✔︎ Estonian citizenship explained
- ERR (see Friday)
✔︎ NATO: "Despite what politicians say, the alliance is in good shape on the ground. … nato is back in the business of defending its home territory.”
✔︎ Special Listing: What is Russia's GRU?
- Multiple sources
✔︎ President Kaljulaid ran in the New York City Marathon accompanied by two U.S. Secret Service agents who ran with her. She and both agents placed well inside the top third of overall finishers.
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- On-line version:
- Aleksander Kaasik Foto:
- 2014-2018 Archive:
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Friday
9. November
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✔︎ Estonian citizenship explained
by Dario Cavegn
(ERR)
"Estonia applies the 'jus sanguinis' in its definition of citizenship by basic right. This means that to hold Estonian citizenship and for this to be a basic right, you have to be Estonian by blood, ie at least one of your parents needs to be Estonian. … Typical examples are Estonian Americans, Estonian Canadians, and so on. There are tens of thousands of them. Hundreds of them work for the Estonian state, too. This isn't some semi-legal thing: Estonian dual citizens do exist. ..."
- B1 Estonian exam, Part 1: Citizenship condition and practical experience
by Andrew Whyte
"Estonian is hard, no doubt about it. The Work in Estonia site advises us to "think of Estonian as a flowy [sic] Elvish language with a good, almost Japanese-style beat to it" — and maybe therein lies the problem. Nonetheless, the Elfin comparison is not so far off the mark — the language of Tolkien's high elves, the Noldor, was based on Finnish, Estonian's closest relative."
- FAQ: the Estonian Language Proficiency Examinations
(Innove)
- Politics: "The recently established Estonia 200 said it supports allowing dual citizenship for all Estonians and also considers it necessary to stop issuing so-called 'grey passports' to children born in Estonia.”
- Eksperdid: kodakondsuse seadust võiks muuta
(ERR)
"Kodakondsus pole sotsiaalõigus ja see on eeldus, et inimene on valmis seda riiki kaitsma," ütles justiitsminister Urmas Reinsalu. Ta lisas, et Eesti ei saa jõuda olukorrani, kus Ida-Virumaal on 80 protsenti ja Tallinnas pooled. "Eesti on ennekõike rahvusriik. See pole mugavuskeskkond."
- The case for a universal basic income in Estonia
(Estonian World)
"If we automate more and more things and thus squeeze a growing number of people out of employment, how do we maintain social cohesion and the peace of the nation?”
✔︎ NATO held biggest exercises since the cold war
(The Economist)
"Despite what politicians say, the alliance is in good shape on the ground.”
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“… nato is back in the business of defending its home territory."
"Norwegians become more positive toward NATO."
✔︎ Fake news: 'NATO plans to attack Belarus' planted on news website
(Delfi-Lithuania)
✔︎ Finland promises probe into suspected GPS jamming by Russia
(Yle)
"Finnish officials have not commented on the source of the GPS blocking, but authorities in Norway have speculated Russia has been behind similar disturbances in Norway. Meanwhile Norwegian authorities had issued a similar bulletin about GPS disruptions at the time of the Nato exercises."
✔︎ Venemaa segas GPS-signaali NATO õppuse ajal ka Lapimaal
(ERR)
"Venemaa segas Norras toimunud NATO sõjaõppuse Trident Juncture ajal GPS-signaali, mistõttu väljastas Soome lennuohutusamet Lapimaal teisipäevast kolmapäeva ööse keskpaigani kehtinud hoiatuse."
✔︎ Norwegian submarine-hunting frigate rammed by Maltese oil tanker
(Deutsche Welle | BBC | Norway Today)
"The navy vessel was returning to port after participating in NATO exercises when it was hit by a tanker transporting crude oil to Britain. The frigate was later pushed aground to keep it from sinking."
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- Ukraine deputy foreign minister worried about Nord Stream 2
(Deutsche Welle)
"The deputy foreign minister of Ukraine, Olena Zerkal, has voiced her anger about the German-Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. She told DW the project would undermine Ukrainian energy security interests.”
- Europe’s WWI commemoration: Putin’s victory parade in Paris
(Politico-Europe)
"French President Emmanuel Macron wanted to turn this weekend’s ceremonies marking the centenary of the end of World War I into a stark warning against the return of nationalism — a phenomenon he describes as a threat to global peace in the 21st century."
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"Instead, the Armistice commemoration looks disturbingly like a victory parade for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will bask center-stage among the 60 heads of state and government invited to Paris, looking stronger than his Western rivals despite the annexation of Crimea, destabilization of eastern Ukraine, partition of Georgia, intervention in Syria, cyber warfare and the clumsy skullduggery of his secret agents abroad.”
- The Forgotten Lessons of World War I
(Bloomberg)
"Will the European Union, like the continent’s old empires, also be swept away?"
- A timeline of World War I
(AP)
"From the first shot, to the silence of peace."
- Nationalism looms over Europe’s WWI commemoration
(Washington Post)
"Trump’s “America First” agenda also harks back to that historic withdrawal, when skepticism about foreign entanglements and fear of immigrants defined national policy at home and abroad. This circling of the wagons had significant geopolitical consequences. … In 1919 and 1920, the U.S. Senate rejected signing the Treaty of Versailles and joining the League of Nations, the new international organization intended to stave off future bloody catastrophes. The American absence possibly doomed the project at its birth."
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Russia’s GRU
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- What is the GRU?
(Meduza | Reuters)
"Both at home and abroad, the Russian abbreviation of the year has been “GRU” — the erstwhile but still commonly used initialism for the country’s Military Intelligence Directorate. … Meduza special correspondent Daniil Turovsky reviews the past and present of Russia’s intelligence community."
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- The Rise of Russia's GRU Military Intelligence Service
(Spiegel)
"Russia's GRU military intelligence service has become a political instrument for President Putin -- in the poison attack in Salisbury, hacking against the West and even in dealing with his country's doping scandal. Lately, though, the secret service can't seem to stay out of the headlines."
- Putin Voices Solid Support for GRU Military Intelligence
(Warsaw Instutute)
"Vladimir Putin’s presence in a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of Russia’s military intelligence services – as well as his speech – clearly indicate that the GRU should not be afraid of any purges, even in the face of a series of mishaps that have occurred over the past few months. The state’s military intelligence services obediently follow the Kremlin’s instructions, thus gaining Putin’s trust. Moreover, the President’s announcement to restore the GRU to its original name constitutes a symbolic part of the Kremlin’s aggressive policy."
- Celebrating Centenary of GRU, Putin Praises Its 'Unique Abilities’
(The Moscow Times)
"Putin, in comments likely to be seen as provocative in the West, saluted its operatives for carrying out daring special operations and said they provided a model for a future generation."
- Putin Wants to Restore GRU Name to Military Intelligence
(Bloomberg)
"President Vladimir Putin called for restoring the traditional GRU name to Russia’s military-intelligence agency, which Western governments blame for election meddling, hacking and poison attacks."
- Could United Russia Soon Become the CPSU?
(Window on Eurasia)
"On November 2, Putin proposed restoring the Soviet-era name of Russia’s military intelligence arm and call it once again the GRU given what he described as its glorious history. As always, other Russians were listening and waiting to take their cue from the Kremlin leader’s remarks."
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"The very next day, the National Committee +60 called on Putin to restore the name KGB to what is now called the FSB. That is especially timely, it said, now that the GRU is back and that Russia is pushing to expand the union state with Belarus where the authorities still use the Soviet nomenclature …"
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Thursday
8. November
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- Tallinna jõuluturg avatakse tuleva nädala reedel
(Delfi)
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| "This year's Christmas tree arrived at Tallinn's Town Hall Square." |
- Is Belarus in the Kremlin's Firing Line?
(Riddle)
"Could a Russian attack on Belarus be on the horizon? According to experts, including Vladislav Inozemtsev, Maxim Trudolyubov and Vitaly Shklyarov, such a scenario is not negligible. These concerns are based on several premises. Among them, President Vladimir Putin’s falling popularity. The Kremlin, the thinking goes, might try and solve internal problems with another external “victory”, as with Ukraine in 2014."
- Claim: Lukashenka Says No Need For Russian Military Base In Belarus
(RFERL)
"Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said that the U.S. "military and political role" in Europe is crucial to regional security and emphasized that he does not want a Russian military base in his country."
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Wednesday
7. November
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- Military Workshop: The European Intervention Initiatve (E2I)
(Berlin Policy Journal)
"Contrary to initial speculation, E2I does not aim at being a flagship project for European integration, but an operational get-together for partner militaries. Its results will only be seen when the next crisis arises and its participants decide to move into action together.”
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"With nine signatory countries—Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom, and Finland expected to soon become the tenth—E2I has already gained traction beyond France. Although the rationale behind the signature may differ from one country to another, all participating countries now share a common understanding of its structure and purpose, even if they are not always good at explaining them."
- Western Security Planners Need to Start Preparing for What’s on the Horizon
by Edward Lucas
(CEPA)
“… on one big front we are still failing to get to grips with Russian tactics. That is the use of money. Russia is not a rich country, but it has enough cash to buy political influence through overt and covert means. These include the use of economic bridgeheads, creating businesses whose livelihood depends on good relations with Russia. It also involves darker arts, such as insider trading, money-laundering, and weaponized corruption."
- New bill aims to bring 300 cargo ships under Estonian flag
(ERR)
"There is currently not a single large freighter sailing under the Estonian flag, the last one having been unregistered after tax exemptions were rescinded in 2014."
- Germany, Europe see little hope for Trump policy change after US midterm election
(Deutsche Welle)
"It would be a mistake to expect a course correction from Donald Trump now," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wrote on Twitter. "We will have to recalibrate and adjust our relationship with the USA."
- Opinion: What a Democratic House means for Europe
(Politico-Europe)
"Expect more oversight and outreach across the Atlantic.”
- European leaders see Democratic House gains as a blow to Trump’s ‘rudeness’ and ‘racism’
(Washington Post)
"European officials wasted no time in casting the results of the U.S. midterm elections as a rebuttal to the “rudeness” and “racism” of President Trump. … Elsewhere in Europe, the reaction was more restrained, albeit still critical of Trump."
- Reidi tee ehitamisel tuli maa seest välja suur kogus laskemoona
(ERR)
- Reidi Road work yields more WW2 ordnance finds
(ERR)
- New Poll Indicates U.K. Would Now Vote to Remain in EU
(Bloomberg)
"If another referendum were held now, voters would vote to remain in the European Union by 54 percent to 46 percent, according to Survation, a polling company. The survey questioned 20,000 people online across every constituency in the U.K. In the 2016 plebiscite, Britons voted to leave by 52 percent to 48 percent. The findings are likely to be seized on by those campaigning for a second referendum as evidence that a re-run is justified."
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Tuesday
6. November
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- How Estonia Secures Its Electronic Elections From Kremlin Attacks
(Defense One)
"The Estonians haven’t had any major problems with e-voting, thanks to pioneering approaches to securing elections and keeping digital records that have made its government a best-practices showcase. … everybody in Estonia has a unique national identification number, similar to a (U.S.) social security number. … That state-issued number works alongside a personal identification number chosen by each citizen. The two, together, form a lock and key relationship, authenticating one another.”
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"But what about that other type of election meddling that the Kremlin perpetrates: a constant flood of propaganda to sow discord, break civil unity, and misinform the public? … volunteers in Estonia’s Defense League watch the news and online discussions of it to determine what role Kremlin influence peddlers might be playing.”
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"It’s the sort of thing that works in a close-knit country like Estonia, where the threat of Russian aggression is a uniting factor, but would likely be met with skepticism in the United States, in part because Kremlin propaganda has already had succeeded in driving wedges between so many (U.S.) citizens and their government and, in many cases, between citizens and reality."
- Commentary: Bring the tanks back: it is time to put a U.S. armored brigade in Germany
(War on the rocks)
"In 1989, there were 5,000 U.S. Army tanks in Germany. Over the next 25 years, there was a gradual drawdown of American forces in Europe. By 2013, the last American armored brigade based in Germany had deactivated, leaving zero U.S. Army tanks in Europe. … Poland’s Defense Ministry recently requested an American armored division be permanently stationed on Polish soil. This controversial request has sparked intense debate in defense circles.”
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"Beyond cost savings and improved readiness, a German-based brigade would be better positioned to support rotations in the Baltics and NATO training exercises throughout Europe. This armored brigade would quickly master the complexities of European mobility operations and retain invaluable contacts with the vast transportation network needed to move armored units throughout Europe. … These NATO battlegroups would continue to provide the “trip-wire” deterrence designed to raise the stakes of a Russian incursion into the Baltics."
- Danske Bank: Dirty Money, Damaged Reputations, and Kremlin Gain
(CEPA)
"Democracy and the rule of law seem solid until greed gets in the way. That is the story of Danske Bank, a reputable Danish bank, whose Estonian branch handled €200bn (about $227bn) in suspicious transactions from 10,000 non-resident customers between 2007 and 2015.”
- Europeans Are Obsessed With the U.S. Midterms
(The Atlantic)
“Many outside the U.S. see the midterms as a referendum on President Trump and his policies,” said Marianne Schneider-Petsinger, a transatlantic specialist at the London-based think tank Chatham House. “They view the outcome of the election as a critical indicator of the direction of the U.S.”
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Monday
5. November
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- Kaljulaid lõpetas New Yorgi maratoni
(ERR)
"Pühapäeval peetud pika ajalooga New Yorgi maratonil osales ka president Kersti Kaljulaid, kes lõpetas katsumuse ajaga 4:02.40."
- U.S. Secret Service Protected Estonia's President As She Ran the N.Y.C. Marathon
(Runners World | others)
"So when president of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid planned on running the New York City Marathon during her visit, she needed an escort. That’s where assistant special agent in charge Mason Brayman and lieutenant Bill Uher came in.”
Kaljulaid had done some serious training in preparation: She ran four half marathons this year to get ready to race New York City, according to a press release from the United States Secret Service. She finished with a time of 4:02:40.”
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"Brayman and Uher, on the other hand, didn’t even know for sure if they were definitely running until just four days before the race. However, they had both been running regularly, and have each completed dozens of marathons previously - 56 for Brayman and 28 for Uher. They just weren’t quite as familiar with running armed and while carrying small equipment for the protection of Estonia’s president.
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“Not only was I carrying gels and water, I also had protective and communication equipment to take with me."
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https://news.err.ee/874649/president-kaljulaid-combines-us-visit-with-4-and-a-half-hour-nyc-marathon
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- Propagandarünnak Litsmetsast
(Propastop)
"Eelmine nädal tõi kaasa propagandajuhtumi, kus politsei teade mälestusmärgi sodimisest Võrumaal kasvas Kremli meediamasina süüdistusteks Eesti suunal."
"Last week had a propaganda case, where a police message about the defacement of a monument in Võrumaa County grew via the Kremlin media machine into accusations at Estonia."
- Admiraliteedi silla rajamine on takerdunud kohtuvaidlusesse
(ERR)
"Tallinna sadamaalal peaks juba käima Admiraliteedi basseini ületava jalakäijate silla ehitustööde ettevalmistus, ent naabruskonnas tegutsev ettevõte vaidlustas silla rajamise kohtus."
- German Air Force chief and Estonian prime minister visit Ämari Air Base
(ERR)
"Inspector of the German Air Force Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz visited Ämari Air Base, where he also met with German Air Force personnel currently serving on the Baltic Air Policing mission. … The German Air Force unit that took over Baltic Air Policing duties out of Ämari Air Base in August is based at Neuburg Air Base in the German state of Bavaria. The nearly 160-strong German contingent currently deployed to Estonia with five Eurofigher jets is the fourth German contingent to serve on the mission."
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