Tallinn city govt rejects motion to bar Russian, Belarusian diplomats from free rides

Tallinn city govt rejects motion to bar Russian, Belarusian diplomats from free rides. Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

According to the Reform Party, the Tallinn city government did not support their proposal to deprive Russian and Belarusian diplomats of the right to free rides on Tallinn's public transport.

«In the spring, the Tallinn city government proposed to the city council that diplomats residing in the capital should be given the right to free rides in public transport as a goodwill gesture. We proposed to exclude from the list diplomats of Russia and Belarus as countries that pose a security threat to Estonia,» Kaupo Nolvak, deputy chairman of the Reform Party group, said in a press release.

The city government did not support the proposal of the Reform Party, however, stating that they do not have sufficient competence to distinguish between diplomats residing in Estonia.

«First, Deputy Mayor Svet came before the council and lied that the free bus rides for diplomats residing in Estonia was a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,» Nolvak said. «An enquiry showed that this was not correct. Now they refuse to support a motion by which at least Russian and Belarusian diplomats should not be able to enjoy free bus rides paid for by Tallinn taxpayers.»

Nolvak described this as a very shameful move that «evidently leaves no one in any doubt» about the course of the Center Party led by Tallinn Mayor Mihhail Kolvart.