New integration head considers separation the biggest problemIrene Käosaar, who will take over heading the Integration Foundation in September, says that she does not like the Estonian-Russian issue being raised again in 2017 before the election.Estonian news
Editorial: the chair challengeOriginally intended to take place at beginning of 2018, Estonia's turn at the rotating EU presidency will happen half a year earlier due to the UK exiting the bloc.Opinion
Tallinn to increasingly speak Russian 1In 2000–2011, largest numbers of Estonians in Tallinn moved to Pelgulinn, Kalamaja and Pääsküla. Regarding Russians, they were most inclined to go live in Laagna, Mustakivi and Väike-Õismäe city districts. Among the suburbs, Estonians overwhelmingly looked towards Viimsi while Russians resettled in Maardu. Among those who left Tallinn, Estonians spread all over Estonia and Russians firstly chose East-Viru County, industrial towns and Tartu.Local News
Natl Audit Office: Estonia is poorly prepared for receiving refugeesEstonia's ability to welcome people applying for international protection as well as the ones who have received the status of displaced person and to integrate them into the society is insufficient and needs significant improvement, the National Audit Office finds.Local News
Former Guantánamo inmate integrating into EstoniaAfter ten years innocently jailed on the Cuban isle of Guantánamo, then released and sent to Estonia this January, the Yemeni Ahmed Abdul Qader is still in Estonia and trying actively to get settled says social ministry.Local News
Survey: Over half of stateless residents want to become citizens of EstoniaMore than half of the people with undetermined citizenship living in Estonia would like to get Estonian citizenship but have difficulty mastering the official language to the necessary level, it appears from the findings of the survey titled «Monitoring of Integration in Estonian Society in 2015» published on Thursday.Local News
Editorial: the glass looks half full, ratherFor the most part, «integration» assumes a critical tone when pronounced in public space of Estonia. In studies, and real life especially, we see the desired processes actually in motion. Yep, not fast enough, perhaps. Sure, there’s steps to be taken, and some perhaps to avoid.Opinion
Editorial: no «Fascists», no «Commies»Yesterday, governmental eyes beheld the final report on integration plan 2008–2013. One, for some reason, is reminded of this story of a grown guy who wets his bed. A friend says why don’t you go see a psychologist? In a couple of months they meet again. Friend asks bedwetter how he’s doing. «Excellent,» he says. «Wetting the bed no more?» asks the friend. «I do, but I’m no longer concerned about it,» says the other.Opinion
Editorial: Estonia, my very own!«At long last I may breathe easy. I made it. My life is in me still. I’ve got my Estonia, my very own and free!» Just some lines from a documentary novel, written as a diary by Heino Kiik and published in 2007, called «The Joys of Breaking Free» (Vabanemise rõõmud). Penned in August 20th 1991 – 23 years ago.Opinion
German study lists Estonia’s strengths and weaknessesEstonia is the most sustainably governed post-Soviet country and ahead of several long-term democracies, shows a fresh study by Bertelsmann Foundation.Local News
Olli Rehn: in crisis, we also protected the weakest of societyEU economy and finance chief, the Finn Olli Rehn (51), relates how the outgoing European Commission succeeded, against all odds, to avoid insolvency of European states, which – among other things – would have been devastating to those on social welfare and people on public payrolls.Local News
New impetus for encouraging integrationThe government is planning to approve a national strategy of integration and cohesion entitled Lõimuv Eesti 2020 by the end of this year. The Praxis think tank and Institute of Baltic Studies organised six discussion groups in spring in order to gather input for the strategy from one of its significant target groups – people living in Estonia who do not have Estonian or EU citizenship, incl. Russian citizens and people with unspecified nationality. This week we will publish reports on the proposals of these people. We have heard many opinions around us and in public debates along the lines of “integration policy has failed because nothing has changed”. I am sure that the integration policy, development and action plans in this area will be all the more effective when the opinions of the target groups in these matters are listened to.Opinion
Estonia to spend over EUR 7 mln on integration this yearThe Estonian government on Thursday approved an integration strategy implementation plan according to which 7.04 million euros, 710,000 euros less than last year, is to be spent on integration activities in 2013.Local News
Learning Estonian has smaller impact on integration than expected - surveyA survey on the effect of courses in Estonian language commissioned by the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) indicates that people attending the courses have gained courage to speak the official language but the positive effect on integration is smaller than expected.Local News
Integration causing concern for Russian compatriot ideologists - Estonian security policeSuccess of the integration policy in Estonia is a cause for concern for the ideologists of the so-called compatriots policy in Russia, as integration runs counter to the aims of the compatriots policy, the annual review of the Estonian security police for 2012 says.Local News
Grassroots integration discussions to be launched in EstoniaCitizens of other countries and stateless persons living in Estonia are being invited to take part in discussions on integration as a result of which a new integration plan is to be drawn up by the end of the year.Local News
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