Estonia has declined Latvia's offer to purchase a 10% stake in airBaltic for €14 million, citing concerns about the airline's financial situation. The same offer was extended to Lithuania and Lufthansa, with Lufthansa choosing to acquire the stake. Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis explained that while airBaltic remains an important partner, Estonia will focus on developing Tallinn Airport to serve five million passengers by 2030. Click here to learn more

📑 ID

Starting July 7, Estonia's official Eesti.ee app will introduce a new digital identification feature allowing users to verify their identity directly through their smartphone. The voluntary system uses QR codes valid for three minutes that can be scanned by service providers also logged into the app. Users must first authenticate with Mobile-ID, Smart-ID, or EU eID to access the feature. Click here to learn more

🎥 Tartu Prison

A French production company wants to film a reality show featuring influencers with millions of followers in the unused E-wing of Tartu Prison, but their €40,000 budget has hit a wall with Estonian authorities. The two-week live-streamed series would house 50 French participants in prison cells, but the Ministry of Justice and Prison Service say the proposed budget is far too low to cover necessary security measures. Click here to learn more

🚧 Road

Tallinn Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski has rejected a proposal to simultaneously reconstruct Liivalaia Street for the new tramline and the city's "main street" project, citing concerns about closing two major traffic arteries at once. The Liivalaia Street reconstruction is scheduled to begin in spring 2027, with the main street project to follow separately. Click here to learn more

🍗 VAT

Jana Guzanova, winner of the first season of "MasterChef Estonia," has started a public petition calling for Estonia's food VAT to be reduced from 24% to 10%, citing "absurd" grocery prices that threaten Estonian culture and identity. Click here to learn more

🏢 Embassy

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced during his official visit to Estonia that Israel will soon open an embassy in Tallinn, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations. Click here to learn more

💰 Taxes

Tallinn-based Vok Bikes has secured €5 million in Series A funding to expand its four-wheeled electric cargo bikes across Europe as an alternative to delivery vans in city centers. Led by SQM Lithium Ventures, the funding round included existing investors Metaplanet and Estonia's state-backed SmartCap. Testing shows Vok bikes can deliver 44% faster than vans in London traffic while producing 95% less CO₂ and operating 64% more efficiently over five years. Click here to learn more

🏊 Swimming Centre

The City of Tallinn has announced an architectural competition for a new swimming centre on Varraku Street in Lasnamäe, designed to host international competitions and serve the local community. The 7,000-square-meter facility will accommodate up to 1,300 people and feature a 50-meter pool with a 700-seat grandstand meeting international standards, plus a 25-meter warm-up pool, two children's pools, and support facilities. Click here to learn more

⭐️ Startup

Prestigious international magazine Monocle has crowned Tallinn as the world's best city for startups in its 2025 Quality of Life survey. The publication praised Estonia's capital for its strong digital infrastructure, the innovative e-Residency programme, business-friendly environment, and affordable cost of living. Monocle highlighted Tallinn's supportive startup ecosystem, including assistance from Startup Estonia and the presence of successful tech companies that foster innovation. Click here to learn more

🎪 Festival

The 20th anniversary edition of Estonia's Hiiu Folk festival will take place July 11-13, featuring a lineup of Estonian and international performers celebrating traditional music. Click here to learn more

💡 Gamma Trivia

How many singers can perform simultaneously on the Song Festival Grounds choir platform?

250
30.000
2.500
70.000
100

Click on the answer you think is correct to find out if you guessed right!

🛒 Poll Results

We’ve made a poll to ask you what made you move to/remain in Tallinn, and these are the results! (Yes, we made a typo, sorry)

⚡️ Energy prices today will be: very low!

Click here for more details about it.

👧 The events for kids and family are kindly provided by Tallinn With Kids, an amazing Instagram page providing guidance and activities to enjoy with your kids. Click here to check them out!

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