Eesti in brief - 2010-04-28

The Governor of the Bank of Estonia Andres Lipstok is traveling across Estonia to lecture the people about the euro, reports Postimees. In a meeting in Haapsalu, he said that while entrepreneurs are likely to attempt to raise prices when kroons are exchanged for the euro, state authorities are already monitoring the prices of goods. According to the official forecast, the implementation of the euro will bring a 0.1 - 0.3 percent price increase under the disguise of rounding the difference in exchange rates. Local service companies can play with prices most, but also catering establishments. On May 12, the European Commission convergence report on whether Estonia is allowed entry into the eurozone will be made public. “We have fulfilled the measurable conditions but joining the euro area depends on the wish and will of European structures,” said Lipstok. “In May it will be clear whether we are suitable in the eyes of the evaluators.”

Eero Heinaluoma, the chairman of the parliamentary group of the opposition Social Democratic Party in Finland, sparked a political storm on April 24 over an interview in the Swedish-language newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet, in which he criticized the government’s policy on immigration, reports LETA. There are a lot of immigrants from Estonia in Finland. Berry picking and construction work are the most popular jobs among those coming from Estonia. Heinaluoma’s message was that if the government sticks to its aim of increasing work-based immigration, there will not be enough work to go around for Finns. This would lead to greater racism. He defended the view that immigration should not be increased: “It is not racism. It is a sensible reaction to the fact that we have 300,000 unemployed in the country.” Green League chairwoman, Minister of Labour Anni Sinnemaki, denied the notion that the government is inciting foreigners to immigrate to Finland. She said that the government is simply easing the bureaucracy linked with the hiring of foreign workers.