An Estonian court fined nationalist activist Juri Liim 25,300 kroons (1,617 euros) for threatening to blow up the Bronze Soldier Soviet monument in central Tallinn. Liim allegedly threatened to detonate a bomb unless the controversial memorial was removed. The Harju County Court found the 65-year-old guilty of a grave breach of public order by making threats to use an explosive substance. The court gave Liim the possibility to pay the fine over a period of 10 months. Liim, who pleaded not guilty, intends to appeal the court's decision.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said he would not consider re-opening talks with Russia over the troubled border treaty. Russia last week sent a diplomatic cable requesting that Estonia enter a further round of discussions about the border treaty, which defines the land and sea state boundaries. An agreement was signed between the two nations in May; however, the cable indicates that Russia was not satisfied with the signed treaty. For Russia, the problem lies in a preamble to the treaty, which it believes gives Estonia the power to contest territorial boundaries in the future.
The Tallinn City Council plans to open a "drunk-tank" in 2006 to handle intoxicated individuals in needed of a sobering-up. The detox center would be based on a similar concept from Helsinki, which operates a 40-bed sobering center coordinated by both police and medics. The council said it was looking for a suitable location and had already earmarked 1 million kroons to establish the drunk tank, which would also be used to treat people suffering the negative effects of other drugs.
Tele2, the second largest mobile operator in Estonia, launched tests of its 3.5G data communications network in central Tallinn. The company said it expects to have the next generation mobile network in commercial operation by the final quarter of the year and hopes to expand its coverage to other parts of the capital. "We're taking development of 3.5G one step at a time. The covered area will grow as the number of telephones supporting the service grows, along with the number of additional services, but also as handsets become more affordable," Tele2 chairman Toomas Tiivel said.
