Parliament is set to discuss a law of equal treatment which has passed its second reading. It's goal is to protect people from being dicriminated against because of their race, color of skin, nationality, age, religion, disablement or sexual preferences. Among other things, the new law will create an attorney for equal treatment who will closely watch how the law is applied, counsel people who are having problems and give advice about possible harrasment.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed Estonia in its war of words with Russia in a speech at the European Council's Parliamentary assembly. After the speech, the chair of the Duma's foreign policy committee, Konstantin Kossatshov, asked her to explain human right's violations in Estonia. Merkel said that as far as Germany knows there are no such abuses in the Baltic country and that official human rights reports back up the claim.
