Estonian law currently bans disturbances of the peace and allows fireworks only on Midsummer Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Now, however, an amendment has been drafted to give local authorities the power to ban fireworks completely even on those three occasions.

"Then the local authority will have the option to either restrict the intensity in certain places or, through these restrictions, create places where the intensity will be concentrated, for example in the center of Tallinn or in a certain place in each district," explained Indrek Link, adviser to the Ministry of the Interior.

According to Link, Tallinn could opt to ban the firing of rockets near zoos or hospitals on New Year's Eve. However, Link admitted that the amendment would not guarantee peace and quiet, as the noise could still be heard at a distance.

"Above all, I would hope that if we have such an agreement, if we have such a provision in the law, just as we will inform people when the amendment is adopted, we will also remind them that such restrictions exist. Above all, I would like to hope that people will monitor this themselves," Link said.

According to the adviser however, it would make little sense to send police officers to confiscate rockets from people who break the ban on New Year's Eve.

"We hope that the police wouldn't have to divert a huge amount of their resources into this," Link said.

The planned fireworks ban comes as a surprise to Tallinn Deputy Mayor Madle Lippus (SDE). According to Lippus, the amendment would allow for the possibility of banning fireworks, but it is too early to say whether Tallinn will apply it.

"I think it's wise to apply it, first of all, in [the vicinity of] sensitive places such as zoos, hospitals, and places where there are potentially a lot of people, or animals, who could be frightened, not just put out, but experience panic or intense anxiety," Lippus said.

The draft bill to amend the law on public order is expected to be passed by the government shortly.

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