A total of 60 migrants held at the municipality's detention center have claimed to be minors; investigations proved this was the case in only two instances however.

Mayor of Rae Gerli Lehe (Isamaa) says each claim takes about a day and a half to process; the municipality has asked for "significantly" more state support from the start of next month.

Since September 17, police have detained 46 foreign nationals who entered Estonia illegally via Latvia, having crossed the border from Belarus.

The trend is part of a broader wave since July that Interior Minister Igor Taro (Eesti 200) has described as organized activity by another state.

Migrant minors are protected under EU law, which has led to some false age claims as well as genuine ones. Municipal officials, who must respond immediately when notified that unaccompanied minors have arrived, say all the claims have produced a flood of work.

Our child protection specialists have to respond immediately when we receive notification from the detention center that unaccompanied minors have arrived there. It takes about a day and a half to deal with one person, and as their guardian we have to be present for all procedures involving them," Mayor Lehe told "Aktuaalne kaamera".

Since September, the state Social Insurance Board (SKA) has taken on some of the workload.

"The law stipulates that in an emergency, the Social Insurance Board steps in to assist the local government. We fully understand Rae municipality's situation at the moment: it is difficult, a large number of people requiring representation have arrived at once, and this has created a need to reorganize work at short notice," said Kaja Rattas, head of SKA's substitute care unit.

Lehe acknowledged that SKA has been providing support to the municipality outside working hours and at weekends, but added that the overall migration crisis cannot be left for Rae to resolve alone.

"Within our crisis plan, we have provided that for up to three months, until October 1, we are prepared to support the state. After that, we expect resources and significantly greater assistance from the state," Lehe continued.

The municipality says the workload also prevents child specialists from dealing with children in need from the Rae municipality itself, adding it wants to solve this.

Another issue is providing education to minors residing at the detention center: So far it is not clear what form this education should take, including in what languages.

"We are working this out together. This really is a new situation for Estonia, with children — or alleged children — in Estonia who speak such uncommon languages," Rattas said.

There are insufficient municipal funds to provide the educational services in any case; Helen Meumers, who heads up the children and families department at the Ministry of Social Affairs, said the extent of state support to be provided to Rae municipality is up for negotiation.

"As for specific practical support, Rae municipality and the Social Insurance Board must of course primarily discuss that between themselves. But since the decision has already been made that the Social Insurance Board will support Rae municipality, I believe the extent of that support and the need for it are matters for negotiation," Meumers said.

Since July, police have detained 187 foreign nationals who entered Estonia illegally, 72 of whom been handed over to Taro said the entries come in organized waves from forest camps in Belarus; Estonia has expanded its border-guard rotation on the Latvia-Belarus border and appealed to Finland for assistance.

Since mid-September alone, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) have detained 46 foreign nationals who entered Estonia illegally via Belarus and Latvia; a court ordered a 54-year-old Romanian citizen to be held in custody on suspicion of human trafficking.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!