Catching the Baltic wind

TALLINN - What looked like hundreds of butterflies with limpid wings stretched along the coast line of Pirita, ready to flit away into the sea. When the starting horn howled, windsurfing sails headed off into the water splashing. The windsurfers were clutching see-through polyester sails, manipulating them to catch the wind. The athletic sailors were moving like whirligigs, imitating the sea waves, and a few of them collapsed like a house of cards at the very beginning of the race. Gladly, most of the windsurfers managed to speed up and whirl away. The traditional Estonian Aegna Marathon started this year with one hour delay as there was a dead calm in the morning at Tallinn s beach, Pirita. The wind is a requirement for good surfing, explained Aivar Kajakas, a windsurfer at the Hawaii Express.

TeliaSonera and EMT to bring iPhone 3G to Estonia on August 22

TeliaSonera and EMT today announced it will bring iPhone 3G to Estonia on August 22. iPhone 3G combines all the revolutionary features of iPhone plus 3G networking that is twice as fast, built-in GPS for expanded location-based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs hundreds of third party applications available through the new App Store. The launch of iPhone 3G represents another strategic step for us in the development of the mobile broadband market and strengthens our position in the Nordic and Baltic region, said Kenneth Karlberg, president, Business Area Mobility Service, TeliaSonera. With iPhone 3G, we offer our customers an amazing new way to meet their demands for access, speed and mobility. I am glad that by offering iPhone, EMT has proven once again to be the leader in the Estonian mobile market, said Valdo Kalm, CEO of EMT.

Restaurant in Tallinn chosen among the best 50 in the world

Magazine Restaurant made a list of the 50 best restaurants in the world and one of them was also the restaurant Egoist in Tallinn. Egoist was mentioned among the TOP 5 in its region. The restaurants were listed based on overall judging and regions, aripaev.ee writes. That list is considered to be the most reliable indicator of the best restaurants in the world. Source http: balticbusinessnews.com default2.aspx

Estonia lets half of its forests go to waste

While only several years ago Estonian sawmills imported about 2 million cubic metres of roundwood from Russia, the imports have now fallen to around 300,000 cubic metres. Postimees writes that loss of Russian roundwood has put the Estonian forest industry in a tough situation since Estonia fells about half of what it should to make forests sustainable. Andres Talih 228 rm, managing director of the Estonian Forest Industry, says that Estonia fells about 5 million cubic metres of forest a year, of which half comes from private forests. «However, forest experts claim that Estonia could easily fell about twice the amount or up to 12 mln cubic metres a year since otherwise half of this amount will go to waste,» said Talih 228 rm. He added that even if Estonia felled 10 mln cubic metres of forest a year it would have no need to import roundwood.

Crazy days of Tallinn bourse begun

They started with the good outcomes of Baltika in Q2, gathered some strength and then started: during the last two days, Tallinn Stock Exchange has been overflowing with optimism. Even though funds are still saying sell, small investors are more afraid of not gaining profit when prices start rising again. And so people are buying: they don t want to miss the train and not earn the money, writes 196 rip 228 ev analyst Tarvo Vaarmets. At the same time, no special reasons to buy have appeared: Estonian economy and its enterprises are still struggling with falling indicators. Most likely, we are in the phase where the changing environment and falling consumption is only starting to influence enterprises, which is why coming to a new rise would take time. That is why we can believe that the race, which has been taking place during the last few days, is just a short term rebound, quite characteristic to falling markets, not the long term trend changing.

CEE casino operator Olympic prepares for tougher times

Olympic is the largest provider of casino entertainment throughout Central and Eastern Europe, with more than 100 premises employing more than 4,000 people in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Poland and Slovakia. Shares of OEG are traded in the Main List of the Tallinn Stock Exchange and the Warsaw Stock Exchange, and for some years it s been one of the darlings of investors in the region thanks to its rapid expansion and brisk, professional approach to business, which the soberly suited, meticulously prepared Avila embodies. You couldn t get further from the image of dodgy dons and money laundering, which many people assume lie behind the region s casinos and slot machines. Avila believes that politicians can largely take the blame for any seediness that does linger in his industry.

Azerbaijan warned not to follow Estonia path

Furthermore, Todua believes that choosing a democratic western orientation rather than cozying up to their former occupier is costing each country up to 2bn per year, which he sarcastically characterizes as the wise policy of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn. Interviewed on Azeri website Today.Az, Todua warns that Azerbaijan s warming relationship with the West could have serious consequences and draws a parallel with the Baltics experience. The Baltic states have long tried to make everything possible to limit relations with Russia, trying to hurt it. They have been restricting the rights of Russians residing there. Last year Estonia passed a decision on the transfer of the Bronze soldier, the Central Asian expert said. In the end, Russia got sick and tired of it. Now, oil will be transported via the city-port, which is under construction 40 kilometers away from the border with Estonia.

Medvedev signs Soviet military graves agreement with Latvia

The agreement is aimed at establishing the rights and obligations of the parties relating to the burial sites of military personnel from the two countries on each other s territories. The monument was moved from downtown Tallinn to a military cemetery last spring. One man was killed and many injured in clashes with police. The issue of Soviet-era monuments and graves is a sensitive one in the Baltic states. Source http: en.rian.ru russia 20080723 114773509.html

Commission fee for Tallinn souvenir shops

There are days when a guide is arranging city tours for several groups and the fee can be up to EEK 10,000 a day. She claims that the majority of souvenir shops in TallinnOldTown are operating that way. Another guide said that she received 10 percent from the tourist groups purchase sum. Depending on the day it could have been from EEK 100 to EEK 1,000 a day, she said. Laura Taul, the chairman of the Tallinn Guide Association, claimed that guides do not violate the law by accepting the money from shops but the association considers such action unethical. Source http: baltictimes.com news articles 20889

E-Health Europe :: Insurance plan offers care across Europe

The European Health Plan, launched by BUPA International, provides people living in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia with access to treatment in hospitals or clinics across Europe. It also includes cover for chronic diseases, such as diabetes, worldwide emergency travel and the facility to add dental and optical cover. Cover is priced from Euro 507 per person and includes access to a 24-hour worldwide medical assistance helpline, staffed by advisers who, between them, speak 34 languages. Steven Martin, European development consultant, Bupa International said: The region is developing rapidly and with the European Health Plan, Bupa International is meeting the growing demand for international health insurance from companies and expats, as well as local professionals who want to ensure all their health needs are covered.