Tallinn representatives dressed the famous Peeing Boy (Manneken Pis) statue in Brussels in an Estonian folk costume last week to mark the nation's Independence Day. The dressing-up was done by Tallinn's Vice Mayor Kaia Jappinen, Tallinn's European Capital of Culture project manager Peeter Rebane and the Estonian capital's representative to the EU, Tonu Karu, together with a representative of Brussels, as part of the city's bid to be named the European Capital of Culture in 2011. The delegation met with representatives of the Brussels city government to discuss joint actions in drafting Tallinn's cultural program for 2011.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that raising visa fees from citizens of third countries would contradict the European Union's neighborhood policy. A steep rise in visa fees was discussed at the EU foreign ministers' council in Brussels this week. Paet said the decision could not be made before the consequences had been thoroughly discussed. "A steep rise in visa fees is in contradiction with the European Union's neighborhood policy, which is aimed at better and more frequent communication with neighbors," he added. "Considering the importance of the neighborhood policy, exceptions will have to be made with regard to countries that have an outlook for accession to the EU as well as those with whom we have European neighborhood policy plans of action."
At the same meeting, Paet said it was a constitutional right of Montenegro to hold an independence referendum. "But to find a satisfactory political solution and preserve regional stability, it is also necessary that both Serbia and Montenegro are ready to hold constructive talks about the future," he added. The minister found that Serbia's unconditional cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ITCY) is necessary to continue stabilization and association treaty talks with the European Union. (See story on Page 16.)
Four computers were seized from their owners as part of a large international crackdown on Internet pedophilia Web sites. On Feb. 21, raids were carried out in Estonia in the course of which employees of the child protection service conducted two searches. As a result of the operation, four computers were seized, one of which contained 50,000 pornographic images. An analysis of the images is under way. Spanish Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso said that more than 100 people had been arrested in 19 countries in the Spanish-led operation. More than 500 raids led to 108 arrests, including 34 people in Brazil, 24 in Spain, 20 in France and 17 in Poland.
The body of a young woman was found in Jogeva County on March 1, Estonia's third murder - all females - in just three weeks. A spokesman for the police said the body of 32-year-old Anzhela, bearing marks of violence, was found at 8 a.m. in an apartment in Tabivere. Police have detained Alexander, 32, as a suspect in the case, and a criminal investigation has been launched.
