The recent global economic crisis and its resulting austerity measures was a familiar experience for Estonia, which suffered similar policies after leaving the communist block.

The break with the Soviet Union in the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall was referred to as the singing revolution, and saw the introduction of capitalism with an initial boom and subsequent bust.

The economy shrank by nearly 20% and public sector salaries fell by 10%, but unlike in today's Europe, there was very little dissent.

Tanya Beckett reports.