The plan to remove Soviet symbols from buildings arose following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Corresponding legislation was passed in the Riigikogu last year. However, President Alar Karis did not proclaim it due to its ambiguity. Since then, the government and the Riigikogu have not made any progress on the issue.

Nonetheless, the new coalition in Tallinn included the removal of Soviet symbols from city-owned buildings in their spring coalition agreement.

"In the coalition agreement, we agreed to remove Soviet symbols from properties owned by the City of Tallinn. By September, we will have a detailed plan on how to deal with Soviet symbols," said Tallinn's Deputy Mayor Madle Lippus (SDE).

Lippus added that the goal is to complete the removal by the end of this year. "Once we have agreed on this principle and developed an action plan, it is simply a matter of implementation," she said.

But when it comes to private property, the city cannot compel owners to alter building exteriors.

"The decision regarding the future and appearance of privately owned buildings rests primarily in the hands of their owners. The City of Tallinn has no plans to impose any broader regulations in this regard," Lippus said.

Thus, the discussion in Tallinn pertains only to two buildings – the Russian Cultural Center and the Nõmme District Administration building – which are owned by the city. The Nõmme District Administration building has minimal Soviet décor, making it easier to find a solution.

"We aim to replace these Soviet elements with the Nõmme coat of arms, as the current symbols are entirely inappropriate for the district administration. Perhaps the old symbols could find a dignified place at the Estonian History Museum in Maarjamäe," said Nõmme District Elder Karmo Kuri.

According to Kuri, the approval of the National Heritage Board is still pending, but they are collaborating on how to remove the old décor and what options exist for new additions.

"I hope to see a new solution before the first snowfall," Kuri said.

Kuri acknowledged that there have been many opinions and no consensus yet, but ultimately, he made the decision to proceed.

The issue is more complicated with the Russian Cultural Center, whose façade is replete with Soviet symbols. Since the building is under heritage protection, their requirements must also be considered.

"We need to carefully consider what exactly we will do to ensure that the building's exterior and essence are preserved. It needs to remain architecturally coherent without including occupation symbols," Lippus said.

The removal of symbols has not yet been discussed with heritage protection authorities, Lippus added.

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