Other events in Baltic States

Despite doubts of foreign experts, the Estonian state will build the Estonian National Museum’s new building in the Raadi district of Tartu, culture minister Laine Jänes confirms, as reported by Postimees/LETA.

European Investment Bank expert group Jaspers has completed the analysis of the museum project and its final report notes, among other things, that the building is planned to be too big and recommends building it in two stages to cut costs. The report also doubted the expected number of visitors, saying that the 170,000 visitors a year to be achieved by 2018 is very optimistic as it is nearly three times more than two years ago and needs major efforts as it is located 2.5 hours driving away from Estonia’s capital which is the main destination of tourists.

The culture minister said that European experts have made a lot of conclusions in their report and some of them Estonia can agree to but some are fundamental and cannot be agreed to. “To build the Estonian National Museum in Tallinn is not a recommendation that can be taken seriously. The Estonian National Museum has been in Tartu for a hundred years and will remain there,” said Jänes.

The museum building is planned to cost 63.1 million euros, of which 32 million euros is planned to be European support. Laine Jänes said that the Estonian state will build the museum irrespective of what the European Commission decides in regard to funding.