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Russia’s MFA slams Estonia’s plans to restrict Russians’ right to vote in local elections

"Since the relevant bill was put forward by Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’ party, it is likely to be pushed through parliament," Maria Zakharova noted

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. Moscow intends to make sure that international institutions condemn Estonia’s plans to restrict Russian and Belarusian citizens’ right to vote in local elections, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

"We will keep an eye on the situation, making sure that the relevant international institutions condemn the openly racist plans of the Estonian authorities and prevent them from being implemented," the diplomat pointed out, commenting on Tallinn’s initiative.

"Since the relevant bill was put forward by Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’ party, it is likely to be pushed through parliament," the diplomat noted.

Zakharova stressed that the United Nations Human Rights Council’s special rapporteurs on ethnic minorities, cultural rights and the right to education had been forced to take Tallinn’s human rights violations into account. Their recent report "clearly points to the discriminatory nature of the Estonian authorities’ policy towards ethnic minorities in terms of their use of their native language," the Russian diplomat added.

Estonian Justice Minister Kalle Laanet said earlier that the ministry had prepared a bill temporarily limiting the right of Russian and Belarusian citizens residing in the country to vote in local elections. According to the Estonian Justice Ministry, 67,000 Russian nationals currently reside in the country. Under Estonian law, they have the right to vote in municipal elections, while only citizens of Estonia and other EU member states can run for local office.

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Foreign policy Estonia Maria Zakharova

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