There is a trend of periodic financial storming of the Baltic economies in the interests of Russia. Let's face it-as much as we don't like to admit it, the richest businessmen in Estonia are Russians. That is proof beyond doubt, although you don't see their names up in lights much. However, they are there and connecting with the motherland. Ilves has learnt to understand the power of the local Russian businessman, since he has personally befriended a few of them since coming to office. I don't think there is anything unusual in this. It is North American Estonians who generally get their "financial/cultural cleavage into a slight tangle" by thinking that Estonia is a land meant only for Estonians, but life has taught many that local Russian businessmen are really the folk calling the tune, and they play a tune to a different beat than Estonians would wish to hear. It's time for a lot of Estnonians to make a shift in their thinking paradigm, and bring themselves into line with what's really going down in the Baltics.

[i]Let's face it-as much as we don't like to admit it, the richest businessmen in Estonia are Russians. That is proof beyond doubt...[i]

What's the proof? Based on Ekpress' list of top millionaires only 1 out of the top 10 has appears to be Russian.

http://www.ekspress.ee/viewdoc...

There are a lot of rich Russian, especially in the transit and oil business but there are now an awful lot of rich Estonians as well.

There is a general trend among Russian businessmen living in Estonia not to openly express or have details of their wealth made public. The reason for this is because Estonians are very sensitive to the number of Russians living here, especially those with considerable wealth, because the actual running and ownership of the country per se is obviously based on who has the biggest say and sway politically. Of course since a vast number of Estonian businessmen trade with their Eastern neighbour without fear of any broader repercussions, then the tilt is all the more definitely in favour of our displacement towards the eastern economic sphere of interest. In Soviet times it was a policy to draw attention to the Estonian representatives in the Estonian soviet governmental system, when in fact the Russians were really running the show. In a similar way the proportion is obviously more towards a freer economic system than before, but it is generally accepted that the wealth among the Russian community in Estonia is considerably greater than we imagine. Sure, in a top 10 pick Estonians look good, but try the top 1000 and you get a distinctly different picture. Sorry to have to say you're wrong, but living away from Estonia as you do leaves you a little in the dark about some things. It's a little like watching Pehmed ja Karvased and missing what's behing all the inuendo. It's not your fault; it's just the way things are.

How do you know where I live, you assume that because I post on EE that I live in Canada? I willing to bet that I have as good an understanding of Estonian taxes and wealth as you do, if not better.

You keep saying that you have proof to back you statements up but I've never seen you prove it.

Maxim: "It's a little like watching Pehmed ja Karvased and missing what's behing all the inuendo."

I guess you'g know how that feels...