Postimees Digest, Tuesday, February 5
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Postimees
Anonymous Estonian donates half million euros
An Estonian desiring to remain unknown has donated half a million euros in support of philosophical literature series Avatud Eesti raamat (AER, Open Estonia Book). The maker of the largest known donation for Estonian culture decided to remain anonymous, in order to avoid the limelight.
A flagship for philosophical literature in Estonian, AER is entitled for a half million euros of additional payment up to 2015. According to cooperation agreement in force from July 2011, between the anonymous donor and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (CEE), €100,000 a year for five years are donated into AER’s grant programme, provided the current sponsor CEE maintains its share of €40,000.
The €500,000 donation is the largest known private donation into Estonian culture. To the knowledge of Postimees, it is not a matter of bequest, but the donor is an Estonian residing and working in Estonia. In order to avoid the public spotlight, however, the person has decided to remain unknown.
Reform Party defends companies’ income tax exemption
In spite of optimism within prime minister’s Reform Party, a growing number of people think it’s time Estonia review its tax system. According to Reform Party’s tax experts, the companies’ exemption works well and needs no restructuring. However, the rise of indirect taxes is to be continued.
According to minister of finance Jürgen Ligi, criticism by Mr Varblane is contradictory and faulty. Mr Ligi’s latest initiative is increasing the income-tax-free minimum. Lowering the now 21 per cent income tax rate to 20 should be accomplished in 2015. The timing of tax-free minimum’s rise is not known; it could also come in 2015, or maybe later.
According to Mr Ligi, the Estonian tax system frees the hands of companies to direct their cash flows: into investments, to hire labour force or to pay dividends. That also answers the claim of Mr Varblane, who said that «the systems favours pouring loads of money into machinery and structures, meant for employees with very low salaries».
Colourful history, familiar coaches
Tomorrow, Estonian national football team faces its first international opponent of the year, playing Scotland in a friendly, in Aberdeen. The two haven’t met for quite a while, but the 1990ies bring loads of memories.
«Scotland is a very tough opponent for us. Football is really important over there and the atmosphere at the stadium will be charged. We have to be able to get accustomed to these conditions. All things are for them, one might say,» admitted the Estonian team’s head coach Tarmo Rüütli.
The Estonian forward Henrik Ojamaa, earning his daily bread playing in Scotland’s Motherwell, said that the Scots are surely geared for victory in the friendly, and all players are intent on impressing the new head coach Gordon Strachan.