Eesti in brief - 2005-10-12

  • 2005-10-12
The new defense minister, Jurgen Ligi of the Reform Party, was sworn in before Parliament nearly a week after President Arnold Ruutel signed a resolution dismissing Jaak Joeruut from the position. Joeruut unexpectedly tendered his resignation on Sept. 26 because he was dissatisfied with political and business developments. Joeruut, who was a member of the Communist Party in the 1980s, also mentioned a scandalous T-shirt calling for "all communists to the oven" that had had been worn by the director of the Estonian War Museum during a football match as a reason for his departure.

The much-disputed monument depicting a WWII soldier in Nazi uniform that the government removed from its original location in Lihula last year will be re-erected on Oct. 15 at the Estonian Museum of the Fight for Freedom in Lagedi. Heiki Muda, a member of the museum's foundation, said that the monument would be unveiled at noon and that representatives from the government and the defence forces would be present.

Baltic naval vessels taking part in the Amber Sea exercise proceeded to Finnish waters for an exercise in anti-aircraft warfare near the Porkkala peninsula. It was to be the first time that the warships would shoot at a moving airborne target, spokespeople for the General Staff in Tallinn said. The crews will shoot from 40-millimeter ship cannons and 12.7-millimeter guns at three unmanned aircraft flying at an altitude of 100 meters.

East-Viru county police seized a large amount of narcotics and arrested one suspect, identified as Mihhail, 35. The officers discovered a kilogram of amphetamine hidden in his car; the narcotic was packed in plastic bags, each containing 250 grams of the substance. A large sum of cash was also found in the car. The suspect has previously served time in Finland for illegal drug possession.

Center Party Chairman Edgar Savisaar said he would abandon his position as economy minister and become the mayor of Tallinn, once again, if his party wins the upcoming local elections. The MP cast his advance-voting ballot on Oct. 10. "My job as mayor was left unfinished, and I didn't leave that position of my own accord," said Savisaar, who was ousted in a vote of no-confidence vote last year after partner Reform Party had a sudden change of heart.