As regional paper Põhjarannik reported, a list of government institutions potentially to be relocated to the area includes the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA). Its director, Dmitri Burnasev, had previously commented that MISA needed to be geared towards engaging people not in one particular county, but in different regions of Estonia. Therefore moving it to Narva and tying it to Ida-Viru County alone would not make sense.

Despite these objections the culture minister announced on Friday that MISA was to be moved to Narva. At the same time, an Estonian language house as a place for studies and cultural events was to be opened early next year, the minister said.

The relocation concerns the entire institution, not just opening a local office, as its management would be working in Narva as well. “Of course not everyone is enthusiastic about the move, but it would be logical. A small branch will remain in Tallinn,” the minister said.

The county governor of Ida-Virumaa, who learned about the announcement from the papers, hailed it as a step towards relocating 1,000 officials away from the capital, and towards his county.

Saar also said that MISA and the Estonian language house should be under the same roof, given the close connections between them. The relocation of MISA would create 15 jobs, he added.