Interior minister in Narva: No plans to ease border crossing restrictions
Estonian Minister of the Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200), who visited Narva on Monday, told reporters that the government has no plans to ease the restrictions on border crossings between Estonia and Russia. He stressed that it comes down to a matter of principle.
Long queues form at the border in Narva during the holidays as hundreds of travellers choose to cross into Russia via Estonia every day. Several buses depart from Tallinn to the city every day, and there is also a direct train service, making it easier to access than the Luhamaa crossing in south Estonia.
European airlines stopped flying to Russia after it launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leaving travelers with only the possibility to enter the country over land. Additionally, Finland closed all its borders with Russia in 2023, which has redirected Russians living in the Nordic country to Narva.
Travelers can wait for hours to cross in all weathers without protection from the elements. A paid queuing system has sprung up so travelers can wait elsewhere until their time to cross comes.
However, the Estonian government sees no reason to create additional infrastructure in Narva to support those who travel to Russia.
"Don't count on any generous gestures regarding travel to Russia – there won't be any," Taro said, in response to questions about possible ways to improve the situation at the Narva border crossing, according to a report by local news outlet Narvskaya Gazeta.
The border is also closed overnight between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., meaning those who cannot cross during the day must wait until morning. Taro said there are no plans to return to around-the-clock operations.
The minister said the idea of creating an electronic queueing system for pedestrians is also unrealistic due to the high maintenance costs and high prices that would lead to for users.
At the same time, Taro noted that charging a fee for crossing the border is also fundamentally wrong.
The minister recalled that when paid online reservation for cars to cross was introduced, people were promised free passage on foot, and so that option should remain in place.
Responding to a question about the possible opening of the border for vehicles after the completion of the reconstruction work at the Ivangorod border crossing point on the Russian side, Taro said it was too early to say.
The Russians closed their side of the border in February 2024 for renovation work. This means pedestrians must cross the bridge connecting the two countries on foot. It is not expected to reopen until the end of 2025.
The situation at the Narva border has frustrated some local politicians who blame the government in Tallinn for the problems on Peetri Square, where the border is located.
On Tuesday, Tarmo Miilits, secretary general of the Ministry of the Interior, said the problem lies with Russia.
"The border queue in Narva was brought here by Vladimir Putin and his full-scale war against Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022. That Russian aggression destroyed Europe's previous security architecture and shattered many ties between states," he wrote. "We have said many times, and I will repeat again, that we currently do not recommend anyone travel to Russia."
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Editor: Sergei Mihhailov, Michael Cole, Helen Wright
