Summaries

Estonia's One-Month UN Security Council Presidency Begins As of May 1, Estonia will hold the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for a month. Estonia intends to place special emphasis on the links between the COVID-19 pandemic and the security environment, cyber security, the fundamental principles of international...

Estonia to Slowly Start Easing Restrictions On April 23, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas said that the government is going to extend the emergency situation and accompanying orders by a minimum of two weeks, but that the 2+2 rule (a maximum of 2 people in a group, staying 2 metres apart)...

Mart Sander's Film Won Best Feature Film and Original Score in NY Mart Sander's horror-fantasy "Eerie Fairy Tales", based on his short story collection of the same name, won the Best Feature Film award and Original Music Score category award at the New York Movie Awards. The film has so...

Problems with "Vaba Eesti Sõna" DeliveryWe have received news of disruptions and delays of our newspaper delivery, even in central New York City. We regret this fact and ask readers to be patient in the given extraordinary circumstances. We remind you that the paper can also be read online. If...

Video Installation Marks Anniversary of March 1949 Soviet DeportationsA video installation marked the 71st anniversary of the March 25 Soviet mass deportations of Estonians to Siberia. The installation was organized by the Human Rights Institute. It included an outline of the former Soviet Union's territory, along with rail lines which...

Larger Cities in Estonia Void of People Following State of EmergencyIt is a week into the state of emergency declared in Estonia and instead of being in cities, a lot of Estonians have taken advantage of the situation and are spending time outdoors in forests and on bog hikes, although...

Estonian Government Forms Crisis CommissionThe Estonian government has set up a government crisis commission to deal with the COVID-19 virus outbreak and, as an additional measure, has decided to prohibit cruise ships from docking in Tallinn until May 1. Events with more than 100 participants are also being cancelled. In...

President Kaljulaid Met with U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and IMF ChiefWhile on a working visit to the United States, President Kersti Kaljulaid met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva in Washington on March 2. Talks with Secretary of the...

Interior Ministry Honors Members of Estonian Communities AbroadEstonia's Population Minister Riina Solman recognized and thanked dedicated members of Estonian exile communities on the anniversary of the Republic, including Estonian-Americans Marju Rink-Abel, Sirje Kiin and Aavo Reinfeldt and Sirle Sööt of Sweden, who headed ESTO 2019. Decorations will be presented on...

U.S. to Give up to $1 billion Towards Three Seas Investment FundAt the Munich Security Conference on February 15, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed the US commitment to the Three Seas Initiative, which Estonia is a member of, and its readiness to allocate up to $1 billion for the...