Skip to main menu 09.02.25 NEWS ... Severe dog attacks have become more frequent in Estonia, but municipalities are unable to hold owners to account. In future, a fine of €6,400 could be issued to negligent dog owners.
09.02.25 NEWS ... The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) has returned a replica of the controversial Lihula monument to its owner after it was confiscated last autumn.
08.02.25 NEWS ... In the event of a widespread power outage, 30 emergency fuel stations (avariitanklad) across Estonia are equipped with autonomous power supplies to keep operating. Despite Tallinn being home to a third of the country's population, the capital officially has only one.
08.02.25 NEWS ... Siiri Vallner, who won the Cultural Endowment of Estonia's top architecture prize for the reconstruction of Vana-Kalamaja tänav, said that when planning streets, priority should first go to pedestrians and cyclists, and only then should space be found for cars — not the other way around.
07.02.25 NEWS ... As of the end of 2024, there were just over 2,700 probationers in Estonia — 15 percent fewer than in 2023. Last year also saw a slight increase in the proportion of individuals who successfully completed their probation.
07.02.25 NEWS ... The Ministry of Justice is declining to share an analysis commissioned from the law firm Sorainen with either the Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner or the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. Minister Liisa Pakosta (Eesti 200) says designating the document for internal use only will help prevent public panic.
06.02.25 NEWS ... The Estonian Rescue Board is prepared for the desynchronization of the Estonian energy system from the Russian grid this weekend. Head of crisis preparedness Erkki Põld told ERR that while everything is expected to go smoothly and power cuts are unlikely, it is always important to be prepared.
06.02.25 NEWS ... Estonia's electricity system is ready for Saturday's disconnection from the Russian power grid and Sunday's synchronization with mainland Europe, Elering executives said on Wednesday. The risk level during this transition is low, meaning Estonians should not be concerned about switching from one electrical system to another.
06.02.25 NEWS ... Scammers are using a scheme to defraud people by claiming that their electricity meter needs to be replaced due to the upcoming desynchronization of the Russian electricity grid. The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) and energy companies are asking people to be alert.
06.02.25 NEWS ... The number of passengers traveling to St. Petersburg from the Baltics with coach company Lux Express is four times smaller than before the coronavirus pandemic and the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But bosses say there is still a demand as this is one of the only ways to cross the border.
06.02.25 NEWS ... Doubts about the safety of Estonia's e-voting system were raised by a researcher this week. However, the Election Service maintains online voting has always been secure but says improvements can always be made.
05.02.25 NEWS ... Shrove Tuesday (vastlapäev) is still a month away, but across Estonia, a wide selection of lenten buns (vastlakuklid) can already be found in stores and cafes — and despite rising prices, they're still selling like hotcakes.
05.02.25 NEWS ... Vabaduse School, launched three years ago for Ukrainian children, will gradually cease operations in its current form as students transition to other schools and the Estonian-language transition continues.
05.02.25 NEWS ... The 157 state decorations being awarded by President Alar Karis this year represent a "Karis Average," staying on the conservative course taken by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and continued by President Kersti Kaljulaid. A relatively short list also increases the significance of each individual honor.
05.02.25 NEWS ... Ahead of this Independence Day, President Alar Karis will bestow state decorations on 157 people, including both Estonians and Estonia's supporters abroad.
05.02.25 NEWS ... The current nursing home funding model is failing to deliver on the promise of affordable care, the National Audit Office warns. With costs rising and local authorities unable to control prices, securing a spot in a nursing home for the average pension is becoming increasingly unrealistic — raising concerns about the sustainability of Estonia's care reform.
05.02.25 NEWS ... Citing university research, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) leading researcher Ago Samoson wrote that it's possible in one stage of processing e-votes to introduce entirely new ballots to be counted. The State Electoral Office (RVT) maintains that e-voting is verifiable from start to finish.
05.02.25 NEWS ... An Elron train arrived at Riga Central Railway Station for the first time on Tuesday at 5:46 p.m. after a test run on Latvia's railways. The connection is expected to launch this summer.
05.02.25 NEWS ... Eleven volunteer municipal police officers and three instructors were exposed to "dangerous" levels of radiation on Saturday during a training session and required medical assistance, Delfi reported.
05.02.25 NEWS ... Over the past five days, the police have received two reports of arson targeting Ukrainian restaurants. The incidents are being investigated and the authorities do not rule out a possible connection between them or a hate crime motive.
04.02.25 NEWS ... Tallinn city government is preparing to merge the management of Tallinn Creative Hub, Salme Cultural Center and Vene Cultural Center this summer, the city announced Tuesday.
04.02.25 NEWS ... The Office of the Prosecutor General has charged three individuals with large-scale money laundering and a fourth with aiding in money laundering in a case where investigative evidence indicates that more than €35 million, derived from a crime in Ukraine, was funneled into circulation.
04.02.25 NEWS ... The first documented cases of herbicide resistance have been recorded in Estonia. Similar to the rest of the world, the excessive use of broad-spectrum herbicides is driving the development of resistance, which is becoming an increasingly serious problem.
04.02.25 NEWS ... Last spring, the Ministry of Social Affairs announced that dental benefits would cover dentures starting in 2025. However, due to budget cuts, the change was never implemented. Now, Estonian dentists are left clearing up confusion as some patients still believe the policy took effect.
04.02.25 NEWS ... A garage unit in Lääne-Viru County used for storage by a Ukrainian restaurant was set on fire on Monday. The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) said this is the second property belonging to Ukrainian restaurants to be targeted in the last week.
03.02.25 NEWS ... Tallinn's expanding state high schools are set to begin a new wave of teacher recruitment this February. The City of Tallinn has the same plan for its municipal high schools, as they also require new teachers.
03.02.25 NEWS ... The Abbess of Kuremäe Convent Filareta Kalatšova sent an open letter to members of the Riigikogu, claiming that if the amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act, initiated by the Ministry of the Interior, are approved, the convent will effectively be shut down.
03.02.25 NEWS ... The Aviv private Jewish kindergarten in Tallinn's Kesklinn will close later this year due to falling enrollments and lack of funding.
03.02.25 NEWS ... Discussions about end-of-life care – such as do-not-resuscitate orders – are continuing in the Ministry of Social Affairs. Doctors believe patients should have the right to determine their course of treatment, but a draft law is currently in conflict with people's fundamental rights.
03.02.25 NEWS ... Designs for a new tramline in Põhja-Tallinn have been criticized by residents and opposition Center Party politicians. Tallinn says the whole project was launched by the former administration and led by Center.
02.02.25 NEWS ... On the 105th anniversary of the Tartu Peace Treaty, Tallinn schoolchildren, members of the government and city officials remembered the student soldiers who fell during the War of Independence.
02.02.25 NEWS ... Many children's daycare centers and food suppliers are not rushing to change their menus after the National Institute for Health Development (TAI) issued new nutritional guidelines last month. Changes are likely to lead to price increases, they believe.
02.02.25 NEWS ... Pärnu City Government wants to cover the pillars of its newest bridge with murals to prevent them from being covered in graffiti.
02.02.25 NEWS ... Rainy thawing weather has raised the water level from the two witches' wells in Ratva, Alutaguse Parish, by more than a meter in recent days.
02.02.25 NEWS ... Inequality among different generations' skill sets is growing faster in Estonia than in other OECD countries, a new study shows. Experts say this raises the risk of marginalization and disillusionment among lower-skilled adults, and ultimately leads to political polarization.
01.02.25 NEWS ... Quite a few migratory birds that should still be on the Mediterranean coast, only just thinking about flying back north again, have decided to spend the winter in Estonia instead. One such bird, a European robin, was recently banded in Rakvere.
01.02.25 NEWS ... The directors of 11 county public transport centers and Regional Affairs and Agriculture Minister Piret Hartman (SDE) debated Estonia's planned public transport reform Friday. No decisions were made, but the ministry's plan to merge its current centers into three or four regional ones appears likely to proceed.
01.02.25 NEWS ... The Tallinn Education Department has launched a program that will provide all municipal school students with a free hot breakfast, the City of Tallinn announced Friday.
01.02.25 NEWS ... Ferry operator TS Laevad has been tasked with cutting its transport schedule between the Estonian mainland and the major western islands by 1 percent, reducing the number of trips by a couple hundred.
31.01.25 NEWS ... In 2024, the Estonian Refugee Council operated in Ukraine, Estonia, Armenia, Georgia, Jordan, and Lebanon, supporting more than 69,000 people affected by crises with urgent humanitarian aid and programs aimed at long-term recovery.
31.01.25 NEWS ... Local governments in Ida-Viru County have run into delays trying to demolish empty "ghost" apartment blocks due to project management issues. Fewer buildings will be knocked down than initially planned.
31.01.25 NEWS ... Although warm weather and rain have melted the snow at South Estonia's ski resorts, ice rinks equipped with refrigeration systems are still open for winter sports enthusiasts.
31.01.25 NEWS ... Researchers say the number of residents in the Old Town has not been this low since the Great Northern War (1700–1721). Now, the capital is setting an ambitious goal to double the number of people living in the UNESCO World Heritage site and attract Estonians to spend time in the city center.
31.01.25 NEWS ... Coalition parties are divided about extending the authority of the Municipal Police (MuPo), which operates under local governments, to intervene in public order violations and for self-defense.
30.01.25 NEWS ... This year marks 500 years since the earliest known publishing of an Estonian-language book. Dedicated to celebrating this quincentennial, the Year of the Estonian Book began on January 30.
30.01.25 NEWS ... According to the Estonian Health Insurance Fund, lung cancer screening, which for the past three years, has been piloted in Tartu and Tartu County, could soon become available nationwide.
30.01.25 NEWS ... On March 1, the price of single Elron train tickets within Tallinn will be going up from €1.80 to €2 — a month later and 20 cents cheaper than initially planned. This fare hike will not affect ticket prices throughout the rest of Estonia.
30.01.25 NEWS ... Monday marked the start of Digital Cleanup Week, urging people to clear clutter from their digital devices. Liina Vakrööm, the Digital Cleanup Week coordinator for Estonia's Eco-School program, said many people are still surprised to learn that the digital world has a carbon footprint.
30.01.25 NEWS ... A search and rescue operation at sea launched in the Gulf of Finland Wednesday after a man fell overboard from a scheduled Tallinn-Helsinki ferry has not led to the individual being found, Helsingin Sanomat reported.
29.01.25 NEWS ... Phone scammers try to make their victims act quickly and aim to psychologically paralyze them, SEB's head of fraud prevention Kätlin Kukk said. Calls should be treated with extreme suspicion and are becoming harder to detect.