Estonia is working to accelerate the construction of its portion of the Baltic defense line, a joint project with Latvia and Lithuania aimed at bolstering security along their borders with Russia and Belarus. This year is expected to be the most intensive phase of the project, with significant financial investment.
Baltic Defense Line Construction
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are collaboratively developing the Baltic defense line to enhance security on their borders with Russia and Belarus. Estonia’s efforts include the installation of hundreds of bunkers and the digging of anti-tank ditches, primarily in Võru County, southern Estonia, with ongoing negotiations with landowners.
Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur expressed satisfaction with Estonia’s progress last year, noting the completion of bunker designs, pre-positioning, and barrier procurement. However, he acknowledged the potential for a faster pace, citing internal challenges within government institutions.
“That said, the overall pace could definitely be quicker. But we also clearly see that there are certain internal challenges within government institutions,” Pevkur said.
A key challenge involves coordination with the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) to ensure bunkers and the anti-tank ditch are built within or very close to the border zone.
“So there is definitely more work to be done between agencies. But the funding has already been allocated. Last year’s decision to raise defense spending to 5 percent has made it possible to make the necessary decisions,” he added.
The possibility of utilizing European Union funding to strengthen the eastern border is also being explored.
Potential delays could arise if the anti-tank ditch needs to be moved further from the border, requiring the acquisition of additional private land.
“So yes, we have risks, but they are all known, and we are addressing them. We hope to reach a positive outcome. And this year is already planned to be the most intensive phase of the defense line construction — also financially — so significantly more has to happen this year,” the minister said.
Chair of the Riigikogu National Defense Committee Kalev Stoicescu also initially anticipated a quicker implementation process. He highlighted the complexities of acquiring land due to property reforms in the early 1990s, which resulted in private ownership of land near the border.
“Naturally, as always, there are certain problems, including the fact that some of the land is privately owned. A result of the property reform process from the early 1990s, when people were given back land extending nearly to the control line in Southeast Estonia,” Stoicescu said.
“And now, if there is a plan to dig an anti-tank ditch ten meters from the border fence to allow border guards to patrol in between, then that land already belongs to someone.”
“This situation was not anticipated in the early ’90s. At the same time, there are not huge numbers of landowners involved, but there are some. We are a rule-of-law state and have to respect private property, and that means negotiating separately with each individual,” he added.
Representatives from the Estonian Defense Forces and the Center for Defense Investments recently updated the National Defense Committee on the project’s progress. The first bunkers have been installed in Võru County, and a 500-meter stretch of the anti-tank ditch has been completed. Storage areas are being assembled, and necessary equipment has been procured and placed in pre-storage zones.
Discover more from Archyworldys
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
