REVISED: ESTONIA: FUROR OVER BRONZE SOLDIER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TALLINN 000079 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL RS EN SUBJECT: REVISED: ESTONIA: FUROR OVER BRONZE SOLDIER DEBATE REF: (A) 06 TALLINN 533 ¶1. Summary: On January 10, the parliament approved a bill giving the government legal authority to relocate the graves of Soviet soldiers and the adjacent QBronze SoldierQ statue from their current location in central Tallinn. While Prime Minister Andrus Ansip has stated that excavation of the graves could begin in May, the decision will ultimately fall to the new government that will be formed after parliamentary elections in March. In addition, any decision to move the graves and the monument will likely face legal challenges that could drag on for some time. End Summary. Background -------------- ¶2. (SBU) As previously reported (Ref A),ethnic and political tensions over the QBronze SoldierQ, the Soviet-era monument dedicated to the war dead of WWII, initially reignited in May 2006. On the anniversary of the QEnd of the Great Patriotic War DayQ, counter- demonstrations resulted in scuffles between ethnic Russians and Estonians near the monument. Subsequently, the Ministry of Interior temporarily cordoned off the park in which the monument is located and banned demonstrations near the site. The media coverage of these events was extensive, in part due to the highly prominent and visible location the Bronze Soldier in central Tallinn and the fact that the police were filmed removing an Estonian flag brought to the scene by protesters. The police later stated they had removed the flag to ensure its safety, but its removal was seen as an insult by more nationalistically-inclined Estonians. ¶3. (U) Political leaders immediately began to debate the necessity of moving the Bronze Soldier to a less visible location outside of the city Q giving the justification that it would lessen the ability of radical groups on both sides to disturb the public. Prime Minister Andrus Ansip voiced his support for moving the monument, but acknowledged that in the absence of national legislation regulating the protection of war graves, the GOE lacked authority to take any action. The Tallinn city government Q which is dominated by the Center Party, an opponent of removing the monument -- convened a series of roundtable discussions that included Russian NGOs and local leaders, but could not reach a consensus. Where There is a Bill, There is a Way -------------- ¶4. (U) Members of the three-party ruling coalition split over the issue: Center and PeoplesQ Union opposed moving the Bronze Soldier while the Reform Party strongly supported the idea. In November, Vaino Lind, a Reform MP and the Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee, submitted the QWar Graves Protection Bill (WGP) to the Parliament for consideration. The parliament approved this legislation, jointly sponsored by the Reform Party, Social Democratic Party, Res Publica, and Pro Patria, on January 10, giving the GOE the legal authority to move war graves, markers, and monuments that are located in QunsuitableQ areas. According to the law, the Ministry of Defense will establish an independent committee (made up of representatives from the Estonian Association for the Maintenance of War Graves and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Interior, Justice, and Culture) to determine a list of war graves designated for removal and reburial at an alternate location. The Commission has one year to make its determination. Once finished, the committee submits its findings to the Ministry of Defense for implementation. Opponents of the bill have criticized it for being inflammatory. Supporters, however, emphasize that it is in full compliance with the Geneva Convention, and includes provisions for the proper reburial of any disturbed remains. ¶5. (U) Prime Minister Ansip has publicly expressed his desire for the excavation process to begin in May. However, it is unlikely the GOE will take any action until March parliamentary elections determine the shape of the next government. In addition, any GOE effort to move the monument itself may face delays from legal challenges. Elina Elkind, an Advisor at the Ministry of Justice, told us that there is some ambiguity in the language of the law which opponents TALLINN 00000079 002 OF 002 could use to challenge the GOEQs right to move the Bronze Soldier. ¶7. (U) Another bill tangentially related to the WGP, the QDisallowed Construction Removal BillQ (DCR),has stalled in the Riigikogu. The DCR would authorize the GOE to prohibit the construction of and allow the removal of any monument or structure that glorifies the occupation of Estonia and/or incites hatred or disturbs public order. The DCR, which was also initially submitted in November, has been through only one of three readings in the parliament. The same four parties sponsored the bill, but gave priority to passage of the WGP. Raini Lind, the Director of the parliamentQs Legal Affairs Committee Secretariat, felt that in her opinion the DCR will likely die in committee before the parliamentQs last on February 22nd. Is it History or Politics? -------------- ¶8. (U) Comment: From the mid-90s on, the Estonian government has generally learned to turn the other cheek in the face of provocative statements and actions related to such emotionally-laden issues as treatment of the Russian minority and the Bronze Soldier. Why, after 15 years, last MayQs events caused the Estonian political leadership to bring back this issue front and center is not completely clear to us, although the desire to use this issue for political benefit in the run-up to next monthQs elections was clearly one important factor. With those elections now at hand, we believe that what happens next will largely depend on the shape of the next governing coalition. GOLDSTEIN