Estonia Expels First Secretary of Russian Embassy
On 13 August, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the chargé d'affaires of the Russian Embassy to deliver a diplomatic note declaring the first secretary of the Russian Embassy persona non grata.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to a statement from the ministry.
When delivering the note, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the representative of the Russian Embassy that Estonia does not intend to tolerate Russia's activities directed against the constitutional order of Estonia and internal stability, and considers it necessary to express this very clearly.
Estonia will also inform its partners and allies about the incident.
‘The diplomat in question was directly and actively involved in undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia, as well as in dividing Estonian society, facilitating crimes against the state, including several crimes related to sanctions violations,’ said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.
According to him, one citizen of the Republic of Estonia has been convicted of these crimes.
‘The Russian Embassy's ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must stop, and by expelling the diplomat, we are demonstrating that Estonia will not allow any actions directed and organised by a foreign state on its territory,’ the minister stressed.
The ministry noted that Estonia's actions are in accordance with Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which stipulates that the receiving state may at any time and without explanation notify the sending state that the head of the mission or any member of the diplomatic staff of the mission is persona non grata.
As The Gaze reported earlier, a Russian Federation border guard ship entered Estonian territorial waters without permission and remained there for 35 minutes.
At the end of May, Estonia expelled and handed over to the Ukrainian authorities a Ukrainian citizen who had been in contact with the Russian FSB.
In early June, Estonia revoked the residence permit of a Russian citizen and expelled him on national security grounds.