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Digital Estonia Sets High Tech Bar for Development 

When I first visited Estonia over twenty years ago, the Baltic country had recently regained its independence from the Soviet Union.  Tallinn, the capital and an old Hanseatic trading city, offered an intriguing mix of  medieval architecture and shoddy Soviet style construction.  Situated on the Gulf of Finland, Estonia, though occupied by Moscow, was deceptively close to the free Nordic countries.  

Since regaining its freedom in 1991, Estonia has pursued a fast track to democratic and now digital development.  The building blocks involved a revival of the country’s multi-party traditions and an embrace of free markets.  For example, the Washington based think tank  Heritage Foundation places Estonia’s economic freedom as #9 globally, just behind Ireland, and ahead of the USA and United Kingdom.

Equally Estonia boasts the freest press/media of any of the former Soviet states.  

But while my memories of Estonia are rooted in the country’s rich but turbulent history, I was jolted into the contemporary era by presentations on the country’s leading edge role in the digital age and how this tiny land is harnessing information technology for improved E governance.

Estonia’s dynamic Prime Minister Taavi Roivas (36) visited the UN to present his nation’s success story to the Economic and Social Council.  He underscored Estonia’s role as an example of  innovation, digital technology and how public-private partnerships could boost development. Minister Roivas explained how the economy which was in transition just sixteen years ago, “was now one of the most digitally advanced countries.”   

Prime Minister Roivas asserted that building an advanced digital government and being the birthplace of Skype had “given Estonia  an active start-up scene.”  He stressed that digitation had made both the public and private sectors efficient.  There’s a strong commitment to economic freedom. 

Later during a presentation to the International Peace Institute,  Roivas 

said that the digital government initiatives “provide citizens with a precious resource: time.”  Indeed with less bureaucracy and smart and innovative initiatives, the government has streamlined many procedures such as online voting and paying taxes.  

“Starting a new company in Estonia is done online too and takes about twenty minutes; it’s all digital and no paperwork,” Roivas advised, adding and then “you have a firm up and running with total European Union access.” Top personal and corporate taxes have been reduced to 20 percent.

As the Prime Minister added, “This is not just tech savvy, and not just cool, but transparent.”      A digital policy with ID cards carrying medical and personal information have streamlined services according to officials.  

Estonia is one of the world’s least corrupt countries according to Transparency International.  The digital presence as not just efficient but transparent.  As the Prime Minister jokes, “you can’t bribe a computer.”  

Yet vulnerability to cyber warfare, especially from active networks in neighboring Russia, pose a threat as in 2007 when Estonia was hit by a full scale cyber attack.  Roivas asserts the importance of cyber defense and adds a digital government is not an end in itself. “In fact the Citizens are Big Brother over the Government.”  

Estonia is a member of the Digital Five, a select group of five countries including Israel, New Zealand, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; places with high use of  E government.

Illegally annexed by the Soviets in 1940, and ruled as a  “Socialist Republic” until 1991, Estonia still hosts a large Russian ethnic population; in the capital Tallinn the population is 38 percent Russian. 

Prime Minister Roivas concedes that while there has been “a worrying pattern” of Russia violating sovereignty of Georgia and Ukraine, Estonia’s NATO membership is a valuable safeguard to its sovereignty.  Equally Estonia is one of a handful of NATO states which spends 2 percent of GDP on defense the others being the USA, UK, Greece and Poland.  

Yet this little Baltic nation, about the size of New Hampshire and Vermont combined, has only 1.3 million people and is geographically on westernmost shoulder of Russia. Its big neighbor gives it the most concern and that is exactly why Estonia is a member of NATO and the EU.   

“National security is fundamental for any state,” and indirectly referencing Russia he added, “We should not forget countries in Europe changing state borders by force.” 

Roivas asserted warily, “Crises do not come and go, but come and stay.”  

Comment du Jour

Happy Europe Day!


New York's iconic Empire State building is lit up in the Blue and Gold
colors of the 28 member European Union to celebrate Europe Day on 10 May.

Comment du Jour

Governments Paranoid Over Free Media: Global Survey Reports

Governments throughout the world seem increasingly nervous if not paranoid over a free press and media, according to a searingly poignant survey by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).  The annual survey of the global media in 180 countries, the French-based monitor report underscores a gradual deterioration in freedoms and the rights of journalists to freely pursue and present reports. 

“It is unfortunately clear that many of the world’s leaders are developing a form of paranoia about legitimate journalism,” states Christophe Deloire, RSF’s Secretary General.  He adds, “The climate of fear results in a growing aversion to debate and pluralism, a clampdown on the media by ever more authoritarian and oppressive governments.”

All this points to what the watchdog group calls a “deep and disturbing decline in media freedoms.” 

First let’s analyze the survey, compiled by a rigorous methodology and analysis.  Of the top ten countries with the freest media include Finland, Norway, Netherlands, Denmark and New Zealand.  Not surprising.  The second five include Costa Rica, Switzerland,  Sweden, Ireland and Jamaica.   

Again impressive, but where’s the USA?   

Let’s look at the next ten countries.  There’s Austria, Slovakia, Belgium, Germany and Canada among them. There’s good news here: Estonia has the best ratings of any country in the post-Soviet Union while Slovakia has the best numbers of any country in former Eastern Europe. 

Yet again, where’s the USA?

The United States is ranked 41st  in press freedoms, that’s behind South Africa and Slovenia and just ahead of Burkina Faso and Botswana.  Despite America’s long cherished First Amendment which constitutionally provides for extensive media rights, there’s been a steady erosion of  journalistic freedoms in recent years.  In 2015 the USA ranked 49th.  But why?

The reasons are manifest in the Administration’s stringent use of security legislation.  According to the report, “The main cause for concern for RSF continues to be the current administration’s obsessive control of information, which manifests itself through the war on whistleblowers and journalists’ sources, as well as the lack of government transparency, which reporters have continually criticized. ”  

The RSF survey adds poignantly,  “The Obama administration has prosecuted more whistleblowers under the Espionage Act than all previous administrations combined.”

But it’ s not just the U.S. slipping in press freedoms.  Japan which has proudly sustained a free press in the postwar era, has now slipped eleven places to #72,  just behind South Korea.  Japan’s press restrictions concerning “state secrets” remain onerous.  

The Republic of China on Taiwan still maintains the highest free press standing  in East Asia: Taiwan comes in at #51, compared with Hong Kong at #69 and the Philippines at #138.  Mainland China’s media freedoms are near the end of the list scoring #176, just behind Vietnam and one step ahead of Syria.   

As is now almost a tradition, North Korea and Eritrea are at the bottom of the list rounding out the most repressive states for media freedoms.  

Surprised?