The Estonian government on Monday expressed its opposition to allowing Russian citizens fleeing the country to avoid being drafted to enter Estonian territory as it would pose a threat to national security.
»Russia’s call for mobilization or refusal to fulfill Russia’s mobilization or some other civic obligation is not a reason to enter Estonia,» said Estonian Interior Ministry Undersecretary for Internal Security Veiko Kommusaar.
For Kommusaar, opening Estonian borders with Russia to »tens or hundreds of thousands of men» would pose a »real threat» to national security. »We must not allow it,» the undersecretary of the Interior added in statements to ERR radio and television.
»From one point of view, the question is understandable and it can be understood that many do not want to go to war for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, but fleeing to Estonia is by no means acceptable from our point of view,» he asserted.
For Kommusaar, there are »other ways» in which the Russian population can demonstrate against the military mobilization and to oppose President Putin, at the same time he reminded that since last September it is forbidden for Russians with Schengen visas to enter the territory of the Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – and Poland.
Russian citizens with Schengen visas cannot enter Estonia, except for humanitarian reasons or to visit relatives living in Estonia (…). Fleeing mobilization using existing Schengen visas is not considered a humanitarian reason,» he said.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
