SDE MP: Tallinn ought to have official nudist beach
Social Democratic Party (SDE) MP and Tallinn city councilor Raimond Kaljulaid says that Tallinn ought to have an officially set-aside naturist beach.
Posting on his social media account, Kaljulaid noted that Tallinn is the only Nordic and Baltic capital with no official such facility.
While the location, where the MP took a snap (in full winter clothing) together with media personality and dispenser of sex and relationships advice Epp Kärsin, near the Pikakari beach at the tip of the Paljassaare peninsula in North Tallinn, has reportedly long been an unofficial spot for sunbathing and swimming au naturel, it has no official status, Kaljulaid noted.
"Estonian people sunbathe and swim naked, so why not do so in Tallinn too? People need not be ashamed of their bodies. All should feel confident and well in their bodies," he wrote.
Kaljulaid also wanted to dispel what he called a misconception that nude bathing or sunbathing in public is prohibited under Estonian law, something which is in fact a matter for local authorities.
In a post on his blog (link in Estonian), Kaljulaid wrote that: "In fact, §55 of the Estonian Law Enforcement Act states that being naked in a public place is prohibited only if it 'interferes to a significant extent with the purposeful use of the place by another person.'. /.../ , whereas, pursuant to the Law Enforcement Act referred to above, a local authority has the right: 'To determine on its territory places where being nude is not considered, irrespective of circumstances, as disturbing other person'."
Kaljulaid says despite this, Tallinn's Municipal Police (MuPo – unconnected with the national Police and Border Guard Board - ed.) have reportedly ordered people at the Paljassaare unofficial beach to cover up.
Making the beach official, replete with signage etc., and potentially other facilities, would rectify this, he wrote.
Kaljulaid also notes that other activities in national legislation which are caught under the "significant disturbance" definition include sleeping in a public place.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte