Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Russian Embassy on 13 August to hand over a diplomatic note declaring the embassy’s first secretary persona non grata.

Source: a statement from the Estonian Foreign Ministry, as reported by European Pravda

Details: While delivering the note, the ministry told the Russian embassy representative that Estonia would not tolerate Russia’s activities aimed at undermining Estonia’s constitutional order and internal stability, and considered it necessary to express this very clearly.

Estonia will also inform its partners and allies about the incident.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated, “The diplomat in question has been directly and actively involved in undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia, as well as in dividing Estonian society, contributing to the crimes against the state, including several offences related to sanctions violations”.

He said that one Estonian citizen has been convicted of committing these crimes.

Quote: “The Russian embassy’s ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must end and by expelling the diplomat, we are demonstrating that Estonia will not allow any actions orchestrated and organised by a foreign state on its territory.”

More details: The foreign ministry noted that Estonia’s actions are in line with Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which stipulates that the receiving state may, at any time and without having to explain its decision, notify the sending state that the head of the mission or any member of the diplomatic staff is persona non grata.

Background:

In late May, Estonia expelled and handed over to the Ukrainian authorities a Ukrainian citizen who had maintained contacts with Russia’s intelligence.In early June, Estonia revoked the residence permit and expelled a Russian citizen on national security grounds.

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