Estonian President Alar Karis on Wednesday He signed an amendment to the Constitution, prohibited by the citizens of countries, which are not members of the European Union, vote in local elections in Estonia. According to AFP, this is a step against a large Russian minority in this Baltic state, writes TASR. So far, persons with permanent residence in Estonia have had constitutional right to vote in local elections, but not in parliamentary.
MEPs voted for the amendment of the law by the vast majority of March 26. In Estonia since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there will be concerns about security and War is considered a direct threat in Estonia, because the Baltic country directly borders on Russia.
Estonian President’s office in a statement It announced a prohibition of “third -country nationals” to participate in local elections on the grounds that it is “the protection of the unity of the Estonian society”. At the same time, she called on those who concern the prohibition not to think they are allocated from society or not to believe that they are perceived only as a security risk.
According to AFP, approximately 80,000 Russians living in this former Soviet Republic, which gained independence in 1991, will hit a new measure. Relations between Russia’s three Baltic countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – are worse for a long time due to the increasing tension between Russia and the West, writes AFP. All three Baltic states are EU and NATO members and also supporters of Ukraine.
In Estonia and Lithuania there are large Russian -speaking minorities that sometimes contradict the governments of these states, which according to AFP raises concerns that Moscow could use contradictions to destabilize these countries.
When Estonia gained its independence, approximately a third of its population spoke Russian – including families that emigrated from other Soviet countries. However, they did not receive Estonian citizenship because of the lack of family ties with Estonia. In order to obtain citizenship, candidates must also successfully pass the Estonian language test.
