ETA news summary April 23, 2002

The parliamentary commission investigating possible illgalities inconnection with the privatization of EStonian Railways has elected as the commissionès chair, Ignar Fjuk who was on the executive of the privatization agency.

Jaak Aab of the Centre Party is chair of the parliamentary commission investigating the costs and procedures involved in the privatization of the Narva electric power plants.

Austiran president Thomas Klestil is arriving on a two day visit to EStonia and meeting president Arnold Ruutel, P.M. Siim Kallas and chair of the EstonianChamger of Trade and Industry, Toomas Luman.

The parliament is holding for the fourth time a Èpublic forum day" which allows private citizens to present questions to ministers.

According the to Chinese foreign ministry, the president of China, Jiang Zemin could visit Estonia this summer.

The Centre Party caucus declared that no caucus member can be at the same time the party's information secretary. This was decided its info secretary Evelyn Sepa instructed civil servants who were members of the party to follow the party's campaign strategy.

The hiring competition commission of the national uard headquaters will decide today who to propose for the leadership of its youth auxiliary the Kodututred.

The police commercial crimes department started to investigate whether executives of the Pro Kapital group caused losses for the firm.

The Estonian office of the international certification bureau Veritas Quality International has certified the Tallinn airport's quality management system which meets international standards.

Compared to the same quarter last year the consumer price index increased by 1.8%. This was due to rises in the costs of vegetables, homes and communications.

The national news agency of China, Xinhua is interested in establishing an office in Estonia. For the time being its correspendents covering the Baltic States will be based in Riga.

Last week the criminal police found in a garbage dump in Harjumaa, at Saha-Loo over three kilos of heroin which is though to have been dumped there by mistake by narcotics dealers. This is the largest find of its kind in Estonia.

According to Eesti Paevaleht, the Haapsalu school is initiating a project to bring East Virumaa students to study there to improve their Esttonian language.

Postimees writes that the tax department is demanding at leats one million in unpaid taxes, with interest, from the former chair of the board of Hansapank, Indrek Nievelt.

Märkmed: