24.01.25 NEWS ... A warm and rainy winter is often followed by a cool and late spring, said Taimi Paljak, senior meteorologist at the Estonian Environment Agency. Storms are also likely in the near future, while more specific weather conditions for the Tartu Marathon will be clearer around February 8–9.

24.01.25 NEWS ... Municipalities dealing with wind farm planning are facing strong opposition from residents in several areas of the country, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.

24.01.25 NEWS ... This year's mild winter and soggy ground have made timber harvesting challenging. In many areas of the state forests, large machinery cannot currently operate.

24.01.25 NEWS ... Several newly erected or planned sculptures in Tallinn have split city residents' opinions and raised questions about what should be included in the cityscape.

24.01.25 NEWS ... The Estonian Language Board and the Tallinn Municipal Police (MuPo) have found that app-based taxi drivers continue to have poor Estonian language skills. While Bolt requires drivers to pass a language test, the company acknowledges that drivers may not always complete the tests themselves.

23.01.25 NEWS ... In the future, only electric vehicles owned by Tallinn residents will be able to park for free in the capital under new plans proposed by the city government. Deputy Mayor Kristjan Järvan (Isamaa) said electric cars could lose the right to use bus lanes.

23.01.25 NEWS ... At the beginning of next year, most central government agencies' documents and correspondence are expected to be integrated into a unified system. This joint document management system will cost ministries €2.3 million.

23.01.25 NEWS ... The leaders of all three coalition parties confirmed on Thursday that they do not wish to alter the indexation of pensions to reduce budget expenses. However, they are open to discussing other proposals made by the Estonian Employers' Confederation to cut the state's fixed costs.

23.01.25 NEWS ... The keeping of exotic animals as pets in Estonia is unregulated, raising concerns among animal welfare advocates and officials. Rare animals lack access to proper veterinary care, their specific living conditions cannot be adequately met in households and some species may even pose a danger.

23.01.25 NEWS ... Tartu's first specially designed emergency shelter will be built below the new cultural center in the middle of the city. It will be able to accommodate around 300 people.

22.01.25 NEWS ... On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Estonia has ruled that four subsections of the Aliens Act are unconstitutional. The subsections in question concern appeals against a decision to refuse a visa.

22.01.25 NEWS ... The Harju County Court on Wednesday found three young men guilty of belonging to a far-right neo-Nazi terrorist organization and recruiting members for it. As part of a plea agreement, the court imposed obligations designed to guide the young men toward lawful behavior in the future.

22.01.25 NEWS ... The Environmental Board plans to place greater responsibility for the control of invasive species, including giant hogweed, on landowners in the future. The proposed change has raised questions among property owners.

22.01.25 NEWS ... A bear spotted in the southwestern Estonian town of Pärnu last weekend has sparked local interest, with authorities investigating and locals sharing mixed reactions. The animal's origins likely trace to the nearby Audru River area, according to experts.

22.01.25 NEWS ... The Ministry of Education and Research plans to reorganize the management of some state-run schools for children with special educational needs starting from the 2025/2026 academic year. The proposed changes are estimated to save €300,000 annually.

21.01.25 NEWS ... A bear was spotted in central Pärnu at the weekend, Maaleht reported, unusual both for the setting, in the middle of a town, and the time of year – as bears would normally be hibernating in January.

21.01.25 NEWS ... A Lithuanian court sentenced Imre Arakas, a well-known figure in organized crime circles, to ten years in prison on Monday, public broadcaster LRT reported, on charges of murder and attempted murder.

21.01.25 NEWS ... Syrians who sought international protection in Estonia cannot be forced to return to Syria and any choice must be made independently and voluntarily, said Eero Janson, head of the Estonian Refugee Council. Last month, the foreign minister said the policy would not be extended after the fall of the Assad regime, but according to the Ministry of the Interior, no changes are planned.

21.01.25 NEWS ... Tallinn Deputy Mayor Kristjan Järvan has spent the past two weeks actively meeting with car and bicycle dealers based in Tallinn to assess the impact of the car tax on the capital's traffic. According to Järvan, the impact is clearly noticeable.

21.01.25 NEWS ... Museums are increasingly focusing on interactivity and playfulness, as this encourages visitors to bring their children along. Striking a balance between being a scientific institution and a place of entertainment, however, falls to researchers, as museums are taking on a growing role in filling educational gaps.

21.01.25 NEWS ... The main beneficiaries of the European Union's recovery fund are currently the state and local governments, while businesses are only beginning to gain momentum. However, the use of recovery fund money has not contributed to improving competitiveness or export capacity, according to Aivar Sõerd, member of the Riigikogu Finance Committee and former foreign minister.

20.01.25 NEWS ... A bailiff has put the Kuressaare Resort Hall building (Kuursaal) up for sale with a starting price of €490,000. The building is owned by companies belonging to Vjatšeslav Leedo and Arti Arakas.

20.01.25 NEWS ... The Pärnu County Court acquitted both OÜ Tervise Paradiis and its senior instructor, Gert Kuusik, who had been accused of causing the death of a waterpark client due to negligence. The prosecution has announced it plans to appeal the verdict.

20.01.25 NEWS ... Tallinn is aiming to shorten the waiting times at the emergency department (ER) of the Children's Hospital by hiring an additional doctor. On one hand, children will indeed be able to see a doctor more quickly. On the other, doctors see a potential risk that this could encourage more people to visit the ER for minor health concerns.

20.01.25 NEWS ... The National Archives is sorting more than 60 boxes of materials from former President Arnold Rüütel's personal archive following his death in December 2024.

20.01.25 NEWS ... Although Estonia faces a significant shortage of clinical psychologists, their training has yet to receive sustainable funding. For instance, trainees cannot afford to take extended sick leave or parental leave during their professional year and those aspiring to become psychotherapists must be prepared to pay over €6,000 out of their own pockets.

20.01.25 NEWS ... The Health Board (Terviseamet) is seeking a legal amendment to tighten control over doctors whose work does not align with evidence-based medicine and provides more by way of pseudo-scientific treatments such as homeopathy, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.

19.01.25 NEWS ... Over 1,000 new jobs will be created in Ida-Viru County next year. According to the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the unemployment rate in the county may start to decline as early as this year.

19.01.25 NEWS ... According to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Europe should consider banning the Chinese social media application TikTok, following the example of the United States.

19.01.25 NEWS ... The state has assigned local governments the responsibility for initiating and processing wind farm planning. While plans to establish wind farms face significant opposition from local residents in many areas, the Ministry of Climate does not intend to launch a unified national special plan for wind farms.

19.01.25 NEWS ... The Baltic states aim to enhance collaboration in developing energy production capacities. This will also be one of the topics at next week's meeting of Baltic ministers.

19.01.25 NEWS ... The number of influenza cases has increased by 39 percent since the beginning of January, accompanied by a rise in the need for hospital care. The Health Board estimates that the virus has not yet reached its peak.

17.01.25 NEWS ... Attorney-at-law and former Chancellor of Justice Allar Jõks has criticized a Ministry of Regional Affairs bill which would ban battery hen farming in Estonia, arguing it will harm purchasing power, business competitiveness, and is in any case hypocritical.

17.01.25 NEWS ... An expert mission from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will travel to Estonia next month to carry out another study of the e-voting system.

16.01.25 NEWS ... While in 2014 there were 183,150 people aged 20-29 in Estonia, in 2024, there were more than 47,000 fewer in that age group, according to preliminary statistics. The regions with the biggest decline in population over the last ten years were Ida-Viru County and the south east.

16.01.25 NEWS ... The government appointed Astrid Asi, the current head of Harju County Court, as the country's chief prosecutor on Thursday, following a proposal by Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta. Asi will assume leadership of the Prosecutor's Office on April 2.

16.01.25 NEWS ... Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo (Reform) believes there should be more supervision around selling alcohol but does not agree with introducing sales licenses.

16.01.25 NEWS ... Although coalition politicians believe that individuals who have left the second pension pillar could be allowed to return earlier than planned, they acknowledge that this would also bring certain challenges. For instance, there is the question of whether the state would still have sufficient funds to pay current pensions.

15.01.25 NEWS ... According to the latest advice from the Estonian National Institute for Health Development (TAI), honey is not recommended, potatoes should be eaten after peeling them and there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. According to the TAI's guidelines, children under the age of two should not be given any foods containing added sugar, nor should they be allowed to spend time in front of screens.

15.01.25 NEWS ... To enhance the state's connection with developments in state-owned companies, one option being considered is granting the responsible minister the right to appoint their representative to the company's supervisory board, Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi (Reform) said on the "Otse uudistemajast" webcast.

15.01.25 NEWS ... A sign language choir cannot perform at the Song and Dance Festival this year as there is no time to develop special facilities the event's foundation told the Chancellor of Justice.

15.01.25 NEWS ... It is unfortunate that having children and family behavior have become political issues in Estonia, population researcher Mare Ainsaar said.

15.01.25 NEWS ... An increasing number of times, none of the Police and Border Guard Board's three helicopters are able to take off due to technical issues. Only one of the helicopters is equipped with a de-icing system and even that has been malfunctioning for the past 14 years. The Ministry of the Interior is currently assessing whether the state should purchase additional helicopters or replace the entire existing fleet.

15.01.25 NEWS ... Abandoned cars and overused parking spaces have created environmental hazards, legal hurdles, and rising tensions among local authorities and those crossing the border at the southeastern Estonian Koidula checkpoint, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.

14.01.25 NEWS ... In a country where overconsumption of alcohol is a problem, veteran politician Hanno Pevkur and rapper Rainer Olbri, stage name Metsakutsu, discuss what life in Estonia is like for them as nondrinkers.

14.01.25 NEWS ... The January 6 launch of the new Tallinn-Riga-Vilnius route marks the return of passenger rail service connecting the Baltics. While the full journey — with transfers at Valga and Riga — takes over ten hours, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania's rail operators hope to attract riders for shorter legs.

14.01.25 NEWS ... Senior Prosecutor Eliisa Sommer from the Western District Prosecutor's Office demanded a four-year prison sentence on Tuesday for Kairi Kuusemaa, who is accused of killing her newborn child and desecrating the body.

14.01.25 NEWS ... The creditors of the bankrupt Estonian Development Savings and Loan Association (EAHLÜ) received a letter from an anonymous sender, informing them of an upcoming general meeting and a proposed compromise in the bankruptcy proceedings. However, neither claim is true and the bankruptcy trustee, Martin Krupp, suspects that the message was sent with malicious intent.

14.01.25 NEWS ... According to the Estonian Infra Construction Association, the tragic traffic accident statistics for 2024 are at least partially due to the deteriorating condition of the country's roads, a result of chronic underfunding.

14.01.25 NEWS ... Funding for extracurricular education has decreased by a third over the past five years, with the majority of hobby schools now concentrated in larger municipalities. According to experts, extracurricular or hobby education plays a significant role in preventing social and economic costs, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive national strategy to support the system.