The government decided in March to increase the Film Estonia reimbursement rate from 30% to 40%. This would help bring more films to Estonia, as the current cost is high compared to neighboring countries.
However, Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi said he does not agree with this change. He said that the reimbursement can only be increased if the program's funding is reduced by €0.8 million.
The government had previously stated that the change should not burden the state budget further. Ligi explained that increasing the reimbursement costs money and therefore the money must be found elsewhere.
The change only affects the Film Estonia program funding in 2026. The situation may change in the future.
The Film Estonia program helps bring foreign films to Estonia and increases the sales of Estonian films abroad. The program's budget has been €6 million annually in recent years.