Tallinn To Ban Public Drinking, Except for Two Trial Areas
Tallinn government's draft regulation on re-banning public drinking - which became legal nationwide on July 1 - calls for two islands to be established where drinking on the street would, for now, be legal. Eyebrows have been raised by the fact that the two drinking areas were drawn around key national government sites, including the presidential palace and Parliament.
CORRECTION: Based on incorrect source reports regarding the draft regulation, we originally reported the complete opposite. In fact the areas are places in which public consumption is permitted, not prohibited.
One of the public drinking areas takes up one-half of the upper Old Town - Toompea hill - where the ramparts rise directly above a long stretch of intact city wall and parkland. The parkland below would not be included in the area. Public consumption would be tolerated near the seat of national government, as well as on Toompea's observation platforms.
The other area is a broad swath of Kadriorg park. The villas and embassies along Narva maantee, the foreign art museum and presidential palace, and the Kumu art museum would be within the area. The Japanese garden would be in the no-drink area.
The first area: And the second: