10.10.24 NEWS ... According to an analysis by the National Audit Office on the assessment of healthcare workers' competence, relevant evaluations are essential for ensuring the quality of healthcare services. However, the current assessment and certification of skills and knowledge is not systematic, is conducted differently across various associations and only a small proportion of healthcare workers participate in the process.

10.10.24 NEWS ... After almost nine months of discussions and meetings, Estonia's new education agreement has been finalized. In the future, teachers will have a four-stage career model, with a designated minimum salary coefficient for each stage.

10.10.24 NEWS ... The state is directing €10.9 million from the Just Transition Fund to develop infrastructure and support services necessary for the film industry in Jõhvi. With this funding, the Ida-Viru Investment Agency will establish a creative industries incubator building in the Jõhvi business park by September 2026, Delfi reports.

10.10.24 NEWS ... In recent months, the number of thefts and break-ins has increased in Southern Estonia. Under the leadership of a man from Karksi-Nuia, a voluntary patrol group, consisting of about twenty local residents, has been formed in hopes of improving security in the border area.

10.10.24 NEWS ... Estonian schools are often described as having a more "feminine face," since the majority of teachers are women and girls generally outperform boys academically. However, a study conducted by Estonian researchers revealed that a surprisingly large number of seemingly diligent girls are among the young people who drop out of school. This finding suggests that in large classes, teachers may not always recognize the problems hidden behind a student's outward appearance of success.

10.10.24 NEWS ... The City of Narva has rehired 23 kindergarten and school support specialists previously let go for not meeting Estonian language proficiency requirements. The city knows this is breaking the law, but says that kids would otherwise be left without essential support services.

10.10.24 NEWS ... A founding member of anti-misinformation site Propastop has refuted in court a statement made by both the Internal Security Service (ISS) and the Prosecutor's office's previous statement, that two ISS members had attended a student fraternity evening in Tartu in their free time, Delfi reports.

10.10.24 NEWS ... A man who has given around 150 public speeches in Tallinn and which are anti-semitic in nature has raised the question again on where the dividing line lies between free speech and hate speech, investigative show "Pealtnägia" reported.

09.10.24 NEWS ... Between 2020 and 2024, a total of 11,615 motorcycles were registered in Estonia. During the same period, 14,209 people obtained a motorcycle driver's license.

09.10.24 NEWS ... The Pärnu County Court has begun hearings in a criminal case regarding the death of a man who was pushed into the water at the Tervise Paradiis water park.

09.10.24 NEWS ... The National Heritage Board commissioned an impact assessment on the heritage implications of building an extension to the Estonia Theater and Concert Hall. A draft of this assessment was sent out to all stakeholders on Monday to gather feedback. The analysis was led by architectural historian Triin Ojari.

09.10.24 NEWS ... In September, the Ministry of Economic Affairs had planned a €245,000 procurement for issuing a diversity label to employers, but has since abandoned the plan. According to Minister Erkki Keldo, the ministry wants to focus on activities that contribute the most to economic growth.

09.10.24 NEWS ... Although budget cuts are reducing funding in the cultural sector, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia is receiving additional funds, and it is likely that the institution's role in cultural policy will also increase, said Minister of Culture Heidy Purga (Reform).

09.10.24 NEWS ... According to motorcycle instructor Aldis Alus, one of the reasons for the recent increase in serious accidents involving motorcyclists is that they often do not know how to brake properly.

09.10.24 NEWS ... Both the Supreme Court and circuit court in Estonia find law enforcement officials can no longer rely on telecoms data in investigating crimes, Eesti Ekspress reported on its website.

08.10.24 NEWS ... Although two weeks ago, the Estonian government announced that it wants to limit the use of smart devices in schools, education authorities have been dealing with the issue for years. School leaders do not support a blanket ban on the use of smartphones, but they would be in favor of the introduction of consistent rules.

08.10.24 NEWS ... The Estonian Refugee Council (ERC) is advising specialists in kindergartens in Ida-Viru County and Tallinn to help create more integrated and inclusive learning environments. The program, which runs until the end of January 2025, is supported by the British Council in Estonia and is the fourth time the ERC has provided this type of consultation for kindergartens.

08.10.24 NEWS ... The Estonian temporary residence permits quota for 2024 was still nearly 300 short of being fulfilled as of the start of this month, the interior ministry has said.

08.10.24 NEWS ... Autumn has arrived and it is getting darker earlier each day. Transport Administration traffic safety expert Darja Lukašenko-Tšistotin said on ETV's "Terevisioon" morning show that people should already start wearing reflectors.

08.10.24 NEWS ... Since 2014, Estonia has seen a 60 percent increase in the share of adults employed in brain business jobs, making it one of the fastest-growing countries in Europe, a recent study by the European Center for Entrepreneurship and Policy Reform (ECEPR) found.

08.10.24 NEWS ... The Transport Administration is removing the chicanes, or traffic-calming obstacles, installed this summer at the Otepää entrance from the direction of Rõngu. These obstacles required drivers to slow down or even stop to allow oncoming vehicles to pass.

08.10.24 NEWS ... Two citizens of Lithuania who last year stole cash, jewelry, and other items from homes in Pärnu and Tartu Counties have been apprehended, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) has said.

07.10.24 NEWS ... Many Estonian place-names which have associations with Russia even if their origin does not lie there have been partly or fully Estonianized, "Aktuaalne kaamera.Nädal" reported.

07.10.24 NEWS ... The Estonian Defense League (Kaitseliit) has proposed to the president that next year's Victory Day parade be held in Pärnu. The last parade organized by the Defense League in Pärnu took place in 2012.

07.10.24 NEWS ... The Ministry of Social Affairs wants to significantly expand the rights of pharmacists, allowing them, for example, to vaccinate adults and extend prescriptions for patients with chronic illnesses. Although the changes are justified by the desire to reduce the workload in primary care, family doctors are very skeptical about expanding these powers.

07.10.24 NEWS ... Although healthcare professionals have been waiting for a new compensation system for medical errors for a dozen years – one that would exempt them from criminal liability in case of mistakes – they now oppose its implementation. The reason is that only one insurance company offers the mandatory liability insurance for doctors and the insurance premiums are, according to them, unaffordable. Minister of Health Riina Sikkut considers the reform highly necessary.

07.10.24 NEWS ... At the beginning of October, the Estonian Stockpiling Agency signed agreements with Coop, Lidl, Grossi Toidukaubad, Rimi and Selver to establish 27 crisis stores across a dozen counties. For security reasons, the locations of these crisis stores will not be disclosed.

07.10.24 NEWS ... The Harju County Court on Monday set a bail of €150,000 for Aivo Peterson, who is accused of treason. If paid, Peterson could be released from custody, Postimees reports.

07.10.24 NEWS ... Starting from the beginning of 2025, every household will be required to sort its textile waste, including clothing and home textiles, into separate categories. However, neither Estonia nor other European Union countries currently possess full capacity to recycle textile waste. The European Union is also planning to introduce an extended producer responsibility system for the clothing industry, which is likely to increase clothing prices in the future.

06.10.24 NEWS ... On Sunday afternoon, Estonia's largest evacuation rescue exercise to date, Lõuna Sild 2024 (South Bridge), with over 1,000 participants ended. Organizers said it had gone smoothly and without incident, but lessons can still be learned.

06.10.24 NEWS ... The Estonian Center for International Development awarded scholarships to Georgian journalists to promote the development of a free press and democracy in the country.

06.10.24 NEWS ... Although dental treatment for children is free in Estonia, some parents are having to pay for it themselves as state funding for 2024 has run out. The situation is not expected to improve next year.

05.10.24 NEWS ... 68 percent of Estonian citizens see the future of the EU in a positive light, according to the results of the European Parliament's first Eurobarometer survey since this summer's EU elections.

05.10.24 NEWS ... Nature guide Bert Rähni says that nature tourism is a growing trend. He shares the charms of Estonia's untouched nature with visitors from Western Europe, the U.S. as well as India.

05.10.24 NEWS ... In mid-September, a puppy mill with 87 dogs was discovered operating in Tallinn. While the dogs are currently under the care of the nonprofit Varjupaikade MTÜ, the dogs' owner has taken the matter to court, blocking them from being rehomed.

05.10.24 NEWS ... The country's biggest ever evacuation exercise is currently underway in Southern Estonia, rehearsing the evacuation of 800 people out of a danger zone on Saturday.

05.10.24 NEWS ... The new joint Paide Courthouse-State House, which opened its doors Friday, offers a modern working environment under one roof for 15 state institutions previously spread across several locations around town.

04.10.24 NEWS ... Vikerraadio's new show "Abroad and at Home" tells the stories of families that have been in the Canadian Estonian diaspora for generations. Host Ave-Marleen Rei learned a lot about their community, including how they, and their ties to the homeland, have changed over time.

04.10.24 NEWS ... In a proposal submitted to Minister of Culture Heidy Purga (Reform) by the mayor, Narva City Council's Narva group has stated that if city representatives appointed to Narva Museum's supervisory board aren't granted veto rights, then the city wants to withdraw from the museum foundation. The minister found the proposal baffling.

04.10.24 NEWS ... Changes made by the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (MPEÕK) to distance itself from Russia are insufficient, the Ministry of the Interior said this week. It also disagrees with its proposed new name.

04.10.24 NEWS ... Two major state agencies pulling their physical presence out of the South Estonian town of Põlva has raised fears both in the town, the surrounding area, and for other rural areas, of vital services being insufficiently provided.

04.10.24 NEWS ... In Estonia, pensions are paid out once a month, usually on the 5th. Until now, on months when the 5th fell on a weekend, the Social Insurance Board (SKA) would pay out pensions on the preceding Friday. Starting next year, however, this system will change somewhat.

04.10.24 NEWS ... One of the largest solar parks in the Baltic States opened on Thursday in Lääneranna Municipality, Pärnu County.

03.10.24 NEWS ... This Friday, October 4, a new series will premiere on Vikerraadio that tells the story – through the lives of diaspora Estonian families living in Canada –of remaining Estonian abroad.

03.10.24 NEWS ... Members of the Estonian government said on Thursday that it may not make sense to appoint a new special representative for Ida-Viru County, following the recent resignation of Jaanus Purga after less than a year a his post.

03.10.24 NEWS ... An expert assessment has revealed that the potential negative impact of the expansion of the Estonian Defense Forces' (EDF) Nursipalu Training Area as well as activity there on area protected natural objects is largely preventable – and that in cases where prevention isn't possible, compensatory measures can still be taken to mitigate harmful effects.

03.10.24 NEWS ... The Environment Agency wants to change the law so it is only obliged to assist protected species in distress, rather than all animals, to save resources.

03.10.24 NEWS ... Rising prices and competition have seen the use of Tartu's self-service public Tartu Smart Bike Share system fall by a little over a quarter compared to its first year in service. Even so, the city has no plans to scale its bikeshare back.

03.10.24 NEWS ... Secretly filmed footage shown by investigative show Pealtnägija revealed appeared to reveal brutality and unsanitary conditions at on of Estonia's largest egg farms.

03.10.24 NEWS ... Next week, Tallinn Social and Healthcare Department will host a conference and fair for residents with a migrant background to provide information and integration support.