Train operator looking to sue the state.
Postimees Digest, Friday, August 23
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Domestic lines operator Edelaraudtee is planning to sue the Estonian state for 4,975,507 euros in compensation for the latter's decision to have state-owned Elektriraudtee operate Estonia's new trains instead of Edelaraudtee. While the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications is prepared to compensate the carrier, its estimates put damages at just 100,000 euros as the company has been making a loss in recent years. Edelaraudtee's parent company Moonrider made a profit of 4 million euros last year. Auditors hired by Edelaraudtee conclude that the company is entitled to almost 5 million euros in compensation because the state decided to terminate its contract for the carriage of passengers a year prematurely. Edelaraudtee first sued the ministry in April to have the court determine whether the state is in its rights in entering into a direct contract with Elektriraudtee without holding a public procurement. The company's press representative Kersti Gorstov said that the carrier believes such direct contracts are in obvious violation of both Estonian and EU legislation.
Guardtime to offer timestamp services to US military and intelligence.
Estonian company Guardtime entered into a contract with US technology firm Modern Technology Solutions (MTSI) at the beginning of August to start offering timestamp services to US military and intelligence. A timestamp is a digital certificate that makes it possible to objectively pinpoint the time of creation of a digital body of information. Guardtime was established in 2006 to market Estonian scientists Ahto Buldas and Märt Saarepera's Keyless Signature Infrastructure (KSI) technology offering increased security over traditional cryptographic timestamps. CEO of Guardtime Mike Gault says in a related interview that the company's main markets include USA and China and that it is entirely possible the company will increase its turnover tenfold this year. Guardtime offers its services free of charge to the Estonian e-state.
Employers and unions looking for lower unemployment insurance premium.
Both the Estonian Trade Unions Confederation and the Estonian Employers Confederation believe the state should lower the unemployment insurance premium to 2 percent while employees would still contribute two parts to the employers' one part. "Our calculations suggest the Unemployment Insurance Fund does not need more than a 2 percent premium at the moment," said head of unions Peep Peterson. "We agree with the employers in that those sums should be put to better use elsewhere in the economy." The premium is currently set a 3 percent.
Alcohol producers forecast increased cross-border trade following Finland's move.
The Finnish social ministry published a memorandum earlier this week that aims to make legislation regulating the sale of alcohol even stricter than it already is, including plans to ban alcohol sales on Sundays and during national holidays, hike the alcohol excise duty and lower the maximum alcohol content in ciders and beers. While Estonian alcohol producers are not thrilled about the changes as they stand to take a toll on export, most agree that the new regulations will probably boost cross-border alcohol trade and benefit tourism.