Baltic NATO member could back attacks on civilian shipping
Estonia's parliament is set to vote on a bill that would allow its military to sink civilian vessels found to pose a national security threat, state broadcaster ERR reported on Tuesday.
The proposal comes amid heightened tensions with Russia and widespread suspicion it orchestrated the sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, speculation Moscow has vehemently rejected.
The legislation – the final reading of which will take place on Wednesday, – would give the Estonian Defense Forces authority to use maximum force in the country's national waters and its exclusive economic zone, to protect critical infrastructure, ports, facilities and vessels.
Firing on, and sinking a civilian craft would be permissible if potential damage is deemed less than that accruing if the target vessel is allowed continue.
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Under the bill, military and naval commanders would be required to notify the vessel's owner, or its flag state, only after the use of force.
Kalev Stoicescu, the chair of the Estonian parliamentary defense committee, has drawn comparisons to the 9/11 attacks but stressed that the law would not lead to ships being sunk for incidents such as cable damage.
Former commander of the Estonian Navy, Juri Saska, has warned that hostile actors might use civilian vessels to carry out attacks on the country, adding that he hoped that politicians would take responsibility for any potential incidents.
Estonia was one of the countries affected when a power cable connecting it to Finland was damaged in December. Western investigators have so far failed to present any proof to substantiate widespread allegations that Russia orchestrated the incident. Moscow has denied any role, calling the speculation
'absurd.'
Following the suspected sabotage, NATO ramped up its military presence in the Baltic Sea, prompting Moscow to warn that it will respond appropriately to any
'violations'
by NATO ships.
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