Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu has indicated that the Russian embassy in Tallinn should reduce its diplomatic staff, writes the Estonian media ERR News.
According to the press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Russian Embassy was warned on Wednesday, the 11th of January, that the diplomatic staff should be reduced by half by the 1st of February.
Reinsalu said: «Estonia considers the principle of parity very important in our relations with Russia. Considering that, in light of this war of aggression, the Russian Embassy is not engaged in promoting Estonian-Russian relations, we believe that its (current) size is not justified.»
The minister added that since February, Estonia has reduced contact with Russia, and in March it closed the Russian consulates in Narva and Tartu.
Also, three representatives of Russian diplomatic personnel who threatened Estonia’s security and distributed propaganda justifying Russia’s actions were expelled.
«Now we have set a limit for the number of diplomats working in Estonia in order to achieve parity,» said the minister. Currently, 8 diplomats and 15 other officials work in the Estonian embassy in Moscow, while 21 Russian diplomats and 23 other officials are located in Tallinn.
Reinsalu also added that in case Moscow expels an Estonian diplomat, Estonia will still adhere to the principle of parity.
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