The Estonian government has introduced a draft law that would ban the sale of real estate to Russians and Belarusians. However, not for everyone

The Estonian government has introduced a bill that would ban some citizens of Russia and Belarus from buying real estate in the country. If passed by parliament, the new rules would come into effect on January 1, 2027.

This is reported by the Estonian media ERR.

This concerns those Russians and Belarusians who do not have the right to permanent residence or long-term resident status in Estonia. This also applies to companies owned by them. The purpose of the document is to reduce the risks of intelligence activities, sabotage activities and other threats to the countryʼs national security.

Estonian Minister of Internal Affairs Igor Taro first presented the initiative at the end of January. During this time, the document was legally finalized.

• This is not the first attempt to restrict the purchase of real estate by Russians and Belarusians in Estonia. In 2023, the Conservative Peopleʼs Party of Estonia proposed a similar initiative, but the government did not support it. In 2024, a similar draft law was prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but it was also not adopted.
• The current bill gives the government the right to identify countries whose citizens and companies could pose a security threat if they purchase real estate. Belarus and Russia will be included immediately, and the list can be expanded later.

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