IN TIME

my estonia
text: kärt blumberg
photo: RAUNO VOLMAR/EPL
Patriot
of Estonia
An abandoned military base in
Saaremaa and a drive across
the sea along an ice road are
among the brightest experiences
of the charismatic
investment banker and the
Chairman of the Council of
Estonian Air, Joakim Helenius.
“It is a weird feeling as you expect the ice
to crack at any minute,” says Helenius
recalling the times he has driven from
the mainland to the Island of Saaremaa
along the ice road. Saaremaa with its beautiful
nature, spa hotels and forests full of mushrooms is
one of the places especially close to his heart.
What else is there about Estonia that you like?
I like to go on canoe trips in Pärnumaa. The rivers
there are narrow and crooked and while paddling,
I often get the feeling that if I am the only human
being in the entire county. Later we grill meat
together with my friends and it always tastes
delicious. I love these almost pristine places in
Estonia. During winter I went to South-Estonia
for a snowmobile ride and to ski.
The most important place for me, however,
is the Old Town of Tallinn. I love it most of all.
When I am sitting here in my office I can feel it
inspiring me. Look, I can see Oleviste Church
from here. This once used to be the highest building
in the whole Europe. (Helenius points from
his office window at the church steeple towering
over the red tile roofs of the Old Town.)
How did your relationship with Estonia begin?
I have been living in Estonia since 1993 and I
have watched it grow from a poor country emerging
from the Soviet Union with decaying build-
I believe that
people who
are not familiar
with Estonia
should
come and see
what is going
on here and
why Estonia
is so successful.
ings and bad restaurants into a full member of the
European Union with a thriving economy. Many
of the buildings have been renovated and there
are many good restaurants in which to dine. Estonia
is a second home to me and I believe I am a
greater patriot of Estonia than many Estonians.
What ties you to Estonia?
It is incredible how the Estonian people who have
suffered so much throughout their history came
together in the 1990s to build this country. I
admire the practical mind of Estonians that has
helped them to accept the changes their Government
enforced during the recent economic crisis.
I support politicians developing a country with
a competitive economy. I strongly believe in what
is going on here. Politicians have given the entrepreneurs
a lot of opportunities to have a say in the
development of the country. I also like the fact
that the tax burden and the level of government’s
debt burden are low.
So far Estonia has always considered Nordic
countries as an example to follow but I believe
that Nordic countries will soon have a good reason
to learn from Estonia, for example in how to make
citizens more independent of the state and thus
keep the economy flexible and competitive. I believe
that people who are not familiar with Estonia
should come and see what is going on here and
why Estonia is so successful.
44
INTIME I suvi/summer 2011