NCSJ - Estonia page

Population: 1.4 million

Ethnic Composition:
65.1% Estonian, 28.1% Russian, 2.5% Ukrainian, 1.5% Belarusian, 1% Finnish, 1.8% other

Religion: Evangelical Lutheran (majority), Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox Christian

Jewish population: 3,000
2002 Aliyah
(emigration to Israel): 27
2002 Emigration
to United States: 13

Size: 45,226 sq km
Capital: Tallinn
Major cities: Tallinn, Tartu, Narva, Kohtla-Jarve, Pärnu

Freedom House Rating:
Free

Currency: 13.26 Estonian kroon = $1 (October 3, 2003)

GDP: $6.4 billion (2002)
GDP per capita: $4,571 (2002)
GDP Growth: 5.8% (2002)

Head of State:
President Arnold Ruutel

Head of Government:
Prime Minister Juhan Parts

Foreign Minister:
Kristiina Ojuland

Ambassador to United States:
Jüri Luik (.doc)

Washington Diplomat
Profile of Amb. Luik

U.S. Ambassador to Estonia:
Aldona Wos

Chronology of all U.S. envoys to Estonia

SUMMARY

One of the three Baltic states formerly under Soviet occupation, Estonia has seen impressive economic and political growth since regaining independence, having passed through a difficult period of restructuring. Estonia continues a vigorous regimen of reforms, facilitating its accession to NATO in November 2002 and its prospective accession to the European Union in 2004, while still struggling with some of the legacies of Soviet rule.

Estonia’s ties to the Nordic countries are particularly strong. Relations with Russia, strained over Estonia’s pursuit of NATO accession and treatment of its ethnic Russian minority, have more recently shown improvement.

Estonia’s Jewish community was severely depleted as a consequence of Estonia’s incorporation into the Soviet Union and subsequent German occupation. The current Jewish population is small and relatively self-contained, though several American Jewish groups are active in the community. While the Estonian government has good relations with the Jewish community and anti-Semitism is not prevalent, fierce controversy surrounds the issue of World War II-era war crimes.

return to top

ESTONIA

INTRODUCTION
POLITICAL SITUATION
Foreign Policy
ECONOMIC SITUATION
JEWISH COMMUNAL LIFE & ANTI-SEMITISM
Holocaust and Memory
U.S. POLICY

Estonia, slightly smaller in area than New Hampshire and Vermont combined, is bordered by Latvia, Russia, the Baltic Sea, and the Gulf of Finland. Ruled for centuries by Denmark and Germany, Estonia was conquered by Sweden in the 17^th century, ushering in a “golden period” that ended with the Nordic War in 1721. Estonia remained under Russian rule until the Russian Revolution in 1917. Estonia declared independence in 1918, only to be forcibly annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, occupied by Germany in World War II, and re-conquered by the Red Army in 1944. The United States never recognized the Soviet annexation of Estonia. Since regaining independence in August 1991, Estonia has been free to rebuild economic and political ties with Western Europe.

return to headings

Political Situation

Estonia is a parliamentary democracy with a legislative, executive and judicial branch. The unicameral Parliament (Riigikogu), currently led by a coalition between the center-right Reform party and the pro-business Res Publica party, holds the most power. Its 101 members are popularly elected every four years; the most recent elections were in March 2003. The Parliament appoints and confirms the prime minister and elects the President every five years. In April 2003, the Riigikogu installed Juhan Parts as prime minister. In November 2001, Arnold Ruutel, a former communist, became the second President of post-Soviet Estonia. The judiciary is based on a civil law system, with no judicial review over legislative acts.

Estonia is becoming a more democratic nation of the Western mold, and individual rights are protected. Freedom of speech, press and association are respected. Then-President Lennart Meri refused to approve Parliament’s revised 2001 law prohibiting any church or congregation managed by leaders outside of Estonia, calling this an infringement on the autonomy of religious institutions.

Estonia continues to resolve its remaining civil liberties issues. Incidents of excessive police force and abuse have lessened, including the elimination of punishment cells (“karsters”). Disputes over the transition from Russian to Estonian as the official language and culture inform public issues such as citizenship applications. Government documents are written solely in Estonian and thus exclude non-Estonian-speakers from citizenship, employment, and the right to vote. Changes to the 1998 Citizenship Law made all Estonian natives born since February 26, 1992, eligible for citizenship – if both parents are stateless. About 12.5 percent of the country’s population remains stateless.

return to headings

Foreign Policy

Estonia has good relations with most of its neighbors around the Baltic Sea and is a member of the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS). Cooperation with Lithuania and Latvia includes coordination of educational systems and defense, proposed integration of stock markets, and agreements on security, trade, and a common energy market. The Nordic and Baltic states cooperate under the NB8 formula, discussing and coordinating common economic, foreign policy and regional issues.

The Nordic countries and the United States have been supportive of Estonia’s accession to NATO and the European Union (EU); Estonia’s accession to both is scheduled to occur in May 2004. NATO carried out a multi-state military logistics-training program in Estonia in October 2002 as part of the accession process. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) closed its Estonian mission in 2001 in view of Estonia’s successful transition.

Estonia’s blossoming relations with Western Europe contrast with its strained relationship with Russia. In September 2000, Estonia angered Russia by instituting a full visa regime at the Estonian-Russian border, which it justified as necessary for its accession to the EU. At the same time, relations were marred by the expulsion of alleged Russian spies from Estonia and Russia’s reciprocal expulsion of alleged Estonian spies. In October 2002, Estonia stripped 1,000 residents, most Russian, of their Estonian citizenship, citing bureaucratic errors made just after independence in 1991. Less than a quarter of Estonia’s 400,000 ethnic Russians hold Estonian citizenship, as most did not qualify under the provision granting automatic citizenship to Russians born in Estonia during its 1918-40 period of independence; most arrived in Estonia after World War II.

Estonian-Israeli relations are friendly. An Estonian consulate operates in Israel (although the ambassador resides in Tallinn) and Israel’s Ambassador-at-Large to the Baltic States resides in Riga, Latvia. Trade between the two nations is minimal.

return to headings

Economic Situation

Estonia has undergone an arduous reform process in order to implement a full market economy and become further integrated into Western institutions. Independence in 1991 was followed by several years of economic decline, marked by struggles with Russia over agricultural trade and the importation of energy and raw materials. The Estonian economy suffered its worst year in 1999, as a result of the 1998-99 Russian financial crises; unemployment reached 14.8 percent in the first quarter of 2000. But conditions improved as trade with the EU increased, fueling a strong recovery. In 2000, the GDP growth rate rose rapidly from negative growth to nearly seven percent, and maintained high growth into 2003. Nonetheless, high inflation and persistent unemployment still plague Estonia’s efforts to expand. These conditions have posed a significant challenge in the lead-up to EU membership.

Estonia’s main exports are machinery, electrical equipment, textile products, and wood. Tourism and transit trade (the transportation of goods along Estonia’s railways) play an important role in the economy. The Estonian rail system transports over 40 million tons of cargo through the country, connecting Russia with Western Europe. Additionally, more than 85 percent of formerly state-owned enterprises have been privatized; this sector accounts for more than three-quarters of the nation’s GDP and has welcomed a rapid growth in foreign direct investment. Known for its strong technology sector, Estonia has one of the highest per capita rates of Internet connections among EU member states, exceeding those of France and Belgium.

The EU supplies over 60 percent of Estonia’s imports. Finland and Sweden rank among Estonia’s biggest partners. It enjoys free trade agreements with Russia, Ukraine, the other Baltic states, and several East European countries. In 1999, Estonia became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In 2001, the Estonian Stock Exchange was taken over by the Helsinki Stock Exchange.

Assistance from international institutions has been critical to Estonia’s economic success. World Bank aid, focusing on private sector development and infrastructure improvement, has totaled $150 million since 1992. Aid from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) reached $367 million for the same period. International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance, substantial during the first years after independence, has ceased due to Estonia’s economic progress. Similarly, the World Bank closed its Tallinn office in 2001.

return to headings

Jewish Communal Life & Anti-Semitism

Jewish settlement in Estonia began in earnest in the late 19^th century, as Jews were forbidden entry to Estonia prior to 1865. The Jewish population grew with the creation of the Republic of Estonia in 1918, and continued until the Soviet occupation in 1940, which marked the beginning of a steep decline. About 3,000 of Estonia’s over-4,000 Jews migrated to other areas of the Soviet Union, 500 were forcibly relocated, and 1,000 were later killed under the German occupation.

Today, the Jewish community of Estonia is small but well-organized. It consists of approximately 3,000 people (reinforced by Russian-speaking Jews in the post-War era), the great majority of whom live in Tallinn. Smaller communities exist in Tartu, Narva, Kohtla-Jarve, and Pärnu. A high percentage of the community is intermarried, and the majority is Russian-speaking.

In Tallinn, Jewish life is concentrated around the newly renovated Jewish Community Center (JCC) and synagogue. The JCC, known as Dor Vador (“Every Generation”), offers a range of programs, services, and clubs. Social services of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC/ “Joint”) are organized under the auspices of the JCC, providing food packages, medical care, and home care to the elderly. Part of the JCC-synagogue complex houses a state-sponsored Jewish day school with over 250 students. A kindergarten opened in Tallinn in 2002.

The Jewish community publishes a newspaper, Hashakhar (“Dawn”), and broadcasts a monthly radio show, “Shalom Aleichem.” With the help of JDC, Estonia established a large Jewish library in 2000. Survivor organizations are active in Estonia, namely the Former Ghetto Prisoners’ Association and the Union of Veterans of World War II.

The Progressive Movement under ARZA/World Union supports small congregations in Haapsalu, Narva, Pärnu, and Tallinn. Sunday schools function in Estonia’s smaller communities.

The Jewish Community of Estonia is active in several regional and international Jewish organizations. It is an active member of the Baltic States Committee of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS. On a regional level, the community participates in the Baltic Jewish Forum, an advocacy and aid network active in the states bordering the Baltic Sea. The Jewish Community of Estonia is also a member of the World Jewish Congress, the European Jewish Congress, and the European Council of Jewish Communities.

International organizations play an active role in Estonian Jewish life. The community receives support from JDC, the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, the Baltic Jewish Forum, and other foundations. Representatives of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI/“Sochnut”) and the Israeli Embassy (in Riga) are in regular contact with the community, and the Israeli government provides Hebrew teachers for the Jewish day school.

return to headings

Holocaust and Memory

Anti-Semitism in Estonia is not a major problem, and the Estonian government has committed itself to a swift and thorough response to incidents. No major anti-Semitic incidents have occurred in the last three years. Most issues relating to anti-Semitism reflect the country’s contentious World War II legacy.

In 1998, then-President Meri established Estonia’s International Commission for the Investigation of Crimes against Humanity. At the time, Meri stressed that the aim of the commission is not to build cases against suspected Nazi war criminals and collaborators, but simply to clarify the historical record. Jewish organizations have raised concerns about any implicit parallel between the Holocaust and the Soviet occupation.

In 1999, Alfons Rebane, the commander of Estonia’s World War II-era SS division, was buried with honors in the national cemetery, sparking much controversy among Jewish and ethnic Russian groups within Estonia. In 2000, a public dispute arose with the Russian government after President Meri included 19 veterans of the wartime Estonian SS division among 168 anti-Soviet fighters to receive special decorations.

Estonia participated in the Washington Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets in 1998, as well as the Vilnius Forum on Holocaust-Era Looted Cultural Assets in 2000.

More recently, the government decision to officially commemorate the Holocaust has sparked controversy and criticism among some ethnic Estonians. In July 2002, the Estonian government declared January 27 Holocaust Memorial Day (the anniversary of the Soviet liberation of Auschwitz). The first observance was implemented primarily through the Estonian schools, incorporating the study of the Holocaust and the events of World War II. Among the more severe reactions was a letter published in one of the major newspapers by a Justice Ministry official, who stated that he would not send his son to school on the day in question.

Despite occasionally hostile reactions within Estonian society, the government continues to make some strides toward reconciliation. In September 2002, while visiting Washington, then-Prime Minister Siim Kallas visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and gave a speech afterward on Capitol Hill. His speech recalled his visit to the Holocaust Museum: “These reminders are painful for all humanity and particularly painful for this generation of Estonians who, free again after years of suffering under the Nazi and Soviet occupations, have opened up to the world and recognized that there were also Estonians among those who collaborated with the Nazis and participated in committing the murders of [the] Holocaust.” He also held a working lunch with representatives of American Jewish organizations.

Two other incidents relating to the Holocaust have sparked controversy in Estonia. In May 2002, U.S. Ambassador Joseph De Thomas published an article in an Estonian newspaper arguing that Estonians are not doing enough to address the Nazi period in their country. During the summer of 2002, Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center visited each of the Baltic states and announced the “Operation Last Chance” campaign, offering rewards for information leading to the arrest of Nazi collaborators in the Baltic states. Both events were criticized by the Estonian media and the general public, prompting anti-Semitic messages toward the Jewish community. The Jewish community in Estonia is concerned by the government’s silence on blatant expressions of anti-Semitism by public officials, in the media and elsewhere since Zuroff’s visit.

Also in Summer 2002, Estonian veterans attempted to erect a monument in the city of Pärnu representing an Estonian soldier in a Waffen SS uniform. The soldier’s SS insignia were taken off the figure, and later the monument was removed altogether.

return to headings

U.S. Policy

The United States and Estonia maintain good relations, particularly on matters of trade and defense. The U.S.-Baltic Charter, signed in 1998, strengthened multilateral ties among the United States, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Estonia is part of the Northern European Initiative (NEI), a U.S. program to encourage broad-based cooperation among the Baltic States, Poland, Russia, the EU, and Norway. In place since 1997, it has also committed the United States to bolstering trade and investment in the Initiative countries. The United States is the third-largest direct investor in Estonia.

In conjunction with the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, Estonia and the United States have signed an agreement to establish frameworks for the protection and preservation of cultural sites. The United States “graduated” Estonia and the other Baltic states from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment in December 1991, following the Soviet collapse, and subsequently granted the Baltics permanent normal trade relations.

The three Baltic states and about 30 other countries refused to sign, by June 2003, an Article 98 agreement with the United States exempting the U.S. military from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) . In retaliation, in July, the United States suspended military aid to the Baltics and about 50 of the other countries.

Following September 11, 2001, Estonia declared its national support for the global war on terrorism. Estonia sent three mine-clearing dogs and a small delegation from the Estonian Rescue Board to aid U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan, in addition to providing them unconditional overflight and landing rights.

In Spring 2003, the Estonian government proclaimed its support for U.S.-led military action in Iraq. Estonia is part of the “Vilnius 10," a group of Central and Eastern European countries that pledged support for the U.S. position. The Estonian government sent troops to Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq in fulfillment of a pledge to help provide security in the region after the war. Government discussions continue on sending 55 Estonian soldiers to Iraq for a year-long peacekeeping mission.

return to headings

return to top