Eesti in brief

Estonia is a home growing nation. The Statistics Board revealed in a blog entry on its Web site that the 2011 population census and social statistics data demonstrate that nearly one in three households in Estonia grow their own horticultural or field crops, reports Postimees Online. In 2010 during the agricultural census it was determined that there are approximately 20,000 agricultural holdings. In addition to those, there area approximately 175,000 agricultural households that grow a certain amount of fruit and vegetables and other crops for their own use. Agricultural households are categorized as those that have agricultural land of less than one hectare and where crops are mostly cultivated for personal use.

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip was asked at a government press conference on July 18 to comment on the proposal to introduce a 4-day work week, reports Aripaev Online. “If people do not wish to, or are unable to work full-time, they ought to be able to opt for part-time work,” said the head of government. “Many experts have recommended that Estonia use a more flexible work-time organization,” he said. “If someone feels that working five days a week eight hours per day is too much for them, but they would be prepared to earn an income of 20 percent less, then why not,” explained Ansip. “But to decide on the state level that let us start working less and earn lower wages, this would be quite impossible,” said the prime minister.

The government decided on July 18 not to support the legislative proposal submitted by Social Democrats to extend options for dual citizenship for individuals, reports Postimees Online. The objective of the Social Democrats’ proposal was to allow those persons who are of another citizenship beside Estonian citizenship to maintain their Estonian citizenship if giving up the citizenship of another country is impossible, dangerous or disproportionately complicated. The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not support the proposal, noting that the draft law would change without any substantial need the foundations for Estonia’s citizenship policy.

The Swedish-based Air Pollution and Climate Secretariat has published a report on the Nordic-Baltic region, stating that the region must cut CO2 emissions by 95 percent by 2030, reports National Broadcasting. The report highlights Estonia as the worst per-capita polluter in the region, particularly due to its oil shale based energy industry. According to the report, the oil shale industry ought to be replaced by green energy producing operations, to be situated again in Ida-Viru County, in order to avoid socio-economic problems. The report also noted that the current energy industry should, to the extent of 60 percent, be replaced by wind power, particularly offshore wind farms. Remaining demand for electricity and heating ought to be met by using biofuels.