Estonia-Russia holding negotiations to determine placement of Narva river buoys
Estonian and Russian border guards are holding negotiations on the installation of navigation buoys on the Narva River after Russia removed approximately half of them last year. So far, no progress has been made.
The floating buoys mark the shipping lane and the Estonia-Russia border. They are placed on the River Narva by the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) every May for the summer to stop boats from accidentally and illegally crossing the border.
Last year, early one morning, Russian border guards removed approximately half the devices, claiming they were in Russian waters. They have not been returned to Estonia.
To find a practical solution, several meetings have been held between the Estonian and Russian border guards since March to clarify the situation and move forward. However, there has been no progress.
"At present, there is no bilateral agreement that would allow for the placement of all the buoys in the water. Estonia has submitted its proposals to Russia; now it is time for Russia to also make some effort to begin constructive cooperation," said Minister of the Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200).
"So far, we haven't seen that fully, actually, we haven't seen it at all. They simply reject a large number of proposals, without giving any explanations or arguments," he added.
The PPA said it will not comment on the negotiations until they are concluded, or confirm how many meetings have been held or will be held in the future.
The minister said the current uncertain situation cannot continue indefinitely.
"Ultimately, if a bilateral agreement is not reached, Estonia can still place these buoys in its territorial waters. Once they are installed, their presence can be monitored, including with the help of Frontex colleagues," Taro said.
The PPA typically installed 50 navigation buoys on the Narva River. The presence of the buoys is especially important in the narrowest sections of the river.
Estonia has handed several diplomatic notes to Russia since the incident and suggested a joint exercise to map the river bed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said no response has been received.
The Russian border guard stole Estonia's buoys on May 23, 2024. The video below released by the PPA shows the incident.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Helen Wright
