Polarization along the ethnic cleavage has abated in recent years but conflict over traditional versus progressive values (migration, gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights) has escalated. Citizens and residents enjoy free movement inside Estonia, and there are no significant restrictions on international travel. Economic dislocation associated with the COVID-19 pandemic led to sharp declines in advertising revenue in 2020, which could exacerbate the medias vulnerability to editorial pressure. In recent years, the Postimees Grupp has increasingly been accused of serving the political agenda of its owner, Margus Linname, a pharmacy magnate and member of Pro Patria, one of the governing parties. Estonias political parties organize and operate freely, and the political landscape remains open and competitive. The economic impact of the pandemic was less severe than initially expected. However, the share of foreign trade with Russia was quite limited already before the conflict (9% of exports in 2016). Market access is generally free and entry costs are low. Subscribe Now! Civil society actors have become increasingly active in politics. In 2015, changes to the law relaxed conditions for naturalization by granting automatic citizenship to the newborn children of non-citizens and introducing simplified language tests for older applicants. The Russian community in Estonia is divided on Putin and the war with Born of a merger between The Baltic Independent and The Baltic Observer in 1996, The Baltic Times continues to bring objective, comprehensive, and timely information to those with an interest in this rapidly developing area of the Baltic Sea region. Education levels in the country are high, extreme poverty is rare and disease levels are low. 2023-08-18 BNS/TBT Staff TALLINN - Tallinn, the UNESCO City of Music, is to celebrate the Estonian Independence Restoration Day with an open-air concert on 20th of August Square on Harjumagi Hill, which takes place at 2 p.m. on Sunday and is free to enter for everyone. Many rural schools have closed in recent years while universities have sought to consolidate faculties, degree programs and research teams. Elections in Estonia including the 2019 parliamentary and European elections are free, fair and meaningful in determining public policies and filling political positions. While traditionally an arch-nativist party, the EKRE has in recent years not only downplayed the ethnic and anti-Russian card but even managed to obtain a foothold of support among segments of Russian-speaking voters because of its parallel focus on social conservatism. It is fair to assume that this was related to the fact that, while certainly very challenging, the economic and public health impacts of the coronavirus were less severe than expected, at least during the first wave. Meanwhile, municipalities set up programs to deliver food to home-schooled children from deprived households. The government managed the first year of the COVID-19 fairly successfully and without significant concerns over executive overreach. A prominent corruption case involving the executives of the Port of Tallinn, who had been charged with accepting 4 million in bribes, which started in 2015, became bogged down in the courts because of the health of one of the main defendants. At the end of 2021, the parliament had yet to adopt necessary amendments for the implementation of a 2014 law permitting same-sex civil unions. Estonia - Political situation | NAPR The main social cleavage is between the ethnic Estonian majority (68% of population) and a sizable Russian-speaking minority (25%). While 60% believed corruption to be widespread, this is significantly lower than the EU average (71%). Gender equality is among the highest in Central and Eastern Europe according to the UNDP Gender Inequality Index. The United States established diplomatic relations with Estonia in 1922 following its declaration of independence during World War I. Estonia was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 during World War II. Independence lost The fate of Estonia was decided by the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact of August 1939 between Nazi Germany and the U.S.S.R. On September 28 the Soviet government imposed on Estonia a treaty of mutual assistance that conceded to the Soviet Union several Estonian military bases, which were occupied forthwith. For example, the education system does not provide enough STEM graduates and the overall vocational education framework is weak. A July 2021 European Commission report noted that the judicial system continued to operate without notable disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, attributed largely to the systems advanced level of digitalization.. This has been boosted by the provocative rhetoric of the far-right Conservative Peoples Party (which was part of the 20192021 governing coalition), which culminated in the government plan to hold a consultative referendum on banning same-sex marriage. During the review period, many of the tenets of the previous government policies remained intact, as only moderate changes were made to economic and foreign policies. In the early 1990s, Estonia firmly pursued integration with NATO, the European Union and other Western institutions (e.g., the IMF, WTO and OECD). After pulling itself out of the doldrums of their Soviet past, Estonia embarked on a new direction, emphasizing open markets, liberal democracy, technological expertise, and a Western-oriented, pro-European outlook. Non-citizens are prohibited from joining political parties. The main center-left parties (the Center Party and Social Democratic Party) largely agree with these fundamental objectives. All political parties have access to the mainstream media, but smaller parties have often complained about being excluded from the main election debates on public television. The pandemic had little impact on the implementation of the government program. In recent years, Estonia has amended a number of anti-corruption laws, such as the Political Parties Act, the Public Service Act and the Anti-Corruption Act, partly in response to concerns raised by the Council of Europes Group of States against Corruption (GRECO). However, the cleavage is only partially politicized, as ethnic Russian parties have been weak and none have been elected to the national parliament since 2003. This led to the EKREs coalition partners repeatedly apologizing to domestic and international audiences for the populists utterings until eventually the coalition government collapsed in January 2021. The status and future of the Russian language in secondary education and the segregated school network has been a contentious issue since independence. Political background - Estonia - issues, system, power Genuine intraparty democracy is limited both in terms of policy formulation and candidate selection. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: a. Since 2011, all secondary schools must teach at least 60% of the curriculum in the Estonian language (education prior to the age of 16 can still be provided solely in Russian). As support for the old Soviet system was low, the government managed to push through radical economic reforms, and completely reorient the country both in its foreign relations and trade patterns. A radical post-independence privatization program was largely completed by the mid-1990s and currently only a small number of strategic companies (such as major power plants, the railways and the postal system) are still state-owned. Following the birth of a child, families are eligible for a one-off benefit of 320, which is topped up by some municipalities. Estonias international credibility during the review period was frequently tested by the provocative rhetoric of the Conservative Peoples Party (EKRE), which was a junior partner in the 20192021 government. Resident noncitizens are permitted to vote in local and European Parliament elections but may not run as candidates or join political parties. Growing tensions with Russia have the potential to affect the relationship between ethnic Estonians and Russian-speakers by raising mutual distrust. Estonia has a relatively high incarceration rate, with about 184 people per 100,000 residents in prisons as of 2020. On the downside, policymakers often appear to be stubborn and changing ones mind is generally seen as a sign of weakness, which somewhat reduces the scope for policy learning. However, the government did show considerable flexibility and capacity for learning in responding to the COVID-19 crisis, as it worked closely with the special Scientific Advisory Board for the pandemic, and adjusted restrictions and regulations according to shifts in the situation. This may reduce the salience of the ethnic cleavage in Estonian politics further but scope for ethnic divides in politics remains in particular over the thorny issue of the future of Russian-language education. Are individuals free to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution? The latter caused a significant backlash, forcing the EKREs minister of interior to step down and further diminished the prospects of the coalition surviving a full term. Estonia's political leadership recognizes the need to deal . In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the banks introduced extensive payment holidays. Prices are fully liberalized. In the parliamentary elections of March 3, 2019, Estonians showcased the confidence they have in their country's digital security. 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Since independence, Estonia has been involved in various forms of international cooperation. However, concerns have been raised over whether the changed budget strategy, which aims to curtail the economic downturn by increased borrowing and budget deficits, may conceal a quiet shift away from the erstwhile strategic aim of balanced budgets (see Fiscal stability). While the polarizing referendum on reserving marriage for mixed-sex couples was shelved after the coalition collapsed, the issue of same-sex partnerships rights is unlikely to go away. The quality of services is generally very good and only occasionally lags behind more affluent neighboring Northern European countries. Franco-German showdown makes EU fiscal rules reform unlikely this year June 16, 2023 5:53 pm CET The council has occasionally been critical of the governments fiscal prognoses and compliance with the principle of balanced budgets. However, an additional rift soon opened between radical pro-independence forces and moderate popular movements. Overall, the government has been successful in containing corruption and integrity mechanisms are in place. Pushed back into the opposition, EKRE became the most popular party at the end of the year. Most election complaints submitted to the Supreme Court, which is responsible for resolving them, are not supported by enough evidence and are rejected. The Estonian constitution guarantees civic groups full freedom of association and participation. Currently, cooperation within various EU frameworks is a priority and more narrowly defined regional cooperation has lost some of its earlier importance. Read more Meanwhile, the inclusion of the far-right Conservative Peoples Party (EKRE) in the governing coalition mobilized grassroots activism. Also, coalition partners generally abide by the policies agreed in coalition agreements, but challenges have arisen during times of crisis or in the run-up to elections. However, perhaps surprisingly for a far-right party, the EKRE has refrained from playing the ethnic card, gaining instead a foothold among the more conservative sections of the Russian-speaking population. Nevertheless, the direct involvement of CSOs in policymaking and implementation can at times be limited, while the government at times sees their engagement as a necessary inconvenience. In recent years, it has carried out audits on 5G licenses, broadband, notary fees, municipal waste management, event ticket distributions, and the mergers of travel companies, property portals and car park companies, among others. The restrictions on freedom of movement introduced in March 2020 in response to COVID-19 were limited in terms of scope and time, justified, and overall proportional to the risk posed by the pandemic. Private enterprises benefit from business-friendly economic regulations and a highly flexible labor market. Satisfaction with the quality of health care is high but challenges remain, particularly access, waiting times and inequality. The moderates and radicals shared suspicions about the loyalty of the settlers, but the moderates were keener to reach out and integrate Russian-speakers. Only registered political parties and independent candidates can contest national elections. However, in the less than two years in office, the government has managed to introduce a controversial pension reform, reverse the duty hikes on alcohol and fuel, and increase the minimum wage, pensions and benefits. Estlink, an underwater power cable between Estonia and Finland, has been integrating the countries into Nordic electricity markets.
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