Estonia to get riot police

Apr 20, 2000
By Jaclyn M. Sindrich

On the intiative of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the idea was approved "with the common understanding that it is worth doing," said government spokesman Kaarel Tarand. "You never know what can happen."

The move gives the Interior Ministry the green light to draft legal acts for organizing and implementing the special unit.

The 200-member unit, to be formed from already-existing police forces at a cost of approximately five million kroons ($307,000) for equipment and preparation, will head to Finland for special training as soon as the plans are made official. No date has been set, however.

"The big countries in the EU already have this. We want to think a step ahead, not after," Interior Ministry spokeswoman Anu Adra said, while stressing that no one is expecting riots to break out.

Estonia hasn't witnessed a mass disturbance since the Rummu prison unrest in 1992. But Tarand suggested that soccer matches, volatile grounds throughout Europe no doubt, perhaps pose Estonia's biggest risk for violent crowds. He referred to a recent clash in Istanbul, in which two British fans were allegedly stabbed to death by Turkish fans before a match.

"We never know what kinds of fans may come to Estonia," he said. "In football, everybody understands what can happen."

Aivar Bohlak, member of the Estonian Football Association, seemed shocked to hear that a riot police was being considered.

"Of course some may try to do something similar to what they read in newspapers," he said wearily, "but these actions in other countries can only influence really stupid people."

He assured that soccer matches have always been, and will continue to be, very peaceful in Estonia.

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