The Tallinn City Government has submitted the city’s 2025 supplementary budget proposal to the City Council, which would increase the total city budget by approximately €8.2 million. If adopted, the revised budget for 2025 will amount to €1.3 billion.

“This is the final budget of the current city government and it focuses on three priorities: security, education, and social services,” said Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski.

“To improve security, we are launching two support measures for apartment associations—one to help residents convert basements into shelter spaces and another to ensure the operation of heating systems during power outages. For this, we are allocating €1.5 million,” the mayor explained.

“The City Government is once again increasing the volume of social services to ensure accessibility. Thanks to key decisions made over the past year, we’ve improved service quality and reduced waiting lists to a minimum. I want to emphasize that Tallinn continues to guarantee a place in a care home for its residents for the cost of an average pension, for which we are allocating nearly an additional €1 million,” Ossinovski said.

In the field of education, additional funds are earmarked for support services in kindergartens, and two long-awaited construction projects will begin—the complete reconstruction of Helen School and the extension of Jakob Westholm Upper Secondary School.

The supplementary budget increases the city’s 2025 operational expenditures by €17.1 million, with the largest increases in education and social services.

In education, additional funds are planned to cover the management costs of educational institutions, support private schools, and implement the new Pre-primary Education Act, including coordination of support services in kindergartens. With the help of state budget support, funding will be provided for standardized tests and exams, the purchase of learning materials, physical education and science teaching, and Estonian language instruction. Vocational education will see the addition of study places for students with special needs at the Tallinn Applied College, and hobby education will expand with Nõmme Music School opening a branch in Haabersti. Operational costs for schools will also be adjusted to match actual needs.

In youth work, funds are allocated to support the Tallinn Student Summer Work Program, including the opening of a new group for youth with severe intellectual disabilities and to strengthen collaboration between mobile youth workers and young people.

In culture, expenses for cultural institutions will increase, mostly due to higher self-generated revenue. Additional funding will go to Tallinn City Theatre and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra’s “Arvo Pärt 90” concert tour in the USA. Support will also be given to Tallinn-based groups participating in the national Song and Dance Festival, and opportunities in the seniors’ activity program will be expanded. Two new foreign-funded projects will also be launched, focusing on nightlife development and intercity cooperation in sustainable development.

In sports and recreational activities, support will be adjusted to reflect actual needs, funding for international sports events will be increased, and support will be provided to the Estonian Gymnastics Federation for hosting the European Championships. Operating costs for Tallinn – European Capital of Sport 2025 will be reduced, with part of the funds redirected to investments, including the purchase of snow cannons for the Nõmme and Pirita health trails.

In social welfare, the focus will be on care for the elderly and children. Funding will increase for 24-hour general care services and nurses’ salary raises. Day care and home services for elderly people with memory disorders will be reorganized. In child welfare, the volume of support person services will increase, and management of the sector has been consolidated under the Tallinn Welfare and Health Care Department as of 1 May. Funding will also be increased for transport and personal assistant services for people with disabilities. Several changes will be implemented with the support of foreign-funded projects.

In healthcare, the operating costs of Tallinn Ambulance will increase due to rising service prices and wage increases for healthcare workers. A pilot project for an out-of-hours family doctor service will be launched in autumn, providing basic medical care outside working hours for patients in the green and blue triage categories.

In the business field, a new foreign-funded project, “CliNeDest,” will focus on developing climate-smart tourism entrepreneurship and supporting Baltic Sea destinations in moving towards climate neutrality by creating appropriate working models.

In mobility, additional costs arising from Elron’s train ticket price increases will be covered to maintain free rides within Tallinn for residents. Funding for Kadriorg Park personnel will also increase to strengthen the new sidewalk maintenance unit.

In urban landscaping, maintenance costs will increase due to the planting of new tall greenery and maintenance of green areas tied to major road projects. Maintenance costs for urban furniture and waste bins will also rise, and there are plans to expand decorative lighting for the upcoming winter season.

In technical infrastructure, stormwater management costs will decrease due to a change in AS Tallinna Vesi’s pricing. Meanwhile, street lighting costs will increase to meet the additional requirements in the new maintenance contract starting in August 2025.

In environmental protection, several foreign-funded projects will begin, including hazardous waste collection rounds in eight districts of Tallinn, as well as international initiatives to promote green public procurement, circular economy, and climate neutrality. In Mustamäe, a community food grove will be established in cooperation with local residents, where edible plants will be planted.

In urban planning, funding will increase for planning and architectural competitions, including for the “Freedom Avenue” project, Lembitu Park renovation, and the opening of the Ukrainian Garden exhibition. International projects will also be launched to develop digital bridge management (BRIDGITISE) and the use of BIM technology in the public sector (BIM4Gov).

In public safety, funding will increase for crisis preparedness and civil protection to strengthen local governments’ readiness for emergencies. Support will be provided for apartment buildings to create shelter spaces and ensure heating system functionality during power outages. These grants can be applied for through the Municipal Police Department.

The operating budget of the City Office will increase due to adjustments related to the Tallinn City Council elections, including hiring additional staff for polling stations. Funds are also allocated for restoring the winter garden at the Jaan Poska House and expanding its exhibition in preparation for Poska’s 160th birth anniversary.

In the investment budget, mainly technical adjustments will be made based on public procurement outcomes regarding the total cost of investment objects and expenditures planned for 2025.