* Estonia will bring up the issue of deportation of six Russian retired military servicemen, who are illegally staying in Estonia, at the upcoming EU-Russia summit in Portugal, Interfax quoted Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet as telling a news conference in Tallinn on October 24.
The pensioners received vouchers entitling them to receive housing in Russia in the 1990s but, citing various pretexts, are refusing to go to the places where housing should be given to them under international programmes, Paet said.
“The matter involves so-called voucher-holders, who have been given vouchers designed for Russian servicemen, but who have still not left Estonia,” Paet said. Russia is failing to fulfill a readmission agreement in relation to these people, despite the fact that Tallinn has sent relevant requests to Moscow, he said.
Russia insists that its readmission agreement with the EU will take force only after the conclusion of relevant bilateral agreements, Paet said. “Negotiations with Estonia on this issue have not been started, and the readmission agreement has not actually come into effect,” Paet said.
Comments