It is time for the state and society to offer residents with undetermined citizenship (stateless persons or so-called gray passport holders — ed.) positive messages and encouragement to acquire Estonian citizenship, rather than constantly treating them as a security threat, "second-class" citizens or "outsiders" who supposedly do not belong here. Such an approach fosters exclusion rather than motivation and does not contribute to a unified and strong Estonian society.

Public debate and negative stereotypes

As has become customary, the issue of individuals with undetermined citizenship and their right to vote resurfaces ahead of local elections. A flood of opinion pieces emerges on the topic, and ETV recently aired a thematic episode of the "Impulss" program on the subject.

In the program, we meet Artjom, an active participant in Estonian society who is already quite close to obtaining citizenship — his only shortcoming being his proficiency in Estonian. However, the program also highlights that between 15,000 and 20,000 individuals with undetermined citizenship have criminal records, and approximately 20,000 are retired military personnel or former KGB employees.

These figures are misleading. While 20,000 individuals without a citizenship designation are registered in the criminal records database, they do not all permanently reside in Estonia — the actual target group. Many have left the country. At present, there is no precise number for how many individuals with undetermined citizenship live permanently in Estonia. Moreover, it is important to note that Estonian citizenship law does not outright exclude granting citizenship to those with multiple prior convictions.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, the number of retired military personnel in Estonia is actually fewer than 400. Yet, because the claims presented in the television program came from someone with extensive experience in the internal security field, the information appears credible and inevitably shapes public opinion.

Views on individuals with undetermined citizenship are also widely expressed in the media, particularly by politicians. However, the focus almost exclusively revolves around voting rights in local government council elections. Once again, these individuals are primarily framed as a security risk, and the question frequently arises: why should they even be allowed to vote? Why should someone who cannot be bothered to learn the national language have a say in local affairs? After all, they are not "one of us" or loyal to the Estonian state, since they have not demonstrated this by acquiring citizenship. Messages that diverge from this narrative are rare, and when they do appear, they are typically not voiced by individuals associated with state institutions.

If we summarize the dominant discourse, the image painted of individuals with undetermined citizenship is a grim one, with some commentators even going so far as to describe them as a "fifth column."

What should Estonian residents — regardless of their citizenship, nationality or native language — make of this? They may begin to believe that individuals with undetermined citizenship are primarily a security threat, disloyal and untrustworthy. Meanwhile, these individuals themselves receive a constant message that they do not belong here, fostering a sense of exclusion and disappointment.

Such discussions often carry the risk of restricting the rights of these individuals, including their voting rights — further reinforcing the notion that their opinions do not matter. The long-term disregard for people's perspectives and voices leads to a rise in indifference and passivity, which is in no way in the state's best interest.

Perhaps it is finally time to try a different, genuinely inclusive approach — one that could, in turn, shift the broader societal attitude. After all, we all live in the same country and contribute to society in similar ways, regardless of our citizenship status.

What do stateless persons themselves think?

What individuals with undetermined citizenship think themselves can be drawn from a recent study commissioned by the Integration Foundation and conducted by the Institute of Baltic Studies. We surveyed nearly 2,000 individuals with undetermined citizenship and conducted in-depth interviews with about 30 of them. Below, I outline some key themes that emerged from the study.

For many individuals with undetermined citizenship, the concern begins with the fact that discussions take place about them rather than with them. In other words, in over 30 years, many feel their opinions on citizenship have never been seriously sought. This is reflected in the unusually high number of respondents and their strong interest in participating in the study.

A significant portion of respondents felt that they are labeled and categorized without anyone actually asking for their perspectives. Since decisions about them are made without including them in the conversation, they feel like second-class members of society. Yet, at the same time, they pay taxes, hold important jobs and actively participate in community life.

Regarding the question of loyalty, it is important to consider that most of the 60,000 individuals with undetermined citizenship have lived their entire lives in Estonia, and more than half were born here. While they have not acquired Estonian citizenship, they have also not taken the citizenship of any other country or left Estonia. Estonia is their home and they feel a connection to the country.

This is backed by survey results — over 80 percent of respondents stated they do not want to leave Estonia. Additionally, interviewees emphasized that they see their economic and societal contributions as stronger indicators of loyalty than formal citizenship. For many, their undetermined citizenship status is a form of passive loyalty and only a negligible minority genuinely aligns themselves with Russia.

Of course, not everyone has a positive attitude toward Estonia. Some expressed feelings of deep disappointment, distrust and alienation. However, these individuals make up only a very small fraction of those with undetermined citizenship. The majority are already loyal to Estonia; what they need is additional motivation and practical support to obtain Estonian citizenship.

Well-meaning messages in order

Undoubtedly, it is fair to acknowledge that the issue of citizenship in Estonia has not been resolved as initially hoped in the early 1990s. However, important steps have been taken in the right direction, such as the 2016 reforms that put an end to the reproduction of undetermined citizenship.

Now is the time to take the next step by sending a positive message — that the state and society support these individuals in the process of obtaining citizenship and view them as equal residents and members of the community. For many, encouragement and support could make a decisive difference, and there is nothing to lose by offering it.

At the same time, it is crucial to put an end to the spread of misinformation about individuals with undetermined citizenship, whether due to ignorance or indifference. Inflated statistics create false narratives and do nothing to improve Estonia's internal security, social cohesion or the resolution of the issue of undetermined citizenship.

It is also important to recognize that the majority of individuals with undetermined citizenship face practical obstacles in applying for citizenship — goodwill alone is not enough. The primary challenge for most is achieving the required level of language proficiency. This, along with other barriers, has been thoroughly examined in our study on residents with undetermined citizenship. These obstacles need to be understood and addressed to make the path to citizenship genuinely more accessible.

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