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| EU state says ‘lack of money’ behind crime spike | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More and more people cannot afford food, Estonia’s Justice Minister Liisa Pakosta has claimed | |
| Poverty is to blame for rising crime rates in Estonia, the country’s justice and digital minister, Liisa Pakosta, has suggested. The comments came ahead of a European Commission report partially attributing Tallinn’s economic woes to severing trade ties with Russia. | Poverty is to blame for rising crime rates in Estonia, the country’s justice and digital minister, Liisa Pakosta, has suggested. The comments came ahead of a European Commission report partially attributing Tallinn’s economic woes to severing trade ties with Russia. |
| After a decade of decline, crime levels started to grow in 2023, Pakosta told a press conference on Thursday, as quoted by the public broadcaster ERR. The upward trend has continued this year, with overall crime rates up 4% year-on-year. Scams have seen the most notable jump of 25%, the minister said. | |
| The figures are part of a “wider European trend” of growing crime rates, which analysts blame on the deteriorating socio-economic situation, she added. | The figures are part of a “wider European trend” of growing crime rates, which analysts blame on the deteriorating socio-economic situation, she added. |
| “Unfortunately, the number of people who say that they steal because they otherwise do not have money to buy food and basic necessities has also increased,” Pakosta said. | “Unfortunately, the number of people who say that they steal because they otherwise do not have money to buy food and basic necessities has also increased,” Pakosta said. |
| Around 20% of Estonia’s population of 1.37 million people is at risk of poverty, while the absolute poverty rate stands at 2.7%, according to official statistics. Inflation rose by 4.1% in October year-on-year. | Around 20% of Estonia’s population of 1.37 million people is at risk of poverty, while the absolute poverty rate stands at 2.7%, according to official statistics. Inflation rose by 4.1% in October year-on-year. |
| Estonia's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 3% in 2023, and the country is expected to remain in recession in 2024 amid weak domestic demand, according to the European Commission. | Estonia's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 3% in 2023, and the country is expected to remain in recession in 2024 amid weak domestic demand, according to the European Commission. |
| The latest economic forecast released by the Commission’s Economic and Financial Affairs department on Friday projects the Estonian economy growing by 1.1% in 2025. However, growth will remain weak in the coming years “as a result of several factors, including the permanent loss of cheap inputs from Russia.” | The latest economic forecast released by the Commission’s Economic and Financial Affairs department on Friday projects the Estonian economy growing by 1.1% in 2025. However, growth will remain weak in the coming years “as a result of several factors, including the permanent loss of cheap inputs from Russia.” |
| Among other factors are “weak growth in the country’s main trading partners,” which in 2023 were the EU member states, and “lingering geopolitical concerns,” the report states. | Among other factors are “weak growth in the country’s main trading partners,” which in 2023 were the EU member states, and “lingering geopolitical concerns,” the report states. |
| Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Estonia joined the EU campaign of trade and economic sanctions against Russia. The country’s foreign trade recorded a significant decrease the following year, with imports of goods from Russia plummeting by 92%, according to official statistics. | Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Estonia joined the EU campaign of trade and economic sanctions against Russia. The country’s foreign trade recorded a significant decrease the following year, with imports of goods from Russia plummeting by 92%, according to official statistics. |