Other events in Baltic States

The Estonian Defence Ministry decided to end cooperation with Czech company Sans Souci since they could not make the lighting of the new War of Freedom Monument work properly, Postimees Online/LETA repoprts.

The ministry will now declare a state procurement contest to find a new company to fix the monument.

Defence minister Jaak Aaviksoo said at the press conference that since the monument was not completed by deadline, Sans Souci has to pay a fine of 50,000 euro and will be deprived of the last installment the Estonian state was to pay it, i.e. 5.3 mln kroons.

Aaviksoo said that the Czech obviously overestimated their abilities. He added that it must be possible to find a company that would ensure proper lighting of the Victory Monument, which essentially is a huge cross made of glass blocs, lit from inside when it is dark.

The construction of the monument in central Tallinn started a year ago, but the Chech company has had a hard time fixing problems that have emerged after it declared its work finished. The lighting issue was the last in a long row, and the firm was given two postponements before the ministry made its decision.