News.

Organized by the Ministry of Finance, a conference took place on 20th of October in Marjamaa, focusing on experiences and lessons learned from amalgamation processes and on ways to carry out the proposed local government reform. Presentations were given by local government officials and representatives of different organizations, who analyzed...

In the county of Valgamaa amalgamation negotiations have started between the three rural municipalities of Helme, Hummuli, Põdrala and the urban municipality of Tõrva. With this decision, the four municipalities move in the direction of creating an amalgamated municipality based on the Mulgi regional identity. The historical fundament of Helme...

On the 22nd of October, Geomedia organized a training for employees of the Office for Social Security, who are engaged as advisors on child protection in local municipalities. Following the changes in the law for child protection in 2016, the observance of children rights and wellbeing should also be reflected...

In the county of Valgamaa amalgamation negotiations have started between the three rural municipalities of Helme, Hummuli, Põdrala and the urban municipality of Tõrva. With this decision, the four municipalities move in the direction of creating an amalgamated municipality based on the Mulgi regional identity. The historical basement of Helme...

Organized by the RegPol2 consortium, another doctoral school took place from October, 26 to October, 30 2015 in Leipzig. The school focused on topics linked to peripheralization, which were discussed as a basic for scientific research in general and the dissertation projects of the international project participants in particular. In the course of the...

In the framework of the RegPol2 project, Geomedia employee Bianka Plüschke-Altof participated in the 11th Estonian Rural Parliament, which took place from August 7.-9. 2015 in Särevere, Järvamaa County. The event was organized by the Estonian Village Movement Kodukant under the title "Listen for Village Voices". It consisted of field trips, thematic discussions, a ‘living...

In the framework of the RegPol2 project, Geomedia employee Bianka Plüschke-Altof participated in the 26th European Society for Rural Sociology Congress, which took place from August 18. – 21. 2015 in Aberdeen, Scotland. The congress was held under the title “Places of Possibility? Rural Societies in a Neoliberal World” and offered lectures, symposiums, panel discussions...

On the 13th of November a public discussion took place in Noarootsi, focusing on the local government amalgamation reform. The three and a half hour discussion included a presentation by Geomedia consultant Rivo Noorkõiv, a question and answer session and a group work phase. The objective was to get more...

Geomedia prepares a comparison of theoretical amalgamation reform models for Pärnumaa county, where it analyses different alternatives for organizing local government work in the light of the ongoing amalgamation reform. The criteria for alternative choices evolve from the tasks of local governments and the capacity conditions for their fulfillment, the preconditions for public offices, the...

On the 12th of September 2016, Geomedia welcomed a delegation from Armenia. Members of the delegation belonged to the Eurasia Partnership Foundation, the Communities Finance Officers Association, the Information Systems and Training Center and included also several journalists. The main topic of the meeting were Estonia’s experiences with the administrative...