Estonian government approves citizenship for over 160 applicants

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Photo: Elmo Riig / Sakala

The Estonian government on Thursday endorsed the interior minister's proposal to grant citizenship to more than 160 individuals.

One government resolution granted citizenship to 154 applicants. By another resolution citizenship was granted to six nationals of Russia and one of Georgia on the condition that they are released from their previous citizenship.

A Russian citizen and his/her stateless child were naturalized by a third resolution.

The government last year granted Estonian citizenship by naturalization to 1,332 individuals, 166 fewer than the year before, data of the Police and Border Guard show. In 2011 naturalized citizens numbered 1,498 and the year before that 1,184, the smallest number since restoration of independence.

The proportion of residents with undefined citizenship has steadily declined since Estonia regained independence. In 1992 stateless residents made up 32 percent of the population, in 1999 they accounted for 13 percent and now they account for 6.5 percent.

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