Estonian parlt gives defense forces mandate to participate in intl missions

Photo: mil.ee

The Riigikogu on Wednesday adopted nine decisions concerning the participation of up to 371 members of the Estonian defense forces in international missions in 2017.

According to the approvals given by the parliament, Estonia will continue to have up to three active service personnel deployed to the NATO operation in Kosovo, up to six active service personnel to the NATO-led Resolute Support advisory and training mission in Afghanistan and up to ten active service personnel to the international military operation Inherent Resolve aimed at combating IS primarily in Iraq. Also, Estonia will continue to have up to 50 active service personnel deployed to the UN-led international peacekeeping mission UNIFIL in Lebanon, spokespeople for the Riigikogu said.

Also extended were the mandates to deploy up to six active service personnel to the UN-led UNTSO peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and Syria, up to six active service personnel to the l EUNAVFOR Med operation to prevent the actions of human smugglers in the Mediterranean between the territorial waters of Italy and Malta and the coast of Libya. Up to ten Estonian personnel will be deployed to the EU training mission EUTM Mali and another up to ten personnel to the MINUSMA United Nations mission in Mali.

The Riigikogu also endorsed the participation, if necessary, of up to 220 active service personnel in the NATO Response Force NRF and of up to 50 active service personnel in an operation led by NATO or its member state, the EU or the UN, or another international military operation that is consistent with the generally accepted principles of international law.