Postimees Digest, Friday, February 1
1st February 2013, 17:04
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POSTIMEES:
Committee moves renewable energy companies' support deadline.
The Riigikogu Economic Affairs Committee has decided to amend the Electricity Market Act bill by moving the line that separates new and old producers and determines eligibility for support forward, from July 15 last year to March 1 this year.
Chairman of the committee Kaja Kallas said that deadlines cannot be timed in accordance with the law taking effect as the latter is tied to a European Commission state aid permit.
"We will send the bill to its second reading and then request its suspension. The economy ministry can then use the text of the second reading to ask the commission for a final state aid permit, following which the second and third readings of the bill would take place," Kallas said. The volume of wind energy eligible for subsidies remains at 600 gigawatt hours a year.
Australia investigates Estonians' sharp practice.
Australian authorities are looking into what is by now 30 cases where young Estonian citizens are charged with identity fraud to obtain a new visa and stay in the country by changing one's name. The practice consists of applying for a new name in Estonia upon expiration of one's visa, after which applicants fill out paperwork to travel to Australia pretending they have never been there before. All reported cases have taken place in Western Australia.