#Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas

[higherentity]

[tomorrowusa]

Unless Russia abandons its goal of conquering new territory in Ukraine, peace talks have little chance of achieving anything. History shows that appeasement only strengthens and encourages aggressors and that aggressors can be stopped only with force. As the prime minister of Estonia, a frontline NATO country that endured half a century of Soviet occupation, I know what peace on Russia’s terms really means. Russian peace would not mean the end of suffering but rather more atrocities. The only path to peace is to push Russia out of Ukraine.     [ ... ]    What is at stake in Ukraine is not just Ukraine’s existence but Europe’s security architecture, with its core principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, and prohibition of the use of force. We cannot allow the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and the European security architecture to be trampled underfoot. For that reason, Ukraine must win, the Russian aggressor must fail, and war criminals must face justice. No peace that is reached before these goals are achieved can ensure anyone’s security.

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas of Estonia, at the journal Foreign Affairs. (archived)

Estonian Prime Minister Kallas knows what she’s talking about. Countries next door to Russia have no illusions about the régime there. Often it’s people in the West who know next to nothing about Eastern Europe who are calling for an immediate negotiated settlement. That’s like trying to reach a “compromise” between a serial killer and an intended victim.

Russia has attacked Ukraine despite previous international agreements such as the 1975 Helsinki Accords and the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances. And let’s not forget the United Nations Charter. Russia isn’t respecting those treaties and so there’s little reason to believe it would follow any new agreements.

Russia has never given up its colonialist and imperialist ambitions. It’s only when it starts acting like a normal 21st century country that there will be lasting peace in Eastern Europe. Leave the idiotic talk of bothsiderism to Elon Musk, “tankies”, and other brainless dupes of Putin. 

Prime Minister Kallas expatiated on the war and Russia’s responsibility for it in this interview on Australia’s ABC.

[mariacallous]

[misspeppermint2003]

Drawings of Other Nickelodeon characters as World Politicians

I made these drawings of four of my favourite Nickelodeon characters as world politicians.

1st top left: Drawing of Veronica as former British Prime Minister Liz Truss

1st top right: Picture of former British Prime Minister Liz Truss

2nd top left: Drawing of Stanley S. SquarePants as former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg

2nd top right: Picture of former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg

1st bottom left: Drawing of Jazz Fenton as Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas

1st bottom right: Picture of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas

2nd bottom left: Drawing of Lincoln Loud as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

2nd bottom right: Picture of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

[beardedmrbean]

Estonia’s Justice Minister Liisa Pakosta has told the BBC her country is considering whether to house foreign prisoners in one of its jails.

She said she discussed prisons with UK Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood at an AI summit in Vilnius on Thursday.

But she said there were no “agreements or anything like that” with the Labour government.

The UK is dealing with an overcrowding crisis in prisons, with the population in England and Wales at a record high.

With few spaces left in cells, the government will release about 3,000 prisoners from jails next week, under a temporary scheme.

This will come after a report in the Telegraph said criminals could serve their sentences in Estonian prisons under plans being considered by ministers.

Speaking to the BBC, Ms Pakosta stressed there had been no “political decision” on what to do with Tartu prison, which was almost empty because of the low level of crime in the country.

She said the UK - under the previous Conservative government - was one of several European countries that had expressed interest in sending some prisoners to Estonia.

Ms Pakosta said British officials had visited Tartu prison for an inspection under the previous UK government.

The BBC has been told both former Conservative and current Labour ministers independently came to the view that the scheme would be expensive.

Earlier, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said: "Estonia was the policy of the former government.

"The current government is making no such plans or announcements in relation to Estonian prison places."

The minister said she had “a very good meeting” with Ms Mahmood, as they gathered in the Lithuanian capital to sign the first international treaty on artificial intelligence.

“But we were discussing more the general understanding of prison policy in both countries and what we can do to enhance the sense of security in our communities,” Ms Pakosta said.

She added: “So I explained what we’re doing in Estonia and I got a general overview of the situation in Great Britain.

“But I have to underline we did not talk of any agreements or anything like that, because as I said, we don’t have a political decision in Estonia yet.”

Estonia's ruling party chose Kristen Michal to replace former leader Kaja Kallas as the Baltic state's new prime minister in July. They are from the same Reform Party, which won an overwhelming victory in a general election in 2023.

Ms Pakosta said it cost about €3,000 (about £2,500) per month to house an Estonian prisoner, below the EU average.

The average annual overall cost of a prison place in England and Wales is £46,696, according to the Prison Reform Trust.

Estonia's government estimates it could earn as much as €30m (£25m) a year from renting out spare prison capacity, as the country seeks to boost its public finances.

When asked if hosting foreign prisoners could damage Estonia’s international reputation, Ms Pakosta said: “Of course it is not the best topic to promote Estonia.

“But I would assure that coming as a tourist to Estonia, coming to a country with such a low criminality rate, is a very good option.

“It’s so safe we even have so many empty prison places. Half of the prison places are empty in Estonia. So everybody is welcome to come here.”

[nicklloydnow]

“Comparing 2024 to 1938, Timothy Snyder, a Yale University history professor specializing in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union said Ukraine was comparable to a Czechoslovakia "that has chosen to fight."

(…)

"If the Ukrainians give up, or if we give up Ukraine, then it's a different Russia making war in the future," Snyder said during a conference in the Estonian capital, Tallinn.

"It's a Russia making war with Ukrainian technology, Ukrainian soldiers, from a different geographical position," he added. "Then we're in 1939. We're in 1938 now. In effect, what the Ukrainians are letting us do is letting us extend 1938. They're helping us to stay out of 1939."

(…)

Kyiv has warned that, should Ukraine fall to Russian forces, other nations in Europe will be next on Russia's hit list.

"I would like you to come out on the streets and support Ukraine, support our efforts and support our fight because if Ukraine will not stand, Europe will not stand," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said shortly after Moscow's troops poured into Ukraine in February 2022. "If we will fall, you will fall."

Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said "everything is possible" when discussing whether a wider war could break out between Russia and Western countries backing Ukraine.

The globe is "one step away from a full-scale World War III," Putin said in mid-March.

"I think hardly anyone is interested in this," he added during a media session.”

“Benjamin Haddad—a member of parliament for Macron's Renaissance party and considered a leading voice in French foreign policy discussions—told Newsweek on the sidelines of the Lennart Meri Conference in Estonia last week that NATO and the European Union need to "turn the tables" on Russian President Vladimir Putin after more than two years of full-scale war.

Macron is seeking to re-establish Western strategic ambiguity and knock Moscow off balance, with the deployment of NATO forces inside Ukraine in non-combat roles among his recent proposals. Though immediately dismissed by the U.S., the idea has won backers in Europe, particularly in nations that sit along Russian frontiers.

Momentum for deeper NATO commitments—including troop deployment—in Ukraine is "clearly" building, Haddad said. "It was interesting to see that in the first couple days, everyone said, 'It's an isolated position by France.'"

But since then, leading European figures expressed their support for the proposal—or at least for an open debate about it—Haddad noted. Among them are Czech President Petr Pavel, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.

(…)

"Right now, a lot of Ukrainian troops are stationed at the border with Belarus to prevent a potential invasion from the north," he said. "Western forces could be deployed along the frontier 'as a 'tripwire'—as you have troops in in the Baltic states or in Poland—to be able to liberate some of these Ukrainian troops to go to the front.

(…)

Russia has consistently warned its Western adversaries against providing any kind of aid to Ukraine while simultaneously framing its war on Kyiv as a direct confrontation with the U.S.-led "collective West."

This month, in response to a Ukrainian petition urging NATO to deploy forces, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "We have repeatedly said that direct intervention on the ground in this conflict by the military of NATO countries potentially carries enormous danger, so we consider this an extremely challenging provocation, nothing less, and, of course, we are watching this very carefully."

(…)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is again pushing Western allies to do more to bolster Kyiv.

"It's a question of will," he told Reuters this week. "But everyone says a word that sounds the same in every language: everyone is scared of escalation. Everyone has gotten used to the fact that Ukrainians are dying—that's not escalation for people."

Haddad said the latest developments are concerning.

"It's been concerning for a while," he said. "We see a Russia that's ramping up aggression, that's turned its industry to complete war economy footage, and I think we've been lagging in our response, both in Europe in the United States."”

[unofficial-estonia]

Estonia has approved an additional military aid package to Ukraine, bringing Estonia's support to Ukraine equal to 1% of Estonia's GDP.

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas commented on the decision "Estonians know from their painful history what happens when evil triumphs and a large country swallows up smaller ones. If Ukraine falls, freedom is in danger elsewhere in the world as well. By helping Ukraine defend its independence, we are defending all countries' right to freedom and democracy, including Estonia's."

[mokhosz-nafo]

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said that Western leaders should not rule out the possibility of sending ground troops to Ukraine

Kallas stressed that leaders must discuss all options behind closed doors, including what more can be done to help Ukraine.

“I think these are also signals that we are sending to Russia that we are not ruling out different things,” Kallas said on the Politico podcast, “because all countries have understood that we must do everything to make sure that Ukraine wins and Russia loses this war.” "

[blueiscoool]

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On the Huint

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas out looking for Russian soldiers with her Javelin today.

[brijeshtiwaripune]

First ex-Soviet state Estonia legalizes same-sex marriage

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas expressed her pride in Estonia as the bill garnered 55 votes in the 101-seat parliament. Estonia, a progressive ex-Soviet state, has made significant strides in advancing LGBT rights over the past few decades. Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1992, and in 2016, same-sex couples gained the ability to register their relationship through cohabitation agreements. On June 20, 2023, Estonia achieved another milestone by becoming the first ex-Soviet state to legalize same-sex marriage. This historic move reflects Estonia's commitment to equality and aligns it with Western values while distinguishing itself from neighboring Russia. Legal Framework and Progress in Estonia The path to same-sex marriage in Estonia involved public debates, court rulings, and the passing of the Registered Partnership Act in 2014. However, the implementation of certain acts required for the law to take effect faced delays, resulting in legal complications. The new Estonian government, committed to promoting equality, pledged to pass the necessary acts, and the Supreme Court recognized the right of same-sex couples to family life. Support for LGBT rights and Same-Sex Marriage in Estonia Estonia is considered one of the most liberal ex-Soviet states regarding LGBT rights, with a majority of the population supporting anti-discrimination laws and same-sex marriage, as indicated by a 2023 survey. This growing support is a testament to changing attitudes and increased acceptance in Estonian society. Advocates of same-sex marriage emphasize the importance of equal rights, reducing hostility, and creating a secure environment for all individuals. Estonia's progress in LGBT rights is seen as a potential catalyst for change in neighboring countries like Latvia and Lithuania, inspiring them to follow suit. Impact of Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage The legalization of same-sex marriage in Estonia will eliminate legal uncertainties faced by same-sex couples and solidify their rights. Starting from January 1, 2024, same-sex couples will have the right to marry and jointly adopt, further enhancing their legal recognition and family rights. The new law will also enable joint adoption by same-sex couples, expanding their ability to create and raise families. Estonia's move towards marriage equality reinforces its commitment to inclusivity and ensures that all loving couples have the same rights and opportunities, irrespective of sexual orientation. Ongoing Challenges and the Road Ahead While Estonia has made significant progress in promoting LGBT rights, challenges and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community still persist in certain sectors of Estonian society. Continued efforts are necessary to address these issues and foster greater acceptance and equality for all individuals. Advocacy groups, lawmakers, and activists will continue their work to combat discrimination, raise awareness, and promote understanding. Read the full article

[tomorrowusa]

Over the past couple of years Estonia has been known largely for its strong support for Ukraine under recently re-elected Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

Now the Baltic state has distinguished itself in yet another way. Effective on New Year's Day of 2024, marriage equality becomes the law in Estonia. Estonia joins Slovenia as countries in Eastern Europe where same sex marriage is legally recognized.

The law follows earlier moves to grant greater rights to LGBTQ+ Estonians, all of which fell short of equality.  In 2014, Estonia introduced same-sex civil unions, which did not deliver the same adoption rights and parental recognition that automatically come with marriage. Same-sex relations between men were criminalized in Estonia under Soviet occupation, and did not become legal again until 1992, one year after independence. Most former communist countries in Europe and Central Asia lag behind Western nations on LGBTQ+ rights. In 2022, Slovenia became the first post-communist country to allow same-sex marriage.

Russian occupation and communism stifled social progress in Eastern Europe and caused the region to fall behind countries in Western Europe for decades. That has gradually been changing.

The conservative opposition in the Riigikogu, Estonia's parliament, tried to use the marriage equality law to bring down the government. Its no confidence motion failed.

ERR (Eesti Rahvusringhääling), Estonia's public broadcaster, provides more details.

Tuesday, the Estonian government has survived a vote of no confidence in the Riigikogu tied to amendments to the Family Law Act and related legislation, which is granting same-sex couples the legal right to wed. 55 members of the Riigikogu voted in favor of the measure, while 34 voted against. It is proposed that the institution of marriage, as defined by family law, be modified so that  any two natural persons of legal age, regardless of gender, may marry. The words "man and woman" will be replaced with the words "two natural persons." The 85 amendments to the Family Law Act and other legislation which will introduce same-sex marriage contracts also include the establishment of the implementing acts for the Registered Partnership Act.

[hjhb-the-hdgp]

Estonia PM's husband was transporting tear gas components to a factory literally has "Russian and Belarussian law enforcement values our tear gas!" as it's slogan. The components were sourced from the company Metaprint, also Estonian, that paid 1 500 000€ for transportation and earned 30 000 000€ from the start of the war and till August 2023

Context: Kaja Kallas, Estonian Prime Minister blames her opposition to having ties to Russia, was talked about as the next NATO secretary, sent a video message to the NAFO conference, says she "didn't know about her husband's business", refused to resign over her husband's company, to which she gave 350 000€, continuing to work and earn in Russia

[mariacallous]

Estonia's Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, has told the BBC that Russia's Vladimir Putin is "afraid" of a war with Nato.

The leader of Estonia, which borders Russia, warned that while Putin is good at "sowing fear", his threats must also be taken seriously.

Ms Kallas added that Nato countries do not want to go to war with Russia either.

She has previously called on European countries to bolster support for Ukraine, warning that war could expand "very fast in Europe, so no country is left untouched" if Vladimir Putin wins.

[head-post]

EU chief names European Commission’s new top team

Ursula von der Leyen proposed on Tuesday 27 candidates for the post of European Commissioners – one from each EU country. In a speech to MEPs, she noted that 40 per cent of the seats in the new EC will be taken by women. According to her, after the first proposals of candidates from the EU country, the share of women was 22 per cent, but after the negotiations their representation was expanded.

Former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will start work as European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy from November 1, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday. She also added:

Kaja Kallas, as you already know, will be our high representative and vice-president.

Earlier, media reported that in September 2023, Estonian President Alar Karis called on Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to resign from his post after it was revealed that Kaja Kallas’ husband was making money from co-operation with Russia. According to local media, Arvo Hallik owns a stake in the transport company Stark Logistics, which transports goods between Russia and Estonia. At the same time, Kallas has not only demanded domestic and EU-level compliance with existing anti-Russian sanctions, but has also constantly called for new ones.

During the last two years of Kallas’ time in office, the number of Estonian citizens living in absolute poverty increased 2.5 times. The birth rate has fallen sharply – by 25 per cent since 2018.

The head of the EU emphasised that the EU is going through an era of geopolitical confrontations and instability. Therefore, its foreign and security policy should be determined with an understanding of the real situation.

Former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius will be in charge of European defence and space. While Kubilius was in office, Lithuania lost its previously established trade ties with China, and Beijing downgraded diplomatic relations with Vilnius.

Distribution of EC posts

French President Emmanuel Macron suggested that Stephane Séjourné, the country’s outgoing foreign minister, replace Thierry Breton as European commissioner after Breton announced his departure, saying that EU chief Ursula von der Leyen had asked Paris to withdraw his candidacy.

Italian Raffaele Fitto has been offered the post of deputy head of the European Commission responsible for reforms, Marta Kos will become European Commissioner for EU enlargement and Ukraine’s reconstruction, Magnus Brunner will become European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration. Dan Jorgensen from Denmark will become European Commissioner for Energy, von der Leyen said during a speech before the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

All candidates for the posts of European Commissioners should be approved by the European Parliament. The new composition of the EC should start working on November 1. The term of office is for five years.

Ursula von der Leyen headed the European Commission in 2019. In July 2024, the European Parliament voted in favour of her reappointment. Ms. von der Leyen said that her priorities would be to strengthen EU security.

Read more HERE

[beardedmrbean]

Aamulehti carries a STT news agency report that Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on Wednesday expressed her dissatisfaction with Finland's preference for defence cooperation within Nato with the other Nordic countries rather than the Baltic states.

"I really hope that Finland will also look south and not only north, because from a defence and security point of view, the threat in the Baltic Sea is huge," Kallas told Finnish journalists in Tallinn.

Finland has indicated that it wants to be part of the Nato command structure based in Norfolk, Virginia along with Norway and possibly Sweden.

Kallas, who has been described as a "hawk" for her positions on Ukraine, said that as a new Nato member, Finland should not be overly cautious about dealing with Russia.

"Nato exists as a deterrent to Russia and as a show of strength," she reminded her listeners.

"We have the right to defend ourselves, don't even think about (possibly provoking Russia). We should not behave as if Russia is stronger," she said.

The report says that Kallas compared Russia to a school bully who only stops if the target of the bullying finds friends who defend him.

"Ukraine did not provoke Russia. Weakness provokes Russia," the Estonian prime minister said.

Orpo on the defensive

Finland's Prime Minster Petteri Orpo (NCP) was at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, where the composition of his right-wing coalition government came under sharp attack, reports Hufvudstadsbladet.

During a debate there, Spanish MEP Iratxe García Pérez, the leader of the Socialist and Democratic Group (S&D), sharply criticised Orpo's coalition government.

"Your alliance with the far right is the real threat to our democracy and the European project. This is why the future of the European Union is at stake," said García Pérez.

Danish MEP Nikolaj Villumsen of the Left Group (GUE/NGL) joined in, saying, "normally I would happily and proudly welcome a Nordic prime minister. Today I can't do that. The Europe you represent is not the Europe I want."

In her remarks, García Pérez made special mention of the Finns Party ministers Riikka Purra and Wille Rydman.

"Are you proud of your finance minister when she poses on social media with a big pair of scissors and expresses satisfaction with cutting people's income and social security?" García Pérez asked about Purra.

Orpo rejected the criticism.

"There are no far-right parties in my government. The Finnish government is for the rule of law, for democracy, for equality, for Ukraine and for the EU," Orpo said.

Scams abound

Finland is again seeing a spate of online scams, writes Ilta-Sanomat, and reports that Marko Erämaa of the National Bureau of Investigation says that even after scammers empty people's bank accounts, they often continue to use their personal information in more scams.

Just since December, there have been new scams circulating messages purportedly from the national tax office, the national insurance institute Kela, and the police.

Typically these originate from a Finnish phone number, with a text referring to a tax refund or fine, and the recipient is asked to take some action via a link.

According to Erämaa, these scams have drained more than a million euros from bank accounts in Finland in just a couple of months.

Meanwhile, Iltalehti warns readers of fake job offers circulating on the WhatsApp instant messaging service.

The messages have promised the recipient flexible working hours, a good salary and tells them that the job does not require any previous work experience.

The messages reported in Finland have been mainly in English, but some messages in Finnish have also been reported.

These messages may also often ask for some personal information, such as bank details, passwords or various documents. Some ask the person targeted to install some remote access software on their device.

And, Maaseudun Tulevaisuus says that recently, a large number of scam text messages have been sent in the name of the police, supposedly related to traffic offenses.

For example, these scam text messages may claim that the recipient has to pay a speeding fine and directs them to do so via a link in the message. Other messages simply refer to more general vehicle offenses and provide a link to click on for more detailed information.

As Maaseudun Tulevaisuus points out, police in Finland do not send the public text messages about traffic fines or penalties.

Yes, more snow

Iltalehti advises readers not to out away their snow shovels just yet, as they may come in handy this weekend.

The weather for the rest of the week will be rainy, the paper reports, with the rain turning to snow – possibly up to 20cm of fresh snowfall in the south of the country.

The further north you go, it points out, the more likely it is to snow.

Over the weekend, Lapland will enjoy sunny, briskly cold weather, but in the south precipitation will continue and turn to snow.