The southeastern border crossing points were closed at night for three months starting February 24 after a string of border violations and other incidents caused by Russia on Estonia's eastern border.

The crossings are now open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. rather than 24/7.

Data from the Police and Border Guard Board shows around 400 people cross the Koidula border crossing point each day and nearly 300 people at Luhamaa. This is similar to before the change was introduced.

Police and Border Guard Board southeastern border crossing point head Peter Maran said

"If you look at the number of border crossings in the first week of February and the first week of March, there has not been a significant drop in people crossing the border, and compared with the previous month there has been a 5 percent decline in vehicle crossings, so we are serving the same number of border crossers within 12 hours," he said.

The nighttime closures have had the biggest impact on local businesses whose employees have to cross the border every day to get to work.

Setomaa Municipality mayor Raul Kudre said employers and people have adapted.

"I know that for at least one person the employer comes to pick them up in the morning, meets them at the border, takes them to work and sometimes back again. Some are looking for an apartment in order to stay here more permanently, and some have even said that if the border closes completely, they are ready to stay here," he said.

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