Eesti in brief

  • 2014-07-03

UNHCR Senior Regional External Relations Officer in the Baltic States and Nordic Countries Markku Aikomus said that it is urgently needed for Estonia to import more refugees into the country, reports Eesti Paevaleht. He explained that while countries surrounding global conflict areas are overburdened with refugees, Estonia has granted asylum to only seven refugees last year. At the same time, the world has never had so many refugees and displaced persons.

“The number of refugees in countries in the vicinity of crisis areas is so high that they will have to start moving elsewhere,” said Aikomus. He pointed out that with seven persons who were granted asylum last year, Estonia has the lowest number among the EU countries. A recent poll by public opinion surveys enterprise Saar Poll shows that 55 percent of Estonian residents estimate that an influx of refugees would have a negative impact on the country. Eight percent of respondents were of the opinion that the reception of refugees would have a positive impact.

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Almost 81 percent of Estonia’s medical students say they are interested in working abroad, while nearly half – 49.8 percent – work while studying, reports Public Broadcasting citing a fresh poll. The poll among medical students, conducted in May, shows that the most prestigious employers among medical students are Tartu University Clinic, North Estonian Regional Hospital and the East Tallinn Central Hospital.

Of those interested in working abroad, 22.3 percent would be ready to work abroad permanently. Students are most interested in working in Finland, England, Sweden and Germany. “The wish of medical students to find a job abroad has remained at a high level throughout the years. To keep young specialists in Estonia, healthcare institutions as well as the state as a whole have to make efforts,” said Kersti Vannas, consultant at Instar EBC that conducted the study. She said greater attention must be paid to the recruitment, to motivational systems, and to work environment modernization. The study involved 400 students.

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Estonia’s European Commissioner, former prime minister and founder of the Reform Party Siim Kallas, told Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti that he plans to quit politics, reports Aripaev Online. “I think that my time in politics is over,” said Kallas. According to Kauppalehti, the 65-year-old Kallas plans to now pursue an academic career. A lot could be written about and discussed with students about the first European Commissioner’s experiences, says the newspaper. Kallas was Estonia’s prime minister in 2002-2003. He was one of the initiators of the Reform Party in 1994 and its chairman from the start till 2004, when he went to work as Estonia’s first European Commissioner. He will end his second term in the European Commission