Estonia’s crisis readiness falls short of security threats, minister says

Estonia’s capacity to prepare for crises does not yet fully match the country’s security threats, Interior Minister Igor Taro said, according to ERR.

Taro has introduced a practice under which the heads of the Police and Border Guard Board, the Internal Security Service and the Rescue Board submit an annual internal security assessment. He said the assessment complemented the chief of the Defence Forces’ military advice, which sets out what the state must do and what the military needs to win a war if one occurs.

“Our crisis readiness does not yet fully correspond to Estonia’s security threats,” Taro said. He added that the current threats were non-military but had a significant impact on Estonia’s security.

Internal Security Service Director General Margo Palloson said Russia’s hostile activities would remain the greatest threat over the next three years. He identified hybrid activity as the main current concern.

Palloson said the threats were becoming increasingly digital, with growing risks linked to cyberattacks and cyberespionage. Estonia must also be prepared for an escalation in sabotage, he said.

He warned that the Russian threat could increase if the war in Ukraine comes to a halt, as Russia might then have more resources for activities directed against Europe and Estonia.

Palloson said the Internal Security Service needed greater technological capacity, a stronger focus on prevention, a comprehensive solution to issues surrounding the retention and use of communications data, and a background-check law covering basic checks on people taking up critical positions.

Police and Border Guard Board Director General Egert Belitšev said the agency had enough money for day-to-day expenses but lacked funding for development. He said it did not currently have sufficient resources to address all internal security threats.

“We are in a situation where we have the means to pay this year’s bills. We do not have the money to make the necessary developments,” Belitšev said. His main recommendation was to ensure long-term funding certainty for internal security.

He said this applied to crisis reserves, drone surveillance and counter-drone capabilities, as well as the capacity of special units. “These are critical issues that must be addressed today,” he said.

The Police and Border Guard Board wants to develop a crisis reserve because personnel could become scarce most quickly during a crisis. Belitšev said long-term funding was needed for a 1,000-member police crisis reserve, expanded special and rapid-response capabilities, aviation capacity, and effective investigations into modern mass crimes, along with the legal framework required for that work.

The agency also considers it important to establish a nationwide drone surveillance network. Belitšev said Estonia needed the ability to distinguish dangerous drones from ordinary aircraft and to counter dangerous drones.

Rescue Board Director General Margo Klaos said one-third of rescue stations were understaffed. Estonia must be prepared for natural and industrial accidents, sabotage and a possible military crisis, he said.

“Life-saving capacity must be ensured across Estonia,” Klaos said.

The Rescue Board also considers it important to improve residents’ crisis preparedness. It has resources to organise crisis training and public information activities until the end of 2027, but Klaos said efforts to improve public readiness must continue afterwards.

He said more resources were needed to adapt places such as the basements of apartment buildings to protect residents in the event of a possible military attack.

The Rescue Board also considers it necessary to establish a crisis reserve of 1,500 people and provide stronger funding for volunteer rescue services.