Estonia: Protest planned in Tallinn May 17

Event

According to the United States Embassy in Tallinn, a demonstration against Rail Baltic is scheduled to take place in the capital city on Wednesday, May 17. The protest is expected to take place at Lossi Plats 1a, in front of the Parliament Building between 12:00 and 15:00 (local time). Expect localized traffic disruptions and an increased police presence around the protest.

Context

Rail Baltic is a rail project that is intended to provide Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania a direct rail line to the European Union railway network. Activists argue that the new rail line may not be the best solution to provide access to the rest of Europe. They started voicing concern after an independent report said that the project will need EUR 4.6 billion from the EU rather than the original estimate of EUR 2.4 billion.

Advice

Individuals in Tallinn are advised to avoid all demonstrations demonstration, to anticipate transportation disruptions, and to adhere to any instructions issued by the authorities.