Estonian residents who have been granted Russian citizenship may begin to be expelled from the country, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has said. According to her, the authorities are currently looking for a legal mechanism that will allow them to revoke the residence permits of such people.
Source. This was reported by Postimees.
Kallas explained that Russia violated all principles of international law by attacking Ukraine, and the Estonian parliament and the Council of Europe recognized the Russian regime as "supporting terrorism." According to the prime minister, the desire to obtain the citizenship of this country now means that a person is ready to join the Russian army and take part in the war.
"This is already a threat to the security of the Republic of Estonia and a very clear signal that the Estonian state cannot ignore," she said.
Kallas emphasized that the Police and Border Guard Board is obliged to investigate cases related to the acquisition of Russian citizenship to find out whether it is a statement of "support for terrorism", Russian actions, and activities against Estonia and its allies.
The prime minister reminded that Russia "rehearses attacks" on the Baltic states during military exercises, broadcasts hostile and false stories about Western countries through official channels, and recently "has started organizing the entry of illegal migrants into the European Union again."
According to Estonian law, a foreigner can be deprived of a residence permit if they pose a threat to public order and national security. Kallas noted that each case should be considered individually, and the decision should be "based on an assessment of the danger posed by a particular person."
In early November, Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Laenemets said that the government is trying to find a way to expel those who want to become Russian citizens. This will not affect people who already have a Russian passport and the children of those who want to get one, the minister emphasized.
Estonia prohibits second citizenship. Thus, we are talking about "former citizens of the USSR" who have never acquired another citizenship. As of January 2023, there were more than 64,000 of them in the country, or 4.7% of the population.
Background. As reported, Estonia has recorded an increase in traffic through its checkpoints on the border with Russia after the closure of the Finnish border with Russia.