Press Digest, Monday, January 21

Photo: Liis Treimann

Number of narcotics deaths breaks all-time record. Ligi would hike minimum exempt from tax. 

POSTIMEES: Number of narcotics deaths breaks all-time record. Illegal drugs were responsible for 160 deaths in Estonia last year that is eight times more than the European average. Drug overdoses killed 38 people in 2001. The figure comes in light of recent efforts by the police that have in turn resulted in record-breaking figures for confiscated drugs and criminal proceeds. The authorities confiscated record amounts of phentanyl and more than 1.5 million euros in criminal proceeds last year while the prosecution managed to convict 561 narcotics criminals in 2010 compared to 330 in 2007. Both the police and health experts conclude that while financing could always be better, attitudes in society need to change before there can be any major improvements in the field.

EESTI PÄEVALEHT: Ligi would hike minimum exempt from tax. Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi says in an interview that it is probable that the minimum exempt from income tax will rise in Estonia in the near future as it would constitute a real respite for people with lower income. The minister also says the state has considered using unemployment insurance money to help bring disabled persons to the labor market. Ligi says that while it would be more sensible for some state-owned companies to belong in the finance ministry's administrative area concerning recent debates over whether to give control of Estonian Air, Eesti Energia and EVR Cargo to the ministry, he is not in favor of such changes on principle as the finance ministry is regarded to have too much power already and that rather he would like the ministry to be able to concentrate more narrowly on the field of finance.