Eesti in brief - 2009-07-15

  • 2009-07-15
The North-Estonian Regional Hospital has laid-off 26 nurses and care assistants in eight days. Mu.ee reported that three nurses, who worked in psycho geriatrics department at Keila hospital, got notice of dismissal on the day the returned from vacation. Approximately 1,400 nursing jobs remain vacant at the hospital. The nurses have turned to lawyers for legal advice.

Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts has started talks with the Tallinn Airport and Estonian Air to launch more direct routes from Tallinn, Eesti Paevaleht reports. The minister said that the tourism sector and other enterprises need early morning flights from Tallinn to anywhere in Europe and evening flights back. Parts said that the Tallinn Airport and Estonian Air should seek new possibilities for opening new routes. Maria Alajoe, the member of EAS' management said they're interested in the carrier making more frequent flights from Tallinn. EAS is willing to make advertisement campaigns in aviation companies' new destinations.

The European Commission approved of the plan of Estonia to temporarily grant aid of up to 500,000 euros for supporting the economy. On the basis of the competition rules in the EC treaty, the European Commission approved of Estonia's measure for aiding entrepreneurs in overcoming the current economic crisis. According to this measure, Estonia may grant up to 500,000 euros of aid in 2009 and 2010 to entrepreneurs that have difficulties for financing their activities due to a deceleration in issuing loans. "Estonia's aid plan will help entrepreneurs to manage the problems caused by the current economic situation without bringing about unjustified distortions in competition," said the European Commissioner in charge of competition affairs Neelie Kroes.

RIA Novosti has reported that Russian authorities plan on destroying an island drifting in Estonian waters over threat to a Russian hydroelectric plant on the Narva Reservoir. A four-hectare tract of land that was part of Russian territory split off in June and floated over the border before getting stuck near high-voltage lines. The island is currently 106 meters from the dam at the Russian hydroelectric plant. An emergency plan to destroy the island will be put into effect if the island moves another 50 meters, the Delfi.ee Web site reported. There are more than a dozen of islands drifting on the Russian side of the Narva Reservoir, which is on the border between Russia and Estonia.

The Association of Trade Unions of State and Local Government Employees and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Estonia reached an agreement on July 13 on a pay cut for police officers. According to the agreement, the police officers' first pay level will be decreased by 8 percent. "As we promised on behalf of the ministry, that due to budgetary reasons there will not be any redundancies among the police officers in 2009 and from October 1, 2009, we will launch pay negotiations on the year 2010 with representatives of police officers, rescue officers and border guards," said minister of internal affairs Marko Pomerants. "In my opinion, the agreement was very realistic, based on the actual situation 's it was not easy for either of the sides," he said.