Other events in Baltic States

Estonian Greens noted with regret that Riigikogu did not support the plan for overcoming the economic crisis, writes Postimees Online/LETA.

Riigikogu discussed the draft decision proposed by the Estonian Greens' faction for energy-sustainable construction and renovation practices, but it was not supported.

The opposition party noted that if adopted, the decision would have made it possible to achieve a significant cut in energy consumption, an improvement in the living conditions and invigorating the construction market as well as the economy as a whole.

The proposal would have obliged the Government to elaborate solutions for granting guarantees for energy-sustainable construction and renovation works in the amount of at least 10 billion kroons. Marek Strandberg, member of the Greens faction who introduced the measure in Riigikogu, estimated that those who voted against it mistook the amount of resources necessary for guaranteeing the loans.

More than a million persons in Estonia live in blocks of flats and unless they renovate their housing to make them more energy-sustainable, they will pay 12-13 thousand kroons per square metre of energy bills in the next 20 years while the amount of money would be several times smaller if relevant investments were to be made in a timely manner.