In Narva, state attention became particularly noticeable after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

Since then, ministers have visited the city regularly, government meetings have been held there, and the importance of the region in terms of national security has consistently been emphasized.

At the same time, the fight against the Soviet legacy in Narva's urban space also intensified, culminating in the dismantling of the Soviet T-34 tank and memorial plaques, which caused local public outcry in 2022, reports ETV+ show "Narva Studio: Narodu Vazhno."

At the same time, a number of restrictive measures have also been introduced. In particular, the border crossing was closed at night and Russian citizens were deprived of the right to vote in local elections. According to critics, these steps have not contributed to an increase in feelings of loyalty toward the Estonian state.

Significant financial resources have also been directed to the region. Ida-Viru County began to receive money from the EU's Just Transition Fund, which is intended for economic restructuring after the abandonment of energy produced from oil shale. State funding for the construction of a new Narva hospital was also recently confirmed.

However, some local MPs and journalists say residents of the region do not always feel the impact of these investments in their day-to-day lives.

Riigikogu MP Aleksei Jevgrafov, who is from Ida-Viru County and also member of the Narva City Council's Center Party group believes the "green transition" has come as a painful blow to the region.

"We killed an entire industry, left people without jobs and destroyed families. Sometimes it seems that the green transition is a campaign to devastate Ida-Viru County," Jevgrafov said.

Experienced Narva journalist Alexei Ivanov additionally draws attention to the lack of transparent data regarding the results of investments made in the region.

" No one knows exactly how many jobs have been created in Ida-Viru County thanks to the Just Transition Fund. They just spent the money and reported on it," he said.

According to Ivanov, Ida-Viru County residents often hear demands for loyalty without any concrete proposals being made in return.

"They tell us: first loyalty, then maybe equal rights. But it should be the other way around – concrete steps and decisions should come first," Ivanov said.

Experts agree that trust in the state cannot be built by restrictions or investment alone. Rather, it is a long process that requires consistent decisions, genuine consideration of local residents' views and real dialogue.

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