Alvarion to Deploy Balticum TV

Balticum TV is the first 3.5GHz WiMAX license holder to launch a commercial 802.16e deployment, providing advanced high-quality voice and data services enabled by Alvarion s 4Motion solution. Lithuania represents a progressive telecom market with a continuous increase in broadband usage and high penetration of mobile technologies, creating great potential for Balticum TV to conduct future deployments to enhance usability and lifestyles among its citizens. We are excited to be the first to offer the citizens of Lithuania the benefits of the latest technology together with the WiMAX leader Alvarion, says Virginijus Jurgelevichius, CEO of Balticum TV. Following successful trials with excellent results, we are confident that Alvarion s 802.16e network will increase broadband access with unmatched coverage, and provide a flexible platform to enable more advanced Personal Broadband services in the future.

Estonia s Premia Buys Russia s Oldest Ice Cream Maker

Based in St. Petersburg, Hladokombinat No. 1 has an annual production capacity of 6,000 tons and recorded sales of 284 million rubles (7.6 million euro) in 2007, the reports said. Premia Tallinna, combined with Premia KPC of Lithuania and Premia FFL of Latvia, is the largest ice-cream producer and seller in the Baltics. 2007 turnover for the 3 units amounted to 776 million kroons (49.6 million euro) - a 65 increase compared with 2006. The news comes 3 months after Unilever acquired Inmarko, another Russian leading ice cream manufacturer, as reported by FLEXNEWS. Inmarko saw a turnover of approximately 115 million euro in 2007. Source http: flex-news-food.com pages 16725 estonia ice-cream- rus. html

Estonia overdue loans stable at 5.2 pct in April

The amount was up slightly from 13 billion in March, though the share was stable at 5.2 percent, it said in a statement. Loans overdue for more than 60 days rose in April to 2.99 billion kroons from 2.28 billion in March. Overdue housing loans rose to 4.3 billion kroons from 3.9 billion the previous month. Moody s ratings agency recently gave Estonia s banking sector a negative outlook due to a growing risk of a decline in asset quality and liquidity in light of the rapid growth of loans in recent years. Source http: reuters.com article rbssfinancialservicesandrealestat

Ansip and Reinfeldt in Stockholm discussed energy policy

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and his Swedish colleague Fredrik Reinfeldt who met on Friday in Stockholm spoke about current EU affairs and about energy policy. «Sweden is an important partner to Baltic States with small markets in ensuring energy independence,» noted Ansip at the meeting, writes ETV24 LETA. He added that in order to increase energy independence and improve supply security, closer co-operation between neighbouring countries will be necessary. The heads of government also spoke about co-operation between the two countries during Swedish Presidency of the European Union. One of the principal Swedish initiatives during this period is drafting the Baltic Sea strategy with Finland and Estonia also acting as leading countries in developing the strategy. «It is in Estonia s interests to overcome regional differences in the Baltic Sea region through better operation of the internal market and linking infrastructures,» said Ansip.

Dima Bilan wins the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest for Russia

Dima Bilan has won the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, the 53rd, for Russia with his song Believe. The song was developed by US R B artist Timbaland. The song won the competition with 272 points 42 points ahead of Ukraine s Ani Lorak in second place with 230 points for the song Shady Lady. Third was Kalomira for Greece with Secret Combination The voting for the competition came from 43 countries across Europe, but with 25 countries competing, the others having failed to get through the semi finals. Russia has never won the contest before, Bilan having come second in 2006, losing out to Finnish hard rock band Lordi with Hard Rock Halellujah. Furtherdown the scale Germany s No Angels with Disapear, Poland s Isis Gee with For Life and the United Kingdom s Andy Abraham with Even If came joint last with 14 points.

Serious side of Euro party

The contest, which is being held in the city s arena alongside the River Sava, will also be the European Broadcasting Union s biggest ever show with 43 entries at the start of this week, now whittled down to just 25. A storm of inch-long hailstones earlier in the week, smashed car windscreens and knocked chunks of stone off the Turkish Embassy in the old city, but its ferocity is unlikely to compete with the Eastern European countries, which are set once more to knock spots off Western European countries competing here tomorrow. Disgruntled Dubliner, James Squires, was fed up but philosophical after Dustin the Turkey got a pre-Yuletide stuffing in the first semi-final - a shock exit as this is the first time Ireland hasn t made it to the final.

Undiscovered treasures of Estonia

Viljandi, Põlva County and Avinurme tourist destinations got to the final round of «Undiscovered treasures of Estonia» The competition announced this January by the Tourist Board of Enterprise Estonia, for finding exciting, but less known tourist destinations, received 18 applications. An expert committee selected six of the more interesting tourist destinations from those received, visited them all, and nominated the tourist destinations submitted by the Viljandi town government, Põlva County Development Centre and the Avinurme Rural Municipality Government for the final round. Viljandi is known for the preservation of heritage. In addition to the recently opened Kultuuriait (Culture Barn), where all who wish to can take music lessons, the committee was deeply impressed by the Kondas Centre with its impressive work in collecting and exhibiting naivistic art,» said Marje Baunbrück, Deputy Director of the Tourist Board of Enterprise Estonia.

Estonian Art Museum Kumu won the title of European Museum

Estonian Art Museum won the title of European Museum of the Year 2008.According to the jury of the European Museums Forum the decisive factor was the museum s role in creating Estonia s national identity. Minister of culture Laine Jänes stated that the award granted to Kumu is recognition of the entire Estonian culture and again confirms that in addition to Estonia, Kumu is an important cultural temple for Europe as well, writes EPL Online. The final event that took place in Dublin, in Irish National Museum, 38 of the 140 presented candidates were introduced.

War hero faces Estonian life sentence

If convicted, 88-year-old Arnold Meri could spend the rest of his life behind bars. Meri fought on the front in World War Two before seeing his homeland liberated from the Nazis by Soviet troops. While his Russian brothers-in-arms enjoy respect and honour at home for putting their lives on the line to stop the Nazis, Arnold Meri continues to fight. Almost blind and suffering from lung cancer, Meri would have to serve a life sentence if found guilty. The veteran calls the case political. In 1941 Meri became the first Estonian to receive the honour of Hero of the Soviet Union, at just 22 years old. Estonian prosecutors have not recognised the fact that Meri was stripped of his hero status in Stalin s Russia for questioning the deportation. He was there to see that the minimal legal responsibility was met at the time.

Eurovision Belgrade 2008

To facilitate your work, Host Broadcaster RTS gathered the most interesting quotes from today s press conference. MONTENEGRO: Stefan Filipovi 263 «The atmosphere in our team is really great and I hope it will stay like that till 20th May» Stefan said. They are very happy with their performance. Mr Gor 269 in Stojanovi 263, the director of the performance, said that the basic idea of the song was both «simple and strong,» «It is my pleasure to represent Montenegro which I have already mentioned before», Stefan stated, adding that he would do his best to justify the trust of the people who voted for him at the Montenegrin national selection. ISRAEL: Boaz «We re having fun in Belgrade and at the rehearsals», the Israeli delegation said. They added they had met many performers, they met Kalomira and Hind.