PPA to close Tallinn's P. Pinna service hall in April

The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) will close its service hall at P. Pinna 4 in Tallinn from the end of April.
Digital kiosks will remain at the premises where people can take a photo of their document, provide fingerprints and a sample signature.
New documents can be picked up from Selver supermarkets.
Saving money and the popularity of online applications are the reasons for the closure.
Kristi Hallas, deputy director general for development at the PPA, said that the main reason for closing the service is the need for savings.
"The PPA must also save on fixed costs this year. Directing people to self-service and reducing the load on services is one way to reorganize the work of the PPA without significantly affecting the sense of security," she said.
Most people in Harju County apply for their documents online, the official said.
Hallas said picking up documents from Selver is also convenient for many due to the cheaper price and longer opening hours.
"We see that this option has been well received and more and more people are ordering a document from a Selver near their home rather than a service hall," she explained.
With the closure, issues related to weapons operations will move to Pärnu maantee Police Station in Tallinn. Paper applications can be submitted at the service hall at A. H. Tammsaare tee 47 in Tallinn.
The PPA will also stop issuing documents at Keila Police Station.
While the P. Pinna 4 office will close, it will still be possible to submit and collect documents at the A. H. Tammsaare tee 47 service hall in Mustamäe.
PPA spokesperson Martin Raid told ERR that closing the P. Pinna service will save the agency €700,000 per year.
This story has been updated with a comment from PPA spokesperson Martin Raid.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Helen Wright