BBC film crew entered Saatse border zone without permission
According to a report by Estonian news outlet Postimees, last week, members of a BBC film crew ignored warning signs and entered the Estonian-Russian border zone near Saatse, where they were not permitted to be.
Renet Merdikese, head of the Saatse border guard station, said an agreement had been reached with international media journalists for them to visit the Saatse area last Friday, accompanied by border guards, in order to film video material, Postimees reports.
"Unfortunately, the film crew went ahead without prior notice and arrived at the 'Small' Saatse border crossing a day early, violating the requirements set out in the State Borders Act," Merdike said, adding that they did not drive or walk onto Russian territory.
Border guards stopped the group and initiated misdemeanor proceedings, resulting in one person being punished for violating the State Border Act.
The Estonian authorities closed passage through the called "Saatse Boot" after Russian military personnel appeared on the road on October 10.
The full Postimees article (in Estonian) can be found here and in Russian here.
---
Editor: Michael Cole
Source: Postimees
