Estonia withdraws from legal aid treaty with Russia

Estonia has formally withdrawn from a legal assistance treaty with Russia.

The decision was approved by Estonian President Alar Karis on April 1, marking a notable shift in diplomatic ties between the two nations, according to Interfax.

The announcement was made by the office of the Estonian head of state, emphasizing Estonia's intention to recalibrate its bilateral relations with Russia. The explanatory note accompanying the law underscores the necessity of preserving only essential aspects of bilateral relations, while signalling a shift towards reliance on private international law and international conventions to address civil, family, and criminal cases.

The Estonian parliament had earlier approved a draft law on the denunciation of the treaty with Russia on March 20, as submitted by the government. The legal assistance treaty, initially signed in Moscow in 1993, had been in force since March 19, 1995, with automatic renewal every five years.

To formally denounce the treaty, Estonia is required to provide notification to Russia at least six months before the expiry of the five-year period. With the current period set to end on March 18, 2025, the denunciation notice must be transmitted to Russia by September 18, 2024.