Estonia Expels and Declares Persona Non-Grata a Russian Embassy Employee

In a statement issued on March 24, the Ministry said that the decision came as a result of the individual’s actions that violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The same also noted that the employee of the Russian embassy in the country must leave Estonia by March 29 at the latest, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

As the Ministry explains, the diplomat is directly and actively involved in the violation of the security and constitutional order of Estonia, the spread of propaganda that justifies the military activities of Russia and the division of Estonian society as well.

In January this year, the Estonian government also said that the Russian embassy in Tallinn should reduce its diplomatic staff. In this regard, the Ministry added that it had warned the Russian authorities that its diplomatic staff should be halved by February 1.

“Estonia considers the principle of parity very important in our relations with Russia. Considering that, in light of this war of aggression, the Russian Embassy is not engaged in promoting Estonian-Russian relations, we believe that its (current) size is not justified,” Minister Reinsalu pointed out.

Following Estonia’s requirement to reduce the diplomatic staff, Russia also decided to take action. During this month, Russia expelled Estonia’s ambassador to Moscow, Margus Laidre, who had time until February 7 to leave the country.

Such a decision came as a result of Tallinn’s actions to request the reduction of Russia’s diplomatic representation in this country.

Estonia has consistently been taking measures against Russia, depending on the situation. In March 2022, one month after the war in Ukraine began, the Estonian authorities declared three employees of the Russian Embassy persona non grata.

Through a statement, the undersecretary of state for political affairs, Rein Tammsaar, emphasised that the activities of these persons in Estonia had violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. He also said that the three people in question had been involved in undermining Estonia’s security and spreading propaganda that justified Russia’s military action.

A month later, in April 2022, the Estonian government decided to close the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Narva and the Consular Section of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Tartu.