Latest news with #Michal
The Print
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
‘India should use its growing power to push Russia to end aggression in Ukraine'—Estonian PM
Estonia has been one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine since the war with Russia began in February 2022. The Baltic-nation, which is a member of both the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), has since increased its own defence spending, planning to cross five percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) by 2026. 'Like-minded countries should be working together. For example, India has growing power in the whole world, economically, but politically also. So we would very much appreciate that India would be pushing Russia towards ending aggression in Ukraine,' Michal said. Tallinn: India should use its 'growing power in the world' to push Russia to end its aggression in Ukraine, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told ThePrint in an exclusive interaction Friday. The nation of roughly 1.3 million people has been looking to strengthen its ties with New Delhi, focusing on strategic areas, such as cyber security and defence. Since 2007, Estonia, which was once a part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) has been facing a number of cyber attacks from Russia, which has made the focus on cyber security a key national policy. The Estonian prime minister said: 'On the economical field, as you already mentioned, on AI and cybersecurity, we are already talking to each other. On cybersecurity, Estonia has a long tradition and very strong experiences coming from Russia's cyberattacks against us since 2007. So we have been under constant attacks from Russia's side, and our IT sector was evolving and still is evolving quite rapidly.' Michal added: 'I would say that we [India and Estonia] have many points of cooperation in business side, food and so on, but on the defence, cybersecurity is probably our strongest point that we can work on together because everybody from India can look that Estonia has a very strong IT sector, which is quite unusual because in many countries in Europe, I would say the State is operating on its own, and private sectors are operating also on their own.' Also Read: Expect Turkey to strongly urge Pakistan to end its support to cross-border terrorism, says India Digitalisation & cyber security For the Estonian government, digitalisation has been a key national priority, with the government first introducing its identity card programme in 2002—similar in nature to India's Aadhaar, introduced a few years later. With the country moving towards complete digitalisation of its governance structures, roughly 99 percent of all government services are available through digital portals, which has made cyber security all that more important for the Baltic nation. 'Estonia has this kind of model where we are working together with private companies, and it's working absolutely well. That's why we are so strong… because we have, for example, this kind of cyber defence league in which the private sector is cooperating with the state, and helping fight different cyber attacks, but they also are gaining this kind of knowledge about what is happening in this field. So this is a very vibrant community in Estonia,' Michal pointed out. In March, Jonatan Vseviov, the Estonian Secretary General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had met with India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi, where the two had discussed cyber security, co-production in defence, military training and other niche technologies. In the 1990s, the country, which had then just gained independence, focussed on strengthening its education in the IT sector, introducing the Tiger Leap programme in its schools to expand its digital network and infrastructure with a special focus on schooling. Earlier this year, the Estonian President Alar Karis announced its AI Leap programme, with a focus on niche technology, with a view towards the future of global computing. 'We have a quite ambitious and big plan with AI because starting this year, we will have AI in our school curricula. So that will mean that in two years, one-third of our students and teachers will be learning how to use AI in a smart way. So that will affect our labour market in the future, also businesses and opportunities,' Michal said. The Estonian prime minister added: 'So as you know, Estonian education has very high standards and in the PISA [Programme for International Student Assessment] test we are probably among the top, but we want to be on the next level with this AI jump in Estonia. So that probably could also be the basis of working together [with India].' The reporter was in Tallinn at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Estonia. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: US imposes visa restrictions on Indian travel agents 'knowingly facilitating illegal immigration'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Estonian PM vows to keep up checks on Russia's 'shadow fleet'
By Andrius Sytas TALLINN (Reuters) -Estonia will keep checking Russian "shadow fleet" vessels, Prime Minister Kristen Michal told Reuters on Sunday, days after Russia deployed a SU-35 fighter jet as Estonia attempted to alter the course of one such ship. Estonia said the jet briefly breached NATO airspace during the Baltic country's attempt to inspect a Russian-bound oil tanker, thought to be part of a so-called shadow fleet defying Western sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Last week's incident "doesn't change a thing", with Estonia determined to continue checking suspicious tankers, Michal said. "I would say that everybody - Estonians, Finns - will be monitoring these kind of ships, and if there's something suspicious we will ask about it. Everybody will do that," Michal said in an interview. Michal said the Estonian Navy had no plans to board the suspect tanker, which then sailed into Russian waters, escorted by the Su-35 and an Estonian patrol boat. Estonia detained another shadow fleet tanker, Kiwala, in April. Russia receives an estimated 60% of its oil revenues via shipments by the "shadow fleet" to buyers in countries such as China and India, according to Estonian estimates. The vessels, which frequently have opaque ownership structures and sail without top-tier Western insurance and safety certification, are often loaded in Russian Baltic Sea ports, approached via the waters between Estonia and Finland. "It's understandable why Russia is getting a little bit nervous," said Michal, saying Russian oil imports should be further limited. "The questions for us - not Estonia, but for Europe and for the United States - is how come Russia is waging the war for the fourth year, and is still selling products on the world market?," he said. Russia views sanctions as an attempt to crush its economy, and has said its ships must have free passage in the Baltic. DEFENCE SPENDING BOOST Estonia, one of the most outspoken critics of Russia in NATO and the European Union, was annexed in the 1940s by the Soviet Union, which agreed with Nazi Germany to carve up the region. For Michal, the only way for Europe to hope for a lasting peace with Russia is to have a strong military. Estonia has pledged at least 5% of GDP for defence to build up its forces, and hopes the larger NATO members will follow suit at a summit in The Hague next month. "Nobody loves governments who raise taxes for defence, but ... you have to do that", Michal said, adding that he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump would raise the threat of new sanctions during a planned call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. "I hope that he will continue this line, that the pressure is mounting," he said.
Straits Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Estonian PM vows to keep up checks on Russia's 'shadow fleet'
TALLINN - Estonia will keep checking Russian "shadow fleet" vessels, Prime Minister Kristen Michal told Reuters on Sunday, days after Russia deployed a SU-35 fighter jet as Estonia attempted to alter the course of one such ship. Estonia said the jet briefly breached NATO airspace during the Baltic country's attempt to inspect a Russian-bound oil tanker, thought to be part of a so-called shadow fleet defying Western sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Last week's incident "doesn't change a thing", with Estonia determined to continue checking suspicious tankers, Michal said. "I would say that everybody - Estonians, Finns - will be monitoring these kind of ships, and if there's something suspicious we will ask about it. Everybody will do that," Michal said in an interview. Michal said the Estonian Navy had no plans to board the suspect tanker, which then sailed into Russian waters, escorted by the Su-35 and an Estonian patrol boat. Estonia detained another shadow fleet tanker, Kiwala, in April. Russia receives an estimated 60% of its oil revenues via shipments by the "shadow fleet" to buyers in countries such as China and India, according to Estonian estimates. The vessels, which frequently have opaque ownership structures and sail without top-tier Western insurance and safety certification, are often loaded in Russian Baltic Sea ports, approached via the waters between Estonia and Finland. "It's understandable why Russia is getting a little bit nervous," said Michal, saying Russian oil imports should be further limited. "The questions for us - not Estonia, but for Europe and for the United States - is how come Russia is waging the war for the fourth year, and is still selling products on the world market?," he said. Russia views sanctions as an attempt to crush its economy, and has said its ships must have free passage in the Baltic. DEFENCE SPENDING BOOST Estonia, one of the most outspoken critics of Russia in NATO and the European Union, was annexed in the 1940s by the Soviet Union, which agreed with Nazi Germany to carve up the region. For Michal, the only way for Europe to hope for a lasting peace with Russia is to have a strong military. Estonia has pledged at least 5% of GDP for defence to build up its forces, and hopes the larger NATO members will follow suit at a summit in The Hague next month. "Nobody loves governments who raise taxes for defence, but ... you have to do that", Michal said, adding that he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump would raise the threat of new sanctions during a planned call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. "I hope that he will continue this line, that the pressure is mounting," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Newsweek
08-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
How Estonia is Advancing AI in Government, Business and Education
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Estonia may be a small country, but it maintains an outsized reputation in technology. Known for being where the pioneering video calling platform Skype was created, Estonia has been pushing its government services to be as digitally friendly as possible since gaining its independence in 1991. By the year 2000, Estonians could do their banking and taxes online. Today, people can apply for residency or citizenship online, form a business and even get divorced without leaving the house. In January, the country announced it had reached 100 percent digitization in government services. The next phase is around generative artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning technology and how to best take advantage of the opportunities presented by new technological capabilities. In March, the country launched a program to provide educators and teachers with AI-based tools. In an interview with Newsweek, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal shared that the government works closely with entrepreneurs and tech companies, domestically and abroad, to promote technology development and remove bureaucracy from government services and business activities such as business formation, tax filing and real estate transactions. "Everything is pre-filled to you already in tax preparation," Michal said. "It takes a lot of stress away." He added that the same is true when a baby is born. Paperwork for birth and medical records is initiated immediately and filed automatically so the parent can view them at home when they return from the hospital. "Almost everything [is] online and we have already more than 120 examples of uses of AI in public services," he explained. "They are predictive, personalized and proactive." The ongoing war with Ukraine hangs over Estonia, which neighbors Russia and was previously part of the Soviet Union. But it has also represented an opportunity, Michal said. "We are having a very vibrant defense industry sector, from that also new companies will emerge," he explained. Cybersecurity is also a strength of the country, which has been the site of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in the capital city of Tallinn since 2008. Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michel. Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michel. Office of Prime Minister of Estonia "I find a lot more people who are entrepreneurs and intellectuals than I see in other countries," Mark Minevich, president of Going Global Ventures and a strategic advisor to the venture capital firm Mayfield, told Newsweek after a recent visit to Tallinn. "I see a lot more people focusing on science and innovation and technology and entrepreneurship. Everybody's trying to come up with some idea." Minevich said some of the businesses and AI capabilities he's seen rival those of Silicon Valley and would receive similar valuations if they were located in California instead of Eastern Europe. He pointed to Bolt, the European rideshare and delivery company founded by 19-year-old Markus Villig in Tallinn in 2013, and Pactum, a company founded and led by the former leader and cofounder of Estonia's famed e-residency program Kaspar Korjus. Pactum, an AI-driven operations and supply chain software used by many major companies, recently won a continental "Future Unicorn" award as recognition for its potential for future success. The challenges Estonia face are manpower, the population is around 1.3 million, and working capital. Pactum has raised $55 million but the ecosystem does not have as much investment as the U.S., U.K. or countries in Asia and the Middle East, Minevich said. "The biggest problem they told me, they don't have big access to capital, so they've got to rely on European Union grants," he explained. "They don't have an established venture capital. They don't have government grants. They basically have to compete with every other European Union nation for some capital, on some grants, and it's not easy." Michal maintains an optimistic attitude given the economy's recent growth and projections for further growth in the next year. "Estonia doesn't have too big an interior market," he said. "For us, the only way is to work smarter not in quantity but in quality." He also echoed a sentiment shared by many around the proliferation of technology: AI won't take your job but somebody using AI will. "If you are using AI tools smarter than anybody else then you probably will be a winner in the markets," Michal said. "Our private sector investments have increased, from 2017 to 2023, people with scientific degrees doubled. The only way is to increase the quality." Through education, Michal said he also hopes to develop the "smartest users" of emerging technology, in order to spur innovation and remain a market ripe for entrepreneurs and innovation in the future. This is part of why AI is gaining a stronger foothold in education and government in Estonia. "With technology, AI and different possibilities coming with that, if you are the smartest of the users, you probably will win with this revolution," he said.
The Courier
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Why Newport dad Michal is learning to skate at 40
Michal Winiarski is no stranger to a set of wheels. But the Newport-on-Tay driving instructor, owner of Working Way driving school, is used to being the teacher – not the student. Michal emigrated from Poland in 2006 and lives in Newport-on-Tay with his 'Dundee born and bred' wife Diane, and their sons Jan, 11, and Hubert, 6. Now, thanks to skateboard-mad Jan, Michal has become a 'learner' once again. The pair have been taking skateboarding lessons together at Passion Park, an indoor skatepark in Dundee, since February. At age 40, it's Michal's first ever foray into the skate scene. Michal Winiarski and Jan Winiarski are a father-son skating duo from Newport. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. 'I am very, very, sore,' laughs Michal when I meet him and Jan at a Passion Park beginners session. 'But I'm trying!' Jan's life 'was taken over by skateboarding' Kitted out in matching black, stickered helmets and black baggy T-shirts, the pair certainly look the part. They stand at the foot of a steep wooden ramp; it seems I've saved Michal from 'dropping in' at the top for a moment. Meanwhile Jan, at his side, is torn by his excitement to share his love of skateboarding with me and his palpable desire to get back to it. This is why Michal is here. When skating took over Jan's world last year, the devoted dad decided to get on board, literally. 'Jan's life was taken over by skateboarding,' Michal smiles. 'Everything in the room, all the video games, the YouTube.' Michal Winiarski, 40, gets some encouragement from son Jan. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. Jan pipes up to tell me all about his 'Tony Hawk Pro Skater' skateboarding game; a moment which catapults me back to a Playstation 2 childhood, and has me marvelling at the fact Tony Hawk remains the most famous professional skater on Earth, 25 years later. But impossible 'vert' tricks and death-defying moves don't come close to Jan's favourite thing about skating. Which is? 'Doing it with my dad.' How did Jan get dad to skate at 40? And while some of the other parents in the room were skaters in their youth, Michal is following his son's lead. Since taking on 1:1 lessons in February, Jan has quickly become a dedicated and fairly fearless skater. 'He was here 10 hours yesterday, for a skate camp during the day and then back after dinner until they closed at 10pm,' Michal grins. Passion Park, an indoor skate park in Dundee, is Michal and Jan's favourite spot. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. 'We are here every week, sometimes twice a week. 'It's fun, because Jan's learning stuff and then he's challenging me, and I'm following. Like this, he showed me this yesterday,' he continues as Jan takes off up a mini ramp. 'My first three tries? I went flat on the face. But when I manage to do it, it's a lot of fun.' Building confidence ahead of high school For Michal, seeing Jan throwing himself into something so physical – and persevering through skint knees and frustration – is comforting. After summer, Jan will make the transition from Newport Primary to S1 at Madras College, and Michal wants to encourage him to grow his confidence ahead of the move to secondary school. 'Jan, he was very premature,' explains Michal. 'He was born a few weeks early, 1lb 4oz. So he's 11 now but doesn't look it. 'So it's really good he's trying this new thing, and he really, really likes it. His co-ordination and everything has been so improved. Which is relaxing for me.' Jan says he tried other activities before, like football and Scouts, but never found his place in big team environments. Since taking up skating, he's found role models and a community he feels at home in. The Winiarskis get some pointers from park owner Lewis Allan. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. 'He did not enjoy himself then at those things,' says Michal. 'But here, he is so happy. And the older skaters here, they give him advice. So yeah, he's alone, but he's never really alone.' It's also important to Michal that Jan spends time out in the world, not absorbed in a screen. 'This is what we do all the time, up and out,' he says. 'The amount of computers and everything for the young kids now, it's too much.' Jan doesn't mind that at all. 'I only like being online or using my screens when it's raining,' he says. 'I don't like gaming and stuff that much. I'd rather be skating.' Balancing passion with family life For now, coming to Passion Park is special one-on-one time for Jan and his dad. Younger brother Hubert is 'still at the age where he prefers sliding down the ramp on his bum', but Jan is teaching him how to skate at home in the garden so he can join in next summer. 'We go a lot of walks, and go cycling, play in the garden with the kids,' Michal explains. 'But it's quite a big age difference and we need to make sure they're both satisfied, so every spare moment, we bring Jan to skate.' Michal 'absolutely loves' the quality time with his eldest son, and makes it a priority to 'find the time around work'. Skater Jan is teaching his dad 'how to fall' Whether skating is a flash-in-the-pan obsession or a lifelong hobby for Jan, Michal doesn't mind. He's just happy his pre-teen son is bringing him along for the ride. 'I'm obviously not going to force him to do something I enjoy more than him,' he says. 'He's the youth, he's passionate. This is his time to flourish and develop skills. Skate-mad Jan with his dad Michal. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson 'If you can enjoy it with them, why not try it? I'm not going to become a professional, but at least we get to spend a little time together.' As for Michal's own skate skills, he's holding his own. At 40, the prospect of a bone-breaking fall is a bit more intimidating for him than young Jan, but he's still giving it his all – including learning how to fall without being scared. 'We tried that big ramp yesterday, I got Dad to try it with me,' Jan sidles up to tell me in a conspiratorial whisper. How did they get on? 'We fell,' he giggles. 'But,' adds Michal, 'we fell together.'
