Vähi: Russia Has No Military Designs on Estonia
Port of Sillamäe supervisory board chairman Tiit Vähi says Russia has no plans for a military invasion of Estonia, saying that it would give Moscow nothing but "a lot of trouble."
"There will be no war in Estonia. No one is planning to attack Estonia - and that includes Russia. Why do that?" said Vähi, Estonia's prime minister from 1995-97, speaking at a transit conference taking place in Muuga today.
"Estonia should refrain from escalating the war hysteria, as otherwise the Estonian economy will be affected negatively and people - especially young and active ones - will move to places where they have a better life."
Vähi argued specifically that Russia doesn't need the Baltic coastline.
"Since the Ust-Luga port was completed, having Estonia doesn't give anything to Russia, but what it would result in is problems."
Sources close to the Estonian military have said however, speaking off the record, that Ust-Luga is plagued with problems, such as silt accumulation, and it is not an ice-free port.