Eesti in brief

In Estonia, Reform Party and Social Democrats who have formed the new government, have agreed on a key issue to increase the current child allowance from 19.18 to 45 euros. ERR reports that the allowance is paid per child for a family’s first and second children. In addition, low-income families would receive further 45 euros per child each month, bringing the total for each of the first two children to 90 euros. The allowance for a family’s third child would also grow under the agreement, from 76.6 to 100 euros, the Reform Party announced in a press release on March 17. The new figures are likely to come into force from 2015.

At Tallinn City Council, the latest motion to hold a no-confidence vote against Mayor Edgar Savisaar has been rejected. Savisaar has been among few Estonian politicians to describe events in Ukraine from a Kremlin perspective. The Reform Party held a vote against Savisaar on March 25, but failed to gather support from Savisaar’s Center Party, which controls a majority in the Council. Lauri Laats (Social Democrats), who initiated the second bill, told it was rushed, ERR reports. The reasons stated for lack of confidence in the Mayor range from Savisaar travelling to Sochi on taxpayer money and speaking against the Kyiv uprising to underfunded education and a lack of kindergarten places.

At the “Eesti Laul” song contest in Tallinn, the singer Tanja, with her song “Amazing” was voted by the public and jury to represent Estonia at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest.Tanja received 53% of a 57,000-strong vote.