"Estonia has a large amount of unused European money, and we want to use it for strengthening our defense capabilities," said Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform). "€200 million is a very large amount of money that will be reallocated from the various activities of ministries. In the coming weeks, each ministry will have to summarize the activities from which money will be taken to further strengthen Estonia's national defense."

According to Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi (Reform), priorities need to be reassessed given the current security situation.

"We've made it possible at the European Union level to re-channel money into national defense," he said. "It's good to see that Europe is beginning to see the borders of the Baltic states as its own borders and to talk about local concerns as common to all of us."

Ministries are required submit their proposals to the government in May.

The more specific defense measures to which investments will be made will also be decided at the same time. On the basis of this decision of the Government, negotiations will be launched with the European Commission and a formal operational program to increase investment in defense capabilities will be presented to the Commission in the second half of the year.

Although this money cannot be used to buy military equipment and weaponry, it can be used to develop the infrastructure of defense industry, military mobility and comprehensive national defense.

Estonia has been one of the fastest implementers of cohesion funds among EU members. As of the start of May, 74 percent (€2.5 billion) of the total €3.4 billion for the period has been drawn down.

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