is "essential" that NATO allies raise their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP while attending a meeting of regional leaders in Lithuania on Monday.