People crossing the Estonian-Russian border are informed about the possible closure of the border
Kyiv • UNN
Estonian authorities at the Narva border crossing warn travelers crossing the border with Russia about the possibility of a complete closure of the border due to the actions of the Russian Federation. Leaflets are also being distributed, emphasizing the increased risk and the need to understand the likelihood of emergencies.
Marek Liiva, head of the Estonian-Russian border crossing point in Narva, urged everyone traveling to keep in mind the possibility of a complete border closure. Information leaflets in three languages about possible restrictions are being handed out to all those crossing the border in Narva, Koidula and Luhamaa. This is reported by UNN with reference to ERR News and Delfi.
It would be very good if people refrained from visiting Russia now, it is also very important for us that those who go to Russia can assess the risks associated with crossing the border and think for themselves about how they will return to Estonia if we are forced to close the border crossing points because of Russia's behavior
Answering the whether the distribution of leaflets influences travelers' decisions, the head of the of the Narva border crossing point, Marek Liiva said that since the distribution of leaflets leaflets have been distributed for a short time, it is too early to draw conclusions.
But he emphasized that closing the border with Russia to stop the onslaught of migrants would mean a complete impossibility of entering Estonia for everyone.
Which checkpoints may be closed depends on which checkpoints will be necessary to repel the onslaught. When visiting Russia, it is also important to be prepared for the fact that it may be necessary to close all border crossing points
Background
Since the beginning of December, information sheets in three languages on traveling to Russia have been available at border crossings of Narva, Koidula and Luhamaa are handed out to all those crossing the the Estonian-Russian border.
Here is the text of the leaflet:
In recent weeks, Russia has deliberately sent groups of foreigners to the Estonian border who have no legal right to enter the EU. Please note that if Estonia is forced to temporarily close its border crossing points due to migration pressure, you will not be able to return to Estonia through this border crossing point. If such activities continue, we will be forced to close border crossing points for the sake of state security and public order, as Finland has already done due to migration pressure
Recall
Border closure Finland increased traffic on the Estonian-Russian border by 25%, the number of crossings increased from 4,000 to 5,000 daily. Estonia is ready for a potential influx of of migrants amid fears of a Russian hybrid attack.
