Monday, 5 May 2025

Can Tommy Cash win Eurovision for Estonia?

Rehearsals are currently underway for the 69th Eurovision Song Contest that is set to take place in Basel, Switzerland next week. Estonia's entry 'Espresso Macchiato' by Tommy Cash has grown in popularity in recent months and is a clear standout. This highly amusing song takes all the best-loved clichés of Italian culture and compacts them into a catchy three minute tune.


Tommy Cash's 'Espresso Macchiato' will be the fourth song on stage during the first semi-final scheduled to take place on May 13.  No doubt we will see him perform again at the grand final on Saturday night and hopefully win the competition. The first and only time Estonia has won the Eurovision Song Contest was in 2001 with Tanel Padar's and Dave Benton's hit song 'Everybody',
 

Sunday, 4 May 2025

Estonia will have their first ever curling team at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Estonian curling duo Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill have secured a spot in the 2026 Winter Olympics Games due to take place in Italy next February. This is the first time an Estonian team has qualified for the curling event. The duo have also earned themselves a playoff spot in the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships that will take place in Canada later this month.

Friday, 2 May 2025

Estonia ranks 2nd in World Press Freedom Index

Estonia has achieved it's highest ever ranking in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index that was recently published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). With a score of 89.46, Estonia is second behind world leader Norway. Estonia's relatively low levels of political and commercial interference, digital innovation and public trust has enabled the country to steadily climb the rankings.This is a fantastic result for Estonia who continues to go from strength to strength in so many important areas of society. Further reading can be found here.

Thursday, 1 May 2025

Estonia celebrates 21 years since its accession to the European Union

Today, 21 years ago, Estonia became a member of the European Union.  This historic event changed the lives of all Estonians, giving us security and economic freedom to travel, study and work across the EU.  Since joining the European Union, Estonia has proven to be a reliable partner, sharing core EU principles and has a say in the big decisions that affect Estonia, Europe and the world.

Estonia's success within the EU is multifaceted; encompassing rapid economic growth, successful adoption of the euro, and integration into the Schengen area. These achievements are rooted in Estonia's strong commitment to a free market economy, efficient bureaucracy, and embrace of digitalisation. 

Tuesday, 29 April 2025

This day in history

30 years ago today, on 29th April 1995, the first McDonald's Restaurant opened in Estonia. It was opened in Tallinn's Viru street near the Viru gates at Viru Street 24. McDonald's uses part of the first floor of the building which was originally a hotel called "Hotel Europa".

Not everyone is pleased that a McDonald's restaurant is located in the Old Town but whenever I walk past it, it is always well patronised.


Sunday, 27 April 2025

Estonia achieves full democracy ranking

For the first time in history, the Economist Democracy Index has ranked Estonia as a “full democracy”. Estonia was upgraded from 'flawed democracy' along with Portugal and the Czech Republic in the new ranking. Overall, the global Democracy Index score has fallen from 5.52 in 2006 to an historic low of 5.17 in 2024. More than one-third (39.2%) of the world's population currently live under authoritarian rule. Sixty countries are now classified as “authoritarian regimes”

 
Only 25 countries in the world have full democracies. Norway tops the list.


Saturday, 26 April 2025

Weekend art appreciation

This painting by Ernst Hermann Schlichting is titled 'Vaade Tallinnale Narva maanteel' (view of Tallinn from Narva highway). It depict the Song Festival Hill at Lasnamägi.

Ernst Hermann Schlichting (1812–1890)