Estonian President Alar Caris approved the law on amendments to the law on the organization of defense forces and the law on the economic zone aimed at strengthening the country’s marine security. This was reported by the Estonian information portal ERR.
According to the new provisions, Estonian defense forces are given the right to use weapons against civilian courts in exceptional cases, if they pose a threat to national security.
In particular, the law provides for the possibility of “using weapons or other means” to prevent illegal crossing the border or other actions that threaten the sovereignty of the country.
“Changes are aimed at ensuring more effective control and protecting the sea border of Estonia, especially in the conditions of increased threats in the Baltic region,” follows from an explanatory note to a bill published on the official website of the Estonia Parliament.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevurkh noted that new measures will allow the defense forces to quickly respond to potential threats and ensure the safety of the country’s sea borders.
He emphasized that the use of force will be considered as an extreme measure and is carried out in strict accordance with international law.
Earlier, on April 9, the Estonian parliament (Riigikogu) adopted the appropriate amendments, which have now entered into force after approval by the president.
These measures were taken against the backdrop of the increased cases of violations of underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, which caused concern in Estonia and other countries of the region.
According to the Estonian media, the adoption of the law was the answer “to growing calls in the field of security in the Baltic region and is aimed at strengthening the defense capabilities of Estonia.”