The Tallinn Town Council will form a special working group to develop an anti-corruption activity program. "We are only waiting for Parliaments' acceptance of the new anti-corruption law. As the illegibility and internal discrepancy of legal regulation strongly limits city possibilities in this sphere," said Tallinn Mayor Edgar Savisaar. Savisaar said he regrets that the state could not bring the anti-corruption law into accordance with the norms of the constitution and general legal principles until now. However, he said it is good that the Ministry of Justice has drafted the new bill and the new law could come into force on Jan. 1, 2010.
Russia may restore the issue of long-term visas for Estonian citizens residing in the border area. Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet has expressed his hope that Moscow will give a positive answer to his request in the nearest future. "We continue to issue long-term multiple entry visas to Russian citizens who were entitled to them earlier. It is Estonia's wish, which we have expressed both orally and in writing to the Russian side that Russia could do the same on a mutual basis," Paet said.
Estonian public institutions have laid off more than a thousand employees in the past year. According to the Finance Ministry, a total of 1,084 people were laid off 's resulting in the reduction of the number of posts in ministries and their subordinate institutions by 7 percent. According to the statistics, the biggest layoffs were in the Finance Ministry, with 44 employees.
