Baltic Visitor

This feels like a strange time to be launching a Baltic travel blog. The riots which scarred Tallinn at the end of April have drawn attention to the complex politics of independent Estonia, and it is impossible to ignore the questions which have been raised. At the same time, it seems unwise to kick things off with such a controversial topic.

Although Baltic Visitor is intended to encourage and assist tourists as they plan trips to the region – see the about page for some background – I do not want to ignore political issues in favour of tourist brochure fluff. This first post is an attempt to tread a fine line between too much history/politics and too little. I would like to hear back from readers about their own views: will the riots have an effect on tourism in Tallinn? Have you been put off visiting because of recent events?

For a summary of the events and the background to them, the extensive Wikipedia article may be of some help although of course it could be subject to inaccuracies or vandalism. In brief, the Estonian authorities decided to relocate a monument dedicated to soldiers who died fighting on the Soviet side during the Second World War. This also meant moving the bodies of 13 men who were buried on the hill where the monument was standing. The symbolic value of the Bronze Soldier depends on who you ask – Estonians see it as a sign of oppression celebrating a ‘liberation’ of the city which never happened, while for those of Russian descent it is a focal point for events such as the celebration of Victory Day on 9th May.

Violence in the streets

Final preparations were made to remove the monument during April, and on the nights of the 26th and 27th the streets of Tallinn saw their worst public disorder since independence. Again depending on who you ask, the rioters were either looters intent only on personal gain, legitimate protesters driven to violence by heavy-handed police or disaffected youths stirred up by Russian provocateurs. One man died, apparently at the hands of another protester although some have questioned the police account. The net result was damage to property, a tarnished image for Tallinn, and a new home for the monument. Relations with Russia soured, and Russian politicians were criticised by NATO and several EU ministers for their aggressive response to events.

While it is easy to see why the government wanted to move the Bronze Soldier, it was not necessarily a wise course of action. An article in the Baltic Times, while condemning the rioters and the subsequent political manoeuvring by the Russian government, argues convincingly that removing the statue was a mistake: ‘it is our opinion that adherence to the will of a minority is crucial if a democratic society is to function properly.’ Lively, informative and often heated debate continued in Baltic blogs such as Marginalia. The long-term effects of the affair on the relationship between Estonia and its much larger neighbour are currently unclear, although Hello Estonia has posted an interesting commentary on some of the ramifications.

The tourist board response

So how does all this affect tourists? The Estonian Tourist Board has issued a press release (PDF) which argues that ‘like in all stable countries, from time to time it comes to pass that a small number of young demonstrators – be it football fans crossing the line or an extreme protest movement – loot stores and break windows before being stopped by the police.’ There is certainly some truth in this, but it does downplay the political background to the violence. In fact, the press release actively denies that political issues played a part: ‘Some Russian politicians have attempted to make the proper reburial of victims of World War II into an ethnic question, but Estonia has largely ignored that.’

This is debatable. When Estonia achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the government passed laws rendering many ethnic Russians stateless until they passed citizenship and language tests. Although the laws did not specify particular ethnic groups, it was the Russians who were most affected. Pressure from the EU and other bodies led the government to make it easier to become an Estonian citizen, but a third of Russian speakers – making up 9% of the population – remain stateless. They hold so-called ‘grey passports’ which allow them to travel within the EU but not to get work permits, and they are unable to vote in national elections. The legislation is not the only reason why people do not achieve citizenship (for example, remaining stateless makes it easier to visit Russia to see relatives) but it is hardly surprising that the system breeds resentment.

The case of the Bronze Soldier also acts as a reminder that Estonia is far from coming to terms with the legacy of the Second World War. As in the other Baltic countries Estonian citizens fought on both sides of the conflict, and wartime collaboration remains a controversial subject. Although the Nuremberg Trials specifically omitted conscripts, later clarified to include the Baltic Waffen SS divisions, the track record for sentencing genuine war criminals is very poor. The official government line is explained in a summary of wartime history on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Meanwhile the BBC website is currently running a series of articles on integration in Estonia, starting with a report from Narva interviewing veterans from both sides.

To bring all this back to the subject of tourism, it remains to be seen whether recent events will have a significant impact on visitor numbers. My guess is that any drop will be short-lived, and that for the majority of visitors the background to the riots will be of only marginal interest. Interestingly, though, the Baltic Times reports that the Bronze Soldier is already attracting more tourists.

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