Estonain politicians are happy at the results of the Latvian referendum because voters have no more confidence in them than in Latvia. Daily newspaper Postimees writes in their opinion page that the abortive Latvian constitutional referendum (see story Page 1) would give a respite to country's ruling coalition. SL Ohtuleht said Estonians lack any levers to influence politicians, just like Latvia. Eesti Paevaleht published a selection of internet commentaries on the issue. Some commentators believe Estonia needs a law permitting a recall of elected officials as well.
Estonians are optimistic about the future according to a new pan-European Europarameter study. Some 77 percent of Estonians believe that life will be better in next 20 years while 11.3 percent believe that life will be worse than it is today. In general, Europeans are pessimistic about the future -- 38.2 percent believed that life willimprovein next 20 years, while 48.7 percent believed that things would get worse. The most pessimistic people of all are Germans -- 20 percent of them believed things are improving and 67.8 percent that it is not getting better. The poll covered the entire EU from April 9 to 13.
Tallinn Mayor Edgar Savisaar wants to open the War of Independence Victory Monument on August 20. In his blog Savisaar wrote he sees no problem when the monument is opened earlier than anticipated. In his opinion this would link the celebrations of the 1919 War of Independence and the signing revolution in August 1991.
Mart Laar, Chairman of the Estonian Conservative Pro Patria and Res Publica Union, said a memorial should be made to Russian writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn who died recently. Laar said Estonia should be proud that it contributes to Solzhenitsyn's work. The Russian writer wrote some of his works whilst in Estonia. Laar said the author of the "Gulag archipelago's" role in exposing the crimes of communism and demolishing empire of evil demanded that he be recognized. Laar said not everybody could take a stance he liked Solzhenitsyn, and that if Russia wanted to pick great men of its own history, Solzhenitsyn should rather take a high place.
Finnish police believe two Russian-speaking Estonians were running the amphetamine trade in Finland's Lahti. According to STT the Finnish police controlled the drugs trade between 2007-2008 using Lahti as a center to send drugs all over the country. The police became aware of the gang when investigating the transport of stolen boat engines from Finland to Russia. According to the police, the gang first smuggled the amphetamines to Lahti and then distributed it in the Helsinki, Joensuu and Lappeenranta areas. The two drug dealers are Finnish residents. They were arrested in May. A number of other criminals have been detained in the course of the investigation. All in all about twenty people are involved, some of whom have records. The trial of the suspects will begins next Monday.
