100-day plan calls for boosting host nation support, border guard capabilities

Photo: Liis Treimann / Postimees

Of measures concerning security, the First 100 Days Plan of the new Estonian government focuses on hosting allied forces and strengthening of the border guard.

The plan for the government's first 100 days in office, or the period until July 17, lists altogether five activities to strengthen Estonia's security. In the first of them the government pledges to keep military defense spending on a level of at least 2 percent of GDP.

The second point sets out additional activities by Estonia to finance host nation activities which create preconditions for the permanent presence of allies in Estonia.

As the third activity the government intends, within the framework of the operational program of the Internal Security Development Plan, to strengthen the capability of coordinating the border guard in the Interior Ministry, implement a new system of e-police, increase the presence of area police, give priority to work areas next to the eastern border, attach value to motivated volunteers, and ensure stable growth in funding for volunteer ground and maritime rescuers, neighborhood watch and assistant police personnel.

As the fourth activity infrastructure would be developed for the acceptance of allied units to be deployed to Estonia, deployment of NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs) and storaging of prepositioned equipment.

The fifth activity would be the creation of border guard rapid response units.