Editorial: the addressless

Photo: Uwe Gnadenteich

Where do state agencies send our notices?

Where do you live? Over and again, this is what we are asked in all sorts of questionnaires. It is according to residence that we exist in family doctor lists. Part of our taxes goes to the local government of our registered residence; also, all kinds of social services – if needed – are provided or mediated by the selfsame local government. And, lastly, our right to vote for local councils is up to the very registered residence.

So, again: where do you live? For most, answering a routine question like this is no rocket science. Turns out, however, that there are hosts of exceptions – situations leading to chain reactions of confusing issues, once the question is posed. Thus, the issue revolves around the address to which, if necessary, state agencies send our notices.

Take the elderly, at nursing homes. Turns out, social welfare institutions are not considered residences – the people moving into these will remain in population registers pursuant to former homes. However, many senior citizens sell their flats as they relocate into nursing homes, to cover the costs thereof; therefore, they become addressless, as if.

God be thanked, electoral committee has been considerate and issued a circular, this year, to all hospitals, social departments, nursing homes – to people and institutions which may come in contact with those unable to go vote on their own, needing assistance. How about all other kinds of communication between state and citizen?

Herewith, let us consider court notices, for instance. Wouldn’t it be better if documents sent to declared address would suffice – no need for registered letters against signature. The moral being: address-issue of nursing home inhabitants is no insignificant side-issue; on every level concerned, it needs to be addressed, to find solutions in the people’s best interests. Why not let population register know, if people are actually located at nursing homes? While there.

Things get strange with those registered in apartments where they no longer dwell – or have never dwelt at all. Today’s story of young people, polling cards of whom landlord discovered in her post box, points to the dubious value of Tallinn’s increased population figures. Surely there are those, also, that have dwelt in Tallinn for years and have gotten their official registration within this past year.

It appears, however, that it is child’s play to swindle one’s way into residents’ registry.