Estonia to withdraw from traffic safety cooperation agreement with 12 countries

  • 2025-01-14
  • BNS/TBT Staff

TALLINN - On Monday, Estonia formally notified Russia of its decision to terminate a decades-old traffic safety cooperation agreement involving the interior ministries of 12 countries, which has been in place for over 30 years.

"In accordance with Article 18 of the cooperation agreement, the Estonian Ministry of the Interior hereby notifies of its intention to withdraw from the agreement at the specified time," Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets said in a letter to the Russian Ministry of the Interior.

The agreement on ensuring road traffic safety was originally signed on Sept. 24, 1993, by the interior ministries of Estonia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, Tajikistan, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Latvia, Ukraine, and Moldova.

Under Article 18, any party to the agreement may withdraw by providing written notice to the depositary -- Russia's Ministry of the Interior -- with the withdrawal taking effect six months after the notice is submitted.