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Marju Lauristin, editor of Human Development Report’s chapter on People and Society, is of the opinion that Estonia ought to aim at becoming one of the securest states in the European Union, thereby also improving trust towards public authority.
Lauristin: let’s turn Estonia into EU security showpiece!
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«Global security index points at two interesting issues. In that category, Estonia comes 41st – our possibilities being bigger than the current reality. We have a large potential to improve our security,» thinks Ms Lauristin. «We might make it our aim to become one of the securest states in the European Union. Basically, that would take a clearly expressed will, an attitude of care.»
In her estimation, inequality and tensions springing from national heterogeneity must be lessened; also, it is time to overcome the stress related to our big neighbour.
Ms Lauristin pointed out, that security is also linked to trust towards public authority.
The fresh Human Development Report reveals that Estonia’s security ranking is positively affected by absence of violent internal conflict; absence of political terror; participation in peace keeping forces; training; absence of illegal arms exports; absence of outflow of refugees; and improving domestic security. The negative factors being perceived spread of crime in the society; violent deaths, amount of murders; amount of prisoners; demonstrations turned violent; military capability; high percentage of defence expenses of GDP, reflecting sense of military threat; and insecure relations with neighbouring countries.
«In Estonia, critical attitudes towards the state have doubled. After 2007, there are twice of much of those critical than those satisfied. For me, this points at the economic model having exhausted itself, but also at problems with democracy. Here, the people being demanding is a positive – not a negative,» said Ms Lauristin: this should spur us on, to make an effort.
For the first time, this year’s report heavily tackled corruption. «When it comes to corruption, in a year we have fallen by eight notches. This is very serious. Especially as the threat of political corruption has increased, the topic has come up internationally and we ourselves ought to take it very seriously,» thinks Ms Lauristin.