Estonia says it has blocked several Russian sabotage attempts as government seeks votes for budget
Estonia's security police say they have prevented a notable number of Russia-linked sabotage attempts in recent years, while the government is seeking opposition support to pass next year's state budget.
Margo Palloson, head of Estonia's Internal Security Service (Kapo), has said that in recent years Estonia has prevented a significant number of sabotage and attack attempts planned by Russia. Whereas Russia previously targeted symbolic objects, the focus has shifted to defense industry companies, aiming to disrupt the flow of military aid to Ukraine. Kapo believes an August fire at a building belonging to defense firm Milrem in Lasnamäe was a sabotage act ordered by Russian special services. Palloson nonetheless stressed that Estonia is managing the threat and remains a safe country.
Government seeks extra votes for budget
For the first time in years, Estonia's parliament faces a situation where the government needs opposition backing to pass the state budget, which also means taking opposition demands into account. Centre Party representative Lauri Laats has called for cutting VAT on food and fuel excise duty in the budget, while Isamaa has likewise pushed for a lower fuel excise due to rising energy prices. Observers in parliament believe the extra votes could come from the Social Democrats, who might receive concessions in return.
Other news
Ruling party Eesti 200 and the low-support Estonian Greens are exploring cooperation and may even merge before the next parliamentary elections — in September, polling put support for Eesti 200 at 1.9 percent and the Greens at 1.1 percent. In Tallinn, several murals commissioned by the city to curb graffiti have already been vandalized, prompting the local district government to file a police report. Meanwhile, the city of Tartu is planning to build a roughly 100-meter pedestrian and cycling bridge over the Emajõgi river on Tuglase Street, intended to ease traffic congestion in the city center, with completion expected by 2030.
