Estonia's coalition government on Monday said it hoped to amend the constitution to ban Russian and Belarusian residents from voting in municipal polls next year, to prevent potential meddling by Moscow and Minsk.
More than 80,000 Russian citizens hold a residence permit in the former Soviet republic of 1.3 million people, which gained its independence in 1991 and is home to a large Russian-speaking minority.
"Today, we agreed in the coalition council that we will recommend our parliamentary groups amend the constitution as a matter of urgency so that citizens of aggressor states will no longer be decision-makers in local elections," Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told state broadcaster ERR on Monday.
Permanent residents of the Baltic country currently have a constitutional right to vote in local elections in the constituency they live in.
Various Estonian political parties since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine have proposed excluding Russians and Belarusians, and sometimes stateless individuals living in Estonia, from elections, fearing foreign interference.
The coalition said it hoped to alter the constitution swiftly "so that the citizens of the aggressor states and the stateless persons couldn't vote at the municipal elections next October," said Helir-Valdor Seeder, head of the Isamaa (Fatherland) parliamentary faction, in a statement.
The draft amendment could be ready as early as Thursday.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.