Community groups take Pärnu Defense Industrial Park plan to court
The Tallinn Administrative Court has accepted for processing a complaint against the government's decision to establish a national special plan for a defense industry park in Pärnu County.
In April, the Pärnu 1 area near Tõstamaa was chosen as the site for the future park. The government is hoping to attract companies that can produce ammunition, munitions, explosives, and explosive materials.
However, the plan will now be challenged in court by the non-profit organizations Päraküla Selts, Roheline Pärnumaa, Eesti Metsa Abiks, and 27 private individuals.
The complainants argue that the impact of the defense industry park on the region's natural environment and local residents has not been sufficiently considered. They say that several necessary studies were omitted during the special planning process.
In their view, the construction of the defense industry park in Pärnu should be halted and a more suitable location found.
The complaint also requested interim legal protection, which the court did not grant as the plan does not yet permit any activities in nature.
The 200-hectare area site near Tõstamaa was chosen from a shortlist of five in April. It is located four kilometers from the small town of Tõstamaa, and surrounded by the villages of Ermistu, Lõuka and Soomra.
The location was deemed the most suitable in terms of its size, minimal environmental impact and distance from Estonia's eastern border.
At a meeting in April, locals told "Aktuaalne kaamera" they were both for and against the development.
This is the third defense development project to be challenged in court. Earlier this month, a court annulled the government's decision to expand a military training zone in South Estonia, citing insufficient attention to noise pollution.
Additionally, at the end of 2024, a company that lost a bid to produce ammunition at a new defense park in Ämari challenged the decision.
Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces Andrus Merilo has criticized the moves.
"Right now, there are many things that, frankly, are torpedoing the country's military defense preparedness. Look at the Nursipalu case. Look at how even the construction of our warehouses is being questioned — whether it's legal or necessary. The defense industry park falls into the same category. My position is that we don't have much time to waste on endless disputes. We need to get on with what needs to be done," he said in an interview with ERR last month.
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Editor: Helen Wright, Marko Tooming
Source: Aktuaalne kaamera
