One example of how the situation has changed over the last two decades is the installation of radar stations located in Virumaa by the Defense Forces (EDF).

In the spring of 2003, the president was among those cutting the ribbon at the opening of the Kellavere radar station in Lääne-Viru County.

But in contrast, when the activation of the Viru air surveillance radar – erected atop a mining waste hill in Ida-Viru County to replace the Kellavere radar – took place this summer, not even a press release was published.

The construction of military installations is the responsibility of the Estonian Center for Defense Investments. Projects subject to the greatest secrecy are carried out under special procurement procedures. Only companies holding state security clearance may participate.

Ando Voogma, the state agency's northern-northeastern portfolio manager, said: "It is not in the interest of the Estonian state for general information about a facility to be public if it involves intelligence, surveillance, or similar activity. When it comes to general national defense security installations, we usually do not disclose excessive information, since we are dealing with a security matter. One reason for this is that we do not want to make the enemy's life too easy."

However, communications expert Ilmar Raag believes secrecy can sometimes have the opposite effect.

"If a potential adversary first sees on Google Maps an unnamed facility, their first question is: What is that? Then they go ask local residents, perhaps presenting themselves as a journalist. And if the locals say, 'Yes, we built it, but they told us not to talk about it,' then that alone raises a big question mark over the facility. In other words, saying nothing can actually make the site more visible. This is a kind of communications paradox," he said.

Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said information must be shared with the public about military sites located in public areas.

"There are things we can show, and there are things we cannot. And everything we can show, must be shown. And if something is being built somewhere, then the Defense Forces must have an answer as to what we are building and why we are building it. But perhaps we don't need to disclose what exactly we are putting inside," he commented.

Raag added that it is especially important to inform residents living within the impact area of devices housed in defense installations.

"Of course, we should not expect the EDF to reveal what frequencies or what range a particular device operates at, that can certainly remain classified. But what is important for local residents — such as whether the machine has any impact on them in any way — must be communicated, because locals will find out about it anyway," he said.

As for whether and when information will be shared with local residents about the communications and radar station being built in the border zone in the village of Vasknarva, Ida-Viru County, that remains to be determined.

Estonia has the second-highest press freedom in the world, according to last year's World Press Freedom Index.

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