The PPA confiscated the item, a replica of the so-called Lihula monument, named after the southwestern Estonian town where it was once on display, at the end of August this year.

Under the terms of the Law Enforcement Act, the replica monument may face destruction if its owner is not found.

It was seized to pre-empt any potential conflicts and legal violations ahead of a planned transport to an event marking the 20th anniversary of the original monument's removal.

PPA spokesperson Leana Loide said: "No one has claimed the stone so far. If the owner does not appear, we will handle it in the same way we do with other unclaimed items."

This would mean destroying it, in line with the legislation, by or in August-September next year, if it remains unclaimed.

However, Loide stressed: "No final decision has been made, as the one-year period since the monument was confiscated has not yet passed."

"Our primary goal is to return the replica to its rightful owner," she added.

Over the past three months, the PPA has actively searched for the rightful owner but has not been able to identify the individual or group responsible.

This has complicated other processes linked to the monument and its purpose.

The PPA commissioned two expert evaluations to assess its ideological significance, assessments which revealed "certain nuances requiring clarification with the owner," Loide said.

With no owner present, the assessment cannot be completed or publicized.

"If it has historical or cultural value, it could be given to a museum, for instance," Loide suggested as a possible alternative.

This was the fate of the original, too.

Transferring the monument to a historical institute would prevent its destruction while acknowledging its potential significance.

However, selling the item at auction is not an option, as auctions are reserved for confiscated property which are regular items and which have no cultural or ideological implications.

For now, the fate of the Lihula replica remains unresolved.

The PPA will continue searching for its rightful owner while weighing options to handle the unclaimed property responsibly.

The original monument, a bas relief, was passed from pillar to post from its creation in 2002 until it ended up at a private institution in Lagedi, near Tallinn.

The replica (see above) is not identical but captures its main essentials.

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