Estonia is preparing to completely ban the purchase of real estate by citizens of Russia and Belarus who do not have a long-term or permanent residence permit in the country.
The minister announced this at a government press conference, ERR reports.
He emphasized that this is a real threat to national security, and the existing restrictions, in particular near the Estonian-Russian border and on small islands, are no longer sufficient.
According to the minister, the ban will also apply to people with dual citizenship, if they have Russian or Belarusian citizenship. At the same time, citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus who legally reside in Estonia with long-term permits will retain the right to buy, sell, inherit or receive real estate as a gift — their status has been checked earlier and there are currently no grounds for restrictions.
The government notes that since the start of Russiaʼs full-scale war against Ukraine, almost a thousand Russian citizens have purchased real estate in Estonia, with their ties to the country often unknown, as they do not have an Estonian identification code. That is why the new measures are preventive in nature and at the same time seen as part of sanctions pressure.
The relevant bill is expected to be adopted by parliament this summer. The minister stressed that the government will try to expedite its consideration as much as possible during the current session.
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