Estonian Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis has indicated that the government plans to amend the law to create the possibility of skipping the environmental assessment that is hindering the construction of the bypass, writes ERR News.
The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) on the 10th of October detected unusual activity by Russian soldiers in the Saatse Boot (a 15-hectare Russian territory that extends into Estonia) and decided to close the one-kilometer section of the road that leads through Russian territory, which has so far been used without interference by local residents. There are certain restrictions on passage – only vehicles can cross the pass without stopping, and movement on foot is not allowed. The road is the only paved road leading to the village of Saatse – all others are dirt roads or tracks in the forest, which also add a few extra kilometers to the route.
In 2024, the Estonian government approved the construction of the bypass, and the Transport Board began initial planning. Funds were also allocated for construction in the 2025 budget. However, in May 2025, it was reported that an environmental impact assessment must first be carried out, as the new road will cross the territory of a nature reserve, and there are protected plants at the construction site. It is currently planned that the assessment will be completed in August 2026, and the road could accordingly be completed by the end of 2027.
On the 13th of October, Leis said on the radio program Uudis+ that the incident over the weekend had highlighted the weak points, and the government has already started informal talks to find a solution.
The director general of the Estonian Transport Authority, Priit Sauk, has previously stated that the authority cannot continue its work until the environmental impact assessment is completed, and that this can only be circumvented by a political decision. Leis said that a possible solution is to make changes to environmental protection laws, thus allowing the road to be built on national security grounds. He added that until now, the construction of the Saatse road has been perceived as any other, ordinary road, but now
it is clear that it is a matter of national security, which would mean that an environmental impact assessment is not required,
but it does require parliamentary approval.
The government will formally discuss the issue at a meeting on the 16th of October. Leiss said: “Although these are still informal discussions between ministers, there is a clear position that the issue needs to be resolved quickly.” During the meeting, the PPA will also present a safety assessment, which the government will use to decide whether the road through Russian territory can be opened to traffic.
The agreement on movement in the Saatse Boot area with Russia was signed on the 20th of may, 2003. It states that the border regime is based on the principles of goodwill. It also includes conditions for crossing the territory, such as a ban on stopping. According to the information on the PPA website, when entering Russian territory, drivers are informed about this. Russian border guards have the right to patrol the Saatse Boot and monitor compliance with the rules, and Russian officials can also stop vehicles to conduct inspections. If one has to stop for technical reasons, they must contact the Saatse border guard post and wait in vehicle.
Problems related to the Estonian-Russian border are not new, they have been relevant since the 1990s. The agreement between the countries concluded in 2005 included an agreement to eliminate the Saatse Boot. The Estonian government ratified the agreement, but Russia refused to do so. A new treaty was signed in 2014, but it has never entered into force because neither Estonia nor Russia has ratified it.
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