Estonia and Russia

20.04.2011

In bilateral relations with Russia Estonia’s goal is to develop relations that are based on common interests and values and in accordance with accepted responsibilities and principles. We consider it important to have an open dialogue on all subjects, including those in which the international community (primarily the EU and NATO) and Russia have differing opinions, for example finding resolutions to frozen conflicts and positions on nations’ sovereignty and territorial integrity. Bilateral relations with Russia overlap with NATO and the European Union’s multi-faceted efforts to establish mutually beneficial partnership relations with Russia.

In bilateral relations as well as on the regional level and in international organisations, Estonia is seeking opportunities to promote practical co-operation that is beneficial to the citizens of both countries.

In order to further develop EU-Russia relations, we have decided to move forward in the European Union with negotiations for a new EU-Russia agreement. Until the new EU-Russia agreement comes into effect, relations will be based upon the EU-Russia Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) of 1997 and the four common spaces agreed upon in May 2005: economic space, space of freedom, security and justice, space of co-operation in the field of external security, and space of research and education. In addition, the EU and Russia have concluded a Modernisation Partnership along with an action plan for promoting practical co-operation.

Diplomatic Relations

On 2 February 1920, Estonia and Russia (then the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic) signed the Tartu Peace Treaty by which Russia recognised the independence of the Republic of Estonia.

The following were the Estonian Ambassadors in Moscow during the inter-war period:

1921-1922 – Tõnis Vares
1922-1926 – Ado Birk
1926-1928 – Heinrich Laretei
1928-1933 – Julius Seljamaa
1933-1936 – Karl Tofer
1936-1937 – August Traksmaa
1938-1940 – August Rei.

Russia re-recognised the Republic of Estonia on 24 August 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were restored on 24 October 1991. The first Ambassador of the restored Republic of Estonian to Russia, Jüri Kahn presented his credentials in February 1992. He was followed by Mart Helme (1995-1999), Tiit Matsulevitš (1999-2001), Karin Jaani (2001-2005) and Marina Kaljurand (2005-2008). Simmu Tiik the current Estonian Ambassador to Russia presented his credentials on 16 January 2009.

The first Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the restored Republic of Estonia Aleksandr Trofimov presented his credentials on 9 September 1992. He was succeeded by Aleksei Glukhov (1997-2000), Konstantin Provalov (2001-2006), and Nikolai Uspenski (2006-2009). The current Russian Ambassador to Estonia, Juri Merzljakov, presented his credentials on 28 October 2010.

In addition to the Embassy in Moscow, there is a Consulate General in St. Petersburg and a Chancellery of the Consulate General in Pskov. Russia has, in addition to its embassy in Tallinn, a Consulate General in Narva and a consular section for visas in Tartu.

Visits

More information

Other important meetings

• In June 2003 Foreign Minister Kristiina Ojuland met with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in the framework of the meeting of the Council of Baltic Sea States in Pori
• In December 2004 Foreign Minister Kristiina Ojuland met in Brussels in the framework of NATO foreign ministers meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
• In December 2005 Foreign Minister Urmas Paet met in Ljubljana in the framework of OSCE foreign ministers meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
  
• In June 2007 in the framework of the Council of the Baltic Sea States in Malmö Foreign Minister Urmas Paet met with Russia`s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
• In December 2008 Foreign Minister Urmas Paet met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov within the framework of the meeting of the foreign minister of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
• In June 2009 Foreign Minister Urmas Paet met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov within the framework of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in Elsinore, Denmark
• In May 2010 Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts met Russian Minister of Transport Igor Levitin in Leipzig, Germany

Treaties

There are about 30 bilateral agreements currently in effect between Estonia and Russia.

• Agreement on Aviation (came into force 30 Aug 2000);
• Agreement on International Highway Transport (came into force 26 Mar 2001);
• Protocol on Concerning the Agreement on Legal Aid and Legal Relations in Civil, Family and Criminal Cases (came into force 25 May 2002);
• Agreement on the Passage Points for Crossing the Estonian-Russian Frontier (came into force 25 Jun 2002);
• Agreement on Organising Shipping Traffic in the River Basin of Lake Peipsi, Lake Lämmijärv and Lake Pskov (came into force 6 Aug 2002);
• Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation of Income and Capital and on the Prevention of Tax Evasion (signed 5 Nov 2002);
• Amendment Protocol of the Co-operation Agreement (25 Jun 1993) for Guaranteeing Pensions (signed 5 Nov 02);
• Implementation Agreement of the Co-operation Agreement for Guaranteeing Pensions Between the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Estonia and the Ministry of Work and Social Development of the Russian Federation (signed 5 Nov 2002);
• Treaty on the Handing Over of Criminal Offenders (signed 5 Nov 2002);
• Treaty between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Estonian-Russian Border (signed 18 May 2005);
• Treaty between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Delimitation of the Maritime Zones in the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Narva (signed 18 May 2005)
• A co-operation agreement in the areas of culture and mass communication between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Estonia and the Ministry of Culture and Mass Communication of the Russian Federation (came into force 10.02.08)
• Co-operation agreement between the Co-operation Board of the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (came into force 02.09.2009)
• Additional co-operation protocol between the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federal Narcotics Control Service to intensify the fight against narcotics crime (signed 25.11.2009)
• Agreement between the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federal Narcotics Control Service for co-operation in fighting against the illicit traffic and use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (came into force 26.11.2009)

BORDER AGREEMENT

The treaties along with the annexes were first initialled in November 1996. In March 1999, following the request of the Russian side to add minor technical amendments, the Heads of the Estonian-Russian border negotiation delegations, Raul Mälk and Ludvig Chizhov, initialled the Estonian-Russian border agreement anew in St. Petersburg. The Border Treaties were signed by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries on 18 May 2005 in Moscow. The Border Treaties were ratified by Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) on 20 June 2005 and Estonian President announced the treaties on 22 June 2005.

On 6 September 2005, the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation delivered a note to Estonia communicating that Russia has no intension of becoming a party to the Estonia-Russia border treaties and will not consider itself bound by the circumstances concerning the object and the objectives of the treaties. In August 2006, the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation delivered a note to Estonia by means of which Russia made a proposal to Estonia to enter into negotiations for new border treaties. Estonia sticks to its former position that it has no territorial claims with respect to Russia, and Estonia sees no obstacles for the entry into force of the current treaty.

Economic Relations

Estonia’s membership in the EU creates a solid basis for the more rapid development of Estonian-Russian trade and economic relations. Since 1 May 2004, Estonia has been a part of the single European trade policy. On 1 May, the PCA (Partnership and Co-operation Agreement) that regulates foreign trade as well as transit, the protection of intellectual property, and the harmonisation of legislation in the EU and Russia came into force in Estonia.

Estonia is a participant in EU-Russian economic co-operation and participates through multiple working groups and councils. New bases for the development of economic relations vis-à-vis Russia are also provided by the implementation of the principles of the agreement between the European Union and Russia on the four common spaces, particularly the economic space, signed on 10 May 2005 in Moscow.

TRADE

Estonia-Russia trade gained momentum when the EU-Russia PCA was expanded by Russia to include new member states in 2004, thus ending Russia’s double taxation of Estonian goods. As an EU member state, many questions that come up regarding trade with Russia are resolved by the European Commission.

In terms of Estonia’s total trade turnover, Russia remains among Estonia’s top five trade partners. Although in 2008 Russia dropped down to our 5th partner in terms of trade (8.9% of total trade; in 2007 it was our 4th partner) trailing Finland, Sweden, Germany and Latvia, in 2009 Russia rose once again to our 4th partner after Finland, Sweden and Latvia (9% of trade). In exports Russia was in the 4th position with 9.3% of total exports. In terms of import partners, Russia was 5th with 8.8% of Estonia’s imports.

Total trade turnover has decreased as a result of the economic crisis, which was also the case with many other nations – while turnover with Russia in 2008 was 1 712.82 million EUR, in 2009 it was 1 198.56 million EUR. In 2010 trade grew by slightly more than a quarter (25.5%) – while total turnover for trade in 2009 was 1 198.56 million EUR, in 2010 the total was 1 609.62 million EUR, which makes up 8.9% of total trade turnover. With these figures, Russia was our 4th trade partner after Finland, Sweden and Latvia. In 2010 Russia ranked in 3rd place among export partners (846.79 million EUR) and in 5th place among import partners (762.84 million EUR).

Estonian-Russian trade 2000-2010 (millions of EUR):

All economic figures originate from the Statistical Office of Estonia

Main articles of export:

• Machinery and equipment, electrical equipment (23% of total exports)
• Chemical products (14%)
• Prepared food products, beverages, and alcoholic beverages (11%)
• Livestock, animal products (11%)
• Transportation vehicles (8%)

Main articles of import: 

• Mineral products (67% of total imports)
• Wood and wood products (11%)
• Metal and metal products (7%)
• Chemical products (6%)
• Machinery and equipment, electrical equipment (2%)

INVESTMENTS

As of 31 December 2010, direct investments from Russia into Estonia amounted to approximately 438.4 million euros (in 4th place trailing the investments sums of Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands in Estonia). Direct investments from Estonia into Russia as of that same date totalled 278.1 million euros (in 4th place following Estonia’s investments into Lithuania, Latvia and Cyprus).

TOURISM

The relative importance of Russian tourists among the total number of people who were accommodated in Estonia in 2009 is 14%, placing Russia in 2nd place after Finland. In the first 11 months of 2010 the number of Russian tourists rose by 52% compared with the same period in 2009. Among Estonians, Russia ranked as the 4th most visited destination in 2009, sharing its place with both Greece and Spain (the top three destinations were Finland, Egypt and Turkey). Travel to Russia (and Sweden) grew while travel to other major destinations was declining.

Cross-Border Co-operation

Estonia-Russia cross-border co-operation got an important jump-start thanks to EU programmes (for example, the Phare Cross-border Co-operation programme and the Baltic Region INTERREG IIIB programme). Co-operation with partners in Russia continues within the framework of the new European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument programme (ENPI) for Estonian-Latvian-Russian cross-border co-operation, which began in the fall of 2010. The total budget for the programme, including joint funding, is over 73 million euros. Joint projects will start to be implemented in eligible areas in sectors such as social and economic development with a focus on small and medium-sized businesses, business and trade, transportation, information and communication technology, technology in general, research, and tourism. These eligible regions will set out to resolve common problems that are tied to the environment, nature conservation, renewable energy, culture, and protecting cultural heritage. In the projects that involve civil society and the undertakings in the cultural, educational, health care and sports sectors, special attention will be paid to co-operation between people. Information about the programme can be found from the homepage of the Ministry of the Interior and the programme’s homepage www.estlatrus.eu.

Estonia has extensive ties with its close neighbours Pskov, Leningrad, and Novgorod oblast, as well as St. Petersburg, which helps to expand the zone of stability and well-being with our close neighbours. Assorted cooperation agreements have been signed between many Estonian and Russian municipal governments: Narva and Ivangorod; Tartu and Pskov; the city of Tartu and the region of Vassileostrovski; Mustvee and Oudova; Mustvee, Kohtla-Järve and Pihkva; the city of Kohtla-Järve and the region of Slantsy; Kohtla-Järve and Veliki Novgorod; and Jõhvi township and the town of Kingiseppa. Co-operation takes place in education, culture, city planning, tourism, economic development, and many other areas.

Estonia’s Setomaa Townships Association and the district of Petseri in Russia promote projects based on local cultural traditions in Setomaa, in order to preserve and strengthen the Seto cultural identity in both Estonia and in Russia.

The Peipsi Center for Transboundary Co-operation is very active, and its projects involving border regions have been supported by the European Union, the UN Development Programme, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the USA, Denmark, Sweden, and others.

Cultural Relations

Cultural contacts between Estonia and Russia are intensive and thriving, free of complications. There is even a noteworthy institutional framework created for this purpose. The cultural ministries of the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation signed a co-operation agreement back in 1992, which is solidified through co-operation programmes.

On 10 February 2008 Estonian Minister of Culture Laine Jänes and Russian Minister of Culture Aleksander Sokolov signed a co-operation agreement in the areas of culture and mass communication in Moscow. The cultural co-operation programme for the years 2009-2011 was signed by Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Aleksander Avdejev and Minister of Culture of the Republic of Estonia Laine Jänes on 26 January 2009.

Estonia has had a cultural attaché in Moscow since 2006. Andra Veidemann was in this position until 2008. Starting in February 2009, Helene Tedre has been the cultural attaché in Moscow.

The ceremonial re-opening of St. John’s Church in St. Peterburg, which played an important role in Estonia’s history and cultural history, took place on 20 February 2011. President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Foreign Minister Urmas paet, and Minister of Culture Laine Jänes all participated in the opening. Reconstruction work on St. John’s Church in St. Petersburg began in March 2009 and through the course of the works the church, which has been used for secular purposes for 80 years, had its original appearance and function restored.

2010 continued to be a productive year for Estonia-Russia cultural relations. This includes events on a high level, such as when Minister of Culture Laine Jänes met with Russian Deputy Minister of Culture Andrei Busygin in St. Petersburg.
Many exhibits introducing Estonia and Estonian culture were opened in various places across Russia in addition to Moscow. Some exhibits that became very popular were the display “Contemporary Estonian Textile Art” in Krasnoyarsk and Achinsk as well as the exhibit of Estonian book illustrations in Kolomna and Karsnoarmeisk. In April a new permanent exhibit was added to the A.H. Tammsaare Museum in Esto-Sadok in the Caucasus.

Within the framework of Europe Days, Estonia was introduced in many cities: Kazan, Stavropol, and Perm. A photo exhibit about Estonian Old Believers by Annika Haas, Birgit Püve and Age Peterson entitled “Причудье, Revisited” was opened in Perm. One of the main speakers at the debate entitled “Educational problems against a backdrop of globalisation and regional development” at Kazan State University was vice rector of Tartu University Birute Klaas. Among other events, one that stands out is the celebration of General Laidoner’s birthday in the city of Vladimir in February.

In the field of literature a notable event was the unveiling of Juri Lotman’s books «Чему учатся люди» and “The Unforeseen Mechanisms of Culture” in Moscow (the latter work also in St. Petersburg). In 2010 a complete five-volume Estonian-Russian dictionary was published, which was unveiled in the oval room of the Russian State Library for Foreign Literature.

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir’s concert in the main hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic proved very successful. Warm responses were also received by Marko Matvere’s performance “Theatre Journal” at the Moscow Actors’ House and the concert by vocal ensemble Vox Clamantis and organist Aare-Paul Lattik in the Moscow Roman Catholic Church.

For more information you can read the essay “The ice has started to move, my sworn gentlemen (or maybe it has never stopped moving at all”, which Helene Tedre, counselor of cultural affairs at the Estonian Embassy in Moscow, wrote about Estonian cultural life in Russia (published in the Foreign Ministry Yearbook 2011).

In 2009 the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Culture helped to introduce Estonian culture in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Pskov as well as Yaroslavl, Krasnoyarsk, Sochi, Perm and Tver. In June the first Estonian cultural days in St. Petersburg was organised by the consulate. Cultural days of Russia’s Tomsk oblast took place in Estonia, as did the first Slavic peoples song, dance, and folk culture festival “Slavic Light”. In terms of cultural history, two events held in August could be considered the most influential: the opening of a memorial plaque at the graveyard of Estonian immigrants and their descendants in the village of Ishutino in Tver oblast in the Andreopol region and the opening of a Seto ethnography museum in the village of Haidaki in Krasnoyarsk krai.
Another notable event was the premiere of Arvo Pärt’s new symphony dedicated to Mikhail Khodorkovsky in Russia in the small hall of the Moscow Conservatory. Another valuable cultural happening was the special issue of the magazine Družba Narodov dedicated to Estonian literature. Also worth mentioning is the fact that Estonia became the first EU nation where virtual representations of Russian museums were opened.

Estonian cultural treasures in Russia

When it became a member of the Council of Europe in 1996, one of the responsibilites Russia accepted was to return cultural treasures in Russia that belonged to other Council of Europe members to their rightful owner. Cultural treasures from Estonia were mostly taken into Russia during the First and Second World Wars and during the Soviet occupation starting in 1944. Estonian cultural treasures currently held in Russia include the University of Tartu’s art collection (Morgenstern’s collection is in Voronezh), the property of the Estonian Post Museum (Communications Museum in St. Petersburg) and the badge of office of the President of the Republic of Estonia (Armoury in Moscow). As per the State Chancellery’s request, a new highest national decoration was completed in February 2008 on the basis of the 1936 design—the Order of the National Coat of Arms Special Class Collar. When the new decoration was finished, the old presidential badge that was in Moscow became a museum piece.

An agreement on co-operation in preserving cultural treasures has been concluded between the governments of the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation (4 December 1998). A co-operation protocol has also been signed between the University of Tartu and the Art Museum of the Voronezh Oblast. From 15-16 September 2000 an international restitution conference took place at the University of Tartu that was primarily dedicated to the Morgenstern collection located in Voronezh, and it included the participation of representatives from Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Latvia and UNESCO. The co-operation protocol between the University of Tartu and the Art Museum of the Voronezh Oblast, signed in 2001, prescribed free access to the works of art and a joint compiling of the universities’ catalogue of art treasures. As of today, a major part of the university's treasures have been identified. As a joint project of the Art Museum of the University of Tartu and the Voronezh Art Museum as well as the Estonian and Russian ministries of culture, the first volume of the catalogue of art treasures originating from the University of Tartu and now located in Voronezh was ready in August 2006 (it covers most of the art collection). There are plans to release a second edition of the catalogue, which would include the coin collection.

Estonians in Russia

There are several distinct periods of Estonian emigration to Russia. Until the middle of the 19th century there was early spontaneous short-distance emigration, primarily to the regions of St. Petersburg, Pskov and Novgorod. Massive emigration was inspired from 1855-1905 by the Russian Empire’s policy to colonise uninhabited but fertile areas of land. The years 1906-1914/1917 are characterised by so-called “Stolypin-esque” organised emigration, during which Siberia’s popularity as a destination for emigration grew and the government began to direct and facilitate emigration within the framework of Peter Stolypin’s agrarian policy.

The declaration of Estonia’s statehood brought about the first great wave of Estonians returning to Estonia. There were other reasons for the decrease in the eastern diasporas as well—Stalinist oppression, the eradication of rich farmers, and mobilisation during World War II. After the Second World War the eastern diasporas continued to decline despite the fact that large new groups of Estonians were arriving (mostly compulsorily).

The biggest Estonian communities formed in the regions of St. Petersburg, where the 2002 census found 2226 Estonians, Leningrad oblast (1409 Estonians), and Moscow (1244). The Siberian communities are generally small. The two biggest Estonian village communities (Upper Suetuk and Haidak) are located in Krasnoyark Krai, and each of them had about 200 inhabitants in 2008, mostly Estonians. There are also smaller villages and Krasnoyarsk. In Novosibirsk oblast, the most Estonian can be found in the village of Nikolayevka (Kyshtovski region). In Tomsk oblast, where Estonians are one of the largest ethnic populations, they are mostly found in Kaseküla (Beryozovka) and Liliengof (Pervomaisk region). These are settlements that were formed during Stolypin’s reforms, and about 500 Estonians live in them. There is also a relatively large amount of Estonians in Omsk oblast; the largest Estonian community is Lilliküla or Lileika, in the Sedelnokovo region. There are also about 10 smaller villages.

Regardless of the fact that Russian Estonians have decreased in number, we have managed to preserve our language and culture. In the 1990s ethnic societies in Russia were revived, and in larger communities Estonians organised their own cultural societies (St. Petersburg, Moscow, Arkhangelsk, Kalinin, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Cherepovets, Zavodad). In March 1998 the societies united into the non-profit organisation Union of Russian Estonian Societies (Venemaa Eesti Seltside Liit, VESL) to facilitate contacts and relationships among the groups. The newspaper “Peterburi Teataja” (“St. Petersburg Informer”), which was established in 1908, is now being published again and reports on the activities of Estonians all over Russia. Since 1994 the congregation of the St. John’s Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church has also been active again.

More information: Estonians in Russia

Estonian Language Instruction in Russia

At the moment, there is only one general education school in Russia with an intensive Estonian programme—Pechory Linguistic Upper Secondary School (formerly Pechory’s II Secondary School), where an Estonian language teacher assigned by the Republic of Estonia’s Ministry of Education and Research has worked since 2002. There were 135 students in Pechory’s II secondary school for the 2009-2010 academic year. There is also a teacher appointed by Estonia working in the Upper-Suetuk grammar school in Krasnoyarsk krai. There has been an Estonian lecturer working at St. Petersburg University since the 2002-2003 academic year, and in fall of 2007 the school began offering the opportunity to specialize in the Estonian language. During the fall semester of the 2008/2009 academic year, Tartu University sent an Estonian lecturer to Moscow State University within the framework of the Academic Studies of Estonian Language and Culture Abroad Programme and with the co-operation of the Ministry of Education and Research.

The Estonian language is also taught in the St. Petersburg Estonian Association, the Moscow Estonian Association, the Cherepovets Estonian Association, and the Krasnoyarsk Estonian Cultural Association “Eesti”. Locally supported Estonian language instruction takes place at the Pskov Volny Institute, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Mari State University, and the Scandinavian school in Moscow. The Estonian Ministry of Education and Research supports Estonian language learning in Russia through the Estonian Institute, with Estonian language instructional books. In co-operation with the Estonian Mother Tongue Society, the Ministry of Education and Research has organised regular Estonian language days in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Children of Estonian descent in Russia have had the chance during the last few years to attend Estonian language camps during the summer, and this experience inspires many of them to incorporate Estonia into their plans for the future. In addition, there is an “Estonians Abroad” programme university scholarship that allows students with an Estonian background in the Russian Federation to continue their higher education in the Estonian education system.