The 10th Seniour Courses in National Defence will be opened in the Roosta resort centre on April 26. The course will be opened with a lecture by Prime Minister Juhan Parts \"Short- and long-term perspectives of Estonian National Defence.\"
The first day will concentrate on the issue of Estonia\'s security political environment and threats. The speakers are Defence Minister Margus Hanson, Brigadier General Martin J. Routledge of the UK MoD, Ambassador Raul Mälk, National Information Service Director General Tarmo Türkson and representatives of the Estonian MoD and Foreign Ministry. The following days will cover the subjects of national defence cooperation in Estonia, integration with NATO and the EU common security and defence policy, the basics of Estonia\'s National Defence, the national defence forces, international cooperation and international peacekeeping operations.
The course participants will also attend various national defence- related group projects, visit the Guard Battalion in Tallinn and the Peace Operations Centre in Paldiski. The graduates of the five-day course will be issued certificates.
The participants include politicians, higher government officials, journalists, entrepreneurs and cultural figures. The courses have been held since 1999 and they have so far involved approximately 350 people.