Video: Allied forces in Tapa increase Estonia's defense capability, say MPs
President of the Riigikogu Eiki Nestor said that the purpose of having allied troops in Tapa was no country would wish to attack Estonia. Former defense minister Hannes Hanso added that it affected the Estonian Defence Forces as well.
(Video and subtitles: Riigikogu)
The 1200-strong NATO battalion battle group arrived in Tapa throughout spring this year. The UK is contributing more than 800 troops, armed with Challenger 2 tanks, Warrior infantry fighting vehicles, and AS90 self-propelled howitzers. France is contributing 300 troops, armed with Leclerc tanks, VBCI infantry fighting vehicles, and VAB armoured vehicles. The French troops will serve in Tapa for eight months, after that they will be replaced by a Danish unit.
Eiki Nestor (SDE), along with Chairman of the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu Hannes Hanso (SDE) and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson (IRL), attended the ceremony marking the start of the service of NATO’s enhanced forward presence battalion battle group at Tapa Army Base on Thursday.
Editor: Dario Cavegn