Over these 20 years, a number of interesting, necessary and educational texts have been published. Many of these will grow in value over time.
Helle Ruusing
Editor-in-Chief of Riigikogu Toimetised issues 11–28
Siim Kallas | Presentation in the Riigikogu at the 1st Reading of the Draft State Budget Act 2000 |
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Kalle Jürgenson | State Budget 2000, What and Why? |
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Olev Raju | Commentaries on the State Budget 2000 |
Madis Võõras | Estonia on the Way to Full Membership of the European Space Agency |
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Ene Ergma | Estonia Has Become a Space State |
Urve Läänemets | A Good Teacher Should Be Ready to Learn Also from the Pupils |
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Külli Eichenbaum | Using the Local Peculiarities of Old Võromaa |
Over these 20 years, a number of interesting, necessary and educational texts have been published. Many of these will grow in value over time.
The Riigikogu Toimetised (RiTo) conversation circle on 26 November discussed the Estonian culture. The discussion dwelt at length on the development plan „The Fundamentals of Cultural Policy until 2020”, which had been drafted by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with several specialised organisations.
It is November 2013. Autumn has been unexceptionally long and warm. The Minister of Culture of the Republic of Estonia has resigned. He said he did not have the possibility to have a say in the communication field, that in this field all truth transforms into lies. Culture newspaper „Sirp” became a part of a happening during which real people suffered.
The history dispute that broke out in Estonia in the beginning of this year, after the publication of Volume 2 of The History of Estonia, is a clear example that characterises the situation in Estonia. In a sense, Estonia is again at the crossroads: is it better to hold on fast to the values of the nation state, or to be carried along with the current of globalisation and merge into something larger – the Baltic States, the Nordic Countries, the European Union. History and the myths created on its basis have two times been very important for Estonia in achieving independence. Now, when the modern view on history has placed the events of the Middle Ages in Estonia into a wider European context, there suddenly seemed to be less heroism. The fear that an important truth is disputed brought along a wave of criticism.
The Riigikogu Toimetised conversation circle on 28 May discussed the Estonian Human Development Report.
This year we celebrated the twentieth anniversary of many events that were important to Estonia after regaining independence: the entry into force of our Constitution, start of the work of the Riigikogu, elections of the President, and also the adoption of the Estonian kroon.
The Riigikogu Toimetised (RiTo) conversation circle on 28 November discussed the Estonian political party system – its formation after the restoration of independence and later development as well as its current problems and the ways to overcome them.
The sinister circumstances connected with the financing of political parties that have come to light this spring force the Estonian society to ask questions belonging to the sphere of ethics.
n the Riigikogu Toimetised (RiTo) conversation circle on 23 May four experts, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sulev Kannike, Consultant of Logistics and Transit Association Andrus Kuusmann, Member of the Riigikogu Jevgeni Ossinovski (Social Democratic Party) and political scientist from the University of Tartu, Project Manager of the Academic Centre for Baltic and Russian Studies Karmo Tüür discussed the development of the Russian Federation during the last two decades. RiTo Editor-in-Chief Helle Ruusing acted as the moderator and compiled a summary of the discussion.
In Riigikogu Toimetised conversation circle on 21 November, three experts discussed the European debt crisis, and the future of the European Union and the common European currency. The experts participating in the conversation circle were the Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi (Estonian Reform Party), Member of the Board of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute Erkki Bahovski and lawyer Andres Tupits. RiTo Editor-in-Chief Helle Ruusing acted as the moderator and compiled a summary of the discussion.
Money is looking for a refuge. Government bonds that until now were reliable are not trusted any longer; the bonds of some European states have been declared trash by rating agencies.
20 August of this year is the twentieth anniversary of the day Estonia again became an independent state.
In Riigikogu Toimetised (RiTo) conversation circle on 24 May, three foreign policy experts analysed the present situation in Arab countries, where the demonstrations against the ruling powers that started in Tunisia have spread over almost the whole North Africa and Middle East.
On 1 January 2011, Estonia will adopt the euro. It is a sign of the development of our economy during the last two decades. Although the efforts made for fulfilment of the formal criteria of the euro deserve recognition, with the benefit of hindsight it can be said that the preparation begun much earlier. Likewise, no politician or government can say that the euro is their merit. It is the Estonian people who deserve credit for that. We are one of the poorest in the “euro club” at present but we can rely on Estonians’ tenacity and diligence – they will do everything to raise their rating. The euro is a landmark which has been achieved with a great effort and from which something new will be born.
In Riigikogu Toimetised conversation circle on 22 November, four Members of the Riigikogu discussed the development of the Estonian Parliament during the last two decades.
Riigikogu Toimetised invited four experts of economy and social policy to the conversation circle on 24 May, in order to discuss the extensive unemployment in Estonia as a result of the global economic recession.
There are about 130 000 people in Estonia who are looking for a job. A large number of people in their prime have no steady income and, what is even worse form their own standpoint, they have no possibility to be useful.
The Riigikogu Toimetised conservation circle on 20 November discussed the transition to the common currency of the European Union, the euro, which Estonia firmly wants to join in the coming years. The participants in the conversation circle were Estonian Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi, former Minister of Finance and current member of the board of Tallink Hotels group OÜ TLG Hotell Aivar Sõerd, Eesti Pank monetary policy department head Ülo Kaasik, and Estonian Development Fund adviser Heido Vitsur. The debate was moderated and summarized by RiTo editor-in-chief Helle Ruusing.
The world is changing. The financial and economic crisis has forced people to abandon their habitual spend-use-and-dispose behaviour reminiscent of a hamster in a wheel.
For a long time we kept repeating to ourselves that we were not Latvia. Our economy would manage the crisis better, we had reserves, our politicians were better statesmen, etc. Until the cabinet crisis broke, that is. Until the cabinet crisis was created, to be precise. Disgruntled voices now say that we are like Latvia.
Riigikogu Toimetised invited three experts of social policy to the conversation circle of 27 May, in order to discuss Estonia’s social policy and social system: how our social system has developed, what the priorities of Estonia’s social security are, and what challenges the social system faces because of the economic recession.
Signs of the impending global economic crisis could be seen for many years, but did not receive sufficient attention. It was more convenient and pleasant to hope that, if a phase of economic decline did set in, it would not prove a very serious one. Now things look different.
On 26 November, the Riigikogu Toimetised summoned four economic experts around one table to talk about the financial and economic crisis and, on its background, the current state of the Estonian economy.
The topic for the conservation circle in this issue of Riigikogu Toimetised is Estonian local governments and problems related to their legal basis, financing, small size and future development.
Estonia may lack money, ideas and capacity for engaging in cooperation.
Talking about history has become popular and often two mutually exclusive arguments are heard.
On 26 November, Riigikogu Toimetised assembled a panel of politicians and experts to discuss the topic of political party financing in Estonia.
Riigikogu Toimetised invited politicians and political observers to take part in a discussion about the election of the 11th Riigikogu on 21 May and the campaign that preceded the elections.
For Estonia, spring 2007 has been extraordinary. For the first time in the last fifteen years, we felt that we could be facing serious domestic and foreign policy problems.
Estonian parties have partisan interests in abundance, but a shortage of worldview, firm convictions and principles.
Spring 2006 should be a hot one in Estonian politics. The birth of a new party is right around the corner. Sooner or later the result will be a shifting of the entire party-political terrain. In the autumn a new head of state will be elected in Estonia; in nine months, the people will elect another parliament.
The Riigikogu Toimetised gathered politicians and political scientists for a round table discussion on electoral behaviour of the Estonian people and political parties' place in politics, in light of the local government council s elections, held on 16 October.247
For a time this autumn, a discussion broke out in the Estonian media over the dearth of ethical and moral values in society. It struck me that I, too, have become more inured with each passing year where my social instincts are concerned.
In the last fifteen years, Estonian society has achieved an extraordinary amount economically and politically.
In the early 2002, the Riigikogu secretariat organized a competition for preparatory school students - collecting memories from MPs in the 7th Riigikogu. Even though only 12 works were received, they proved that there was enough interesting material to go around.