Eesti in brief - 2011-10-20

A public poll by Turu-uuringute indicated that 58 percent of Estonian people do not support Estonia’s participation in the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), reports Postimees Online. Opposition to it is equal among Estonians and non-Estonians, 57 and 59 percent, respectively. Twenty-eight percent were for joining the EFSF and 14 percent were unable to state their opinion, said political activist Anti Poolamets, who commissioned the poll, adding that, obviously, the Riigikogu made the decision to join the facility too hastily. The poll also inquired about the attitude towards the euro. Fifty-five percent of the respondents said that they would not support the euro if Estonia had to make the decision to join it now. Thirty-seven percent would still be for the euro. Thirty-one percent of the polled said that the euro has done more harm than good to Estonia; forty-six percent think the euro has done both good and harm, and 17 percent were convinced that euro has done more good than harm. 998 people were polled.

Around two hundred people convened for a demonstration called “Occupy Tallinn” at Tallinn’s Vabaduse Square on Oct. 15 to protest against the rule of banks and decisions of state leaders. This went on alongside with thousands of other people around the world who attended similar demonstrations at the same time, reports Postimees. The demonstration in Tallinn was a peaceful one. One of the initiators, Peeter Proos, explained that one of the aims of the action, that protested against supporting debt-ridden Greece, the decisions of Estonian politicians and the rule of banks, is to “distribute information to people about who, and how, manages our state. The other aim is to let people know how to start acting themselves.” “People have to start speaking up in politics, otherwise, there is no point in criticizing,” he said. In 82 countries around the world, in 950 cities, similar demonstrations took place.

According to the unemployment insurance fund, the number of registered unemployed continues to decline, but the rate of improvement is slowing down, reports bbn.ee. Last week, the number fell by 19 people, which is the lowest count for a long time. In comparison, during the summer months, the number of registered unemployed was falling between 600 and 900 people per week. 1,590 new people were registered as unemployed during the week. Of them, 162 had been made redundant by their employers. A representative of the unemployment insurance fund said that it is only expected that because of seasonal reasons, registered unemployment is not falling as quickly any more. “Seasonal summer jobs are now over and the unemployed have become more active,” said the rep. All in all, the unemployment insurance fund has 46,503 people on its list, which represents 7.2 percent of the total employable population. The fund is advertising 5,929 vacancies in Estonia and 700 abroad.