Estonian interior minister: detained illegal migrants will not remain in Estonia

Estonia's Interior Minister Taro said that 128 illegal migrants have been detained in the country this year, and 111 are currently held in a detention center. He described the arrivals as part of an unprecedented migration attack and warned that the coming months could be tense. The comments came after a major operation in Nõmme, where suspected illegal migrants had been placed in rented accommodation for a short period. According to the minister, smugglers use cheap hotels and private housing, and people booking the rooms are often not the ones who later check in. He urged residents to stay alert and report any suspicious activity, noting that recent arrests were made thanks to vigilant citizens.

As of Thursday, Estonian authorities had detained five smugglers, and Taro expects the number to rise. The detained migrants are being sent back to Latvia, and Estonia will also help Latvia protect its external border. The minister stressed that returning people through Latvia is important to avoid overcrowding in detention centers and lengthy asylum procedures in Estonia. Talks have been held with Finland, and Finnish authorities agreed to provide assistance at ports and airports. Finnish reinforcements could arrive within hours, as the distance between the two countries is short.

Taro said it was crucial to prevent illegal migrants from moving on from Estonia, so the country would not be seen as a transit route into Europe. He called them illegal migrants with no right to enter Europe unlawfully. Identification and initial procedures take place in Estonia, but further steps are handled in Latvia. He noted that Latvian detention centers are not permanently overcrowded, as people are regularly deported. If someone crossed the border illegally from a safe country, there is no reason to grant international protection, he added.

Estonia has sufficient capacity in its detention center, and other facilities can be used if needed. A border guard unit is heading to Latvia on Monday, with rotations planned to cover the next two months. Taro expects pressure to continue while warm weather lasts. Residents should report strange groups of foreigners who look lost and are clearly not tourists. He also said Lithuania is not experiencing the same pressure as Latvia because its border is better fortified. Latvia needs to install fences quickly, and until then Estonia will send personnel to help.