Estonia advances bill to permit anti-personnel mine transit

Estonia’s parliamentary National Defence Committee has approved a bill for a first reading that would allow anti-personnel mines to be transported through Estonian territory, ERR reports.

The committee decided at its September 14 meeting to submit the bill, which proposes amendments to the Strategic Goods Act, for consideration by the parliament’s plenary session.

The proposed legislation follows Estonia’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use of anti-personnel mines. Estonia left the convention at the end of 2025, citing a deteriorating security environment. Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland also withdrew from the treaty.

According to the bill’s explanatory memorandum, the transit of anti-personnel mines through Estonia could become necessary, including for Finland. It also notes that US military units are stationed in Estonia, while the United States is not a party to the Ottawa Convention.

By Vafa Guliyeva